Influencers and their impact on purchase intention

Abstract

Background: Influencer marketing has become an important tool for brands, especially in beauty and fashion. Brands use social media and influencers to reach young consumers who are active online. This study looks at how these brands use influencers and how this affects what consumers think and buy. Aim: This dissertation aims to understand and investigate the extent to which digital influencers impact consumer purchase intention. Method: A quantitative study was conducted using an online questionnaire. The survey was distributed to 51 social media users in Tunisia, aged between 14 and 49 years, to gather data on their perceptions and behaviors related to influencer marketing.This was followed by in-depth qualitative interviews with a purposely selected sample of participants to explore the nuanced experiences behind their purchase decisions. Findings: The study shows that brands, using social networks and influencers, have a strong influence on young consumers. When followers identify with and connect to influencers, they often follow their recommendations. Both paid partnerships and gifted products are used by brands, but followers tend to see unpaid support for products as more trustworthy. This influence directly affects the buying behavior of young consumers, who often want to be like the influencers they admire. The findings show that trust and how real the influencer seems are key in this process.