“EFFECTIVENESS OF SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCER

MARKETING IN THRISSUR”

Project report submitted to

CHRIST COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS), IRINJALAKUDA

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of

Bachelor of Commerce

Submitted by

JESLIN JOE

(Reg.No:CCASBCM006)

Under the guidance of

Prof. MUVISH K M

POST GRADUATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

CHRIST COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS), IRINJALAKUDA

UNIVERSITY OF CALICUT

MARCH 2021
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the project entitled “EFFECTIVENESS OF SOCIAL

MEDIA INFLUENCER MARKETING IN THRISSUR” by Ms. Jeslin Joe is a
bona-fide record of work done under my guidance and supervision in partial
fulfillment of the requirement for the award of the degree of Bachelor of
Commerce.

Dr. JOSHEENA JOSE Prof. MUVISH K M

(Head of the department) (Project Guide)

 DECLARATION

I, JESLIN JOE, hereby declare that the bona-fide record of “EFFECTIVENESS

OF SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCER MARKETING IN THRISSUR” done in
partial fulfillment of the B.Com degree program of Calicut University under
the guidance of Prof. MUVISH K M, Asst.Professor, Post Graduate
Department of Commerce, Christ College (Autonomous), Irinjalakuda.

I also declare that the project has not formed the basis of reward of any degree
or any other similar title to any other University.

Place: Irinjalakuda JESLIN JOE

Date: CCASBCM006
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First, I praise and thank God Almighty who showers his plentiful blessings
upon me, who guide, shield and strengthen me all the time.

I wish to express my profound gratitude and heart-felt thanks to our Principal

Fr. Dr. Jolly Andrews CMI for his encouragement and for giving me permission
for the study. I am thankful to Dr. Josheena Jose, Head of Department, for
providing proper help and encouragement in the preparation of this report.

I express my sincere gratitude to Prof. Muvish K M, whose guidance and

support throughout the training period helped me to complete this work
successfully. I am also thankful to the other faculties of the department for their
valuable advices and co-operation, rendered for the successful completion of
my project.

I put forward my thankfulness to the Librarian and Non-Teaching Staffs of

Christ College Irinjalakuda (Autonomous) for their co-operation. I also take
this opportunity to thank my parents, friends and classmates who have been a
source of inspiration. Without their encouragement, it would not have been
possible for me to complete my project successfully.

Place: Irinjalakuda JESLIN JOE

Date:
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapters Contents Page No.

Table of contents

List of tables

List of figures

Chapter 1 Introduction 1-5

Chapter 2 Review of literature 6-11

Chapter 3 Theoretical framework 12-27

Chapter 4 Data analysis 28-48

Chapter 5 Findings, Suggestions and 49-52

conclusions

Bibliography 53-54

Appendix 55-58
 LIST OF TABLES
Table no. Title Pg. No

4.1 Classification on the basis of gender 29

4.2 Classification on the basis of age 30

4.3 Instagram users 31

4.4 Instagram usage time 32

Number of influencers followed on

4.5 33
Instagram

4.6 Recommending Influencers 34

Respondents interested to know about

4.7 35
products through influencers
Respondents who would think about
4.8 36
buying product introduced by influencers
Respondents who would buy the product
4.9 37
introduced by influencer
Respondents not influenced by influencers
4.10 38
to buy products
Respondents interested to discuss about
4.11 39
the product introduced by influencer
Respondents interested in watching

4.12 product promotion videos posted by 40

influencers
Respondents who prefer influencer posts

4.13 over company advertisements to gain 41

knowledge about products
Respondents who trust product
4.14 recommendation given by influencers 42
over companies
Reasons for trusting influencers’ product
4.15 recommendation over company 43
recommendations
4.16 Respondents who purchased a product or
45
service recommended by an influencer

Product purchased or checked out through

4.17 46
influencer recommendation
Customer satisfaction on the product
purchased through influencer 47
4.18 recommendation
Respondents interested in product
4.19 48
recommendations by endorsed influencers
 LIST OF FIGURES
Figure No. Title Pg. No

4.1 Classification on the basis of gender 29

4.2 Classification on the basis of age 30

4.3 Instagram users 31

4.4 Time spent on Instagram 32

Number of influencers followed on

4.5 33
Instagram

4.6 Recommending Influencers 34

Respondents interested to know about

4.7 35
products through influencers
Respondents who would think about buying
4.8 36
product introduced by influencers
Respondents who would buy the product
4.9 37
introduced by influencer
Respondents not influenced by influencers to
4.10 38
buy products
Respondents interested to discuss about the
4.11 39
product introduced by influencer
Respondents interested in watching product
4.12 40
promotion videos posted by influencers
Respondents who prefer influencer posts

4.13 over company advertisements to gain 41

knowledge about products
Respondents who trust product
4.14
recommendation given by influencers over 42
companies
 Reasons for trusting influencers’ product
recommendation over company
4.15 44
recommendations

Respondents who purchased a product or

4.16 45
service recommended by an influencer
Product purchased or checked out through
4.17 46
influencer recommendation
Customer satisfaction on the product
4.18 purchased through influencer 47
recommendation
Respondents interested in product
4.19 48
recommendations by endorsed influencers
 CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

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1.1 Introduction
Influencer marketing can be defined as a form of marketing in which focus is placed
on specific key individuals rather than the target market as a whole. Traditionally, when
people think of influencer marketing, they think of a celebrity appearance in a TV
commercial or a famous person posed on a billboard along a highway. Companies hope
that by showcasing people of interest to their target markets, consumers will be more
inclined to try the product or service that the company offers.
As media and technology have become more advanced, companies can choose from a
range of options in outlets to market their products. These options have also led to the
evolution of social media influencer marketing. Now you can find people representing
companies through branded content on personal social media accounts, such as
Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, and YouTube. More than ever, consumers are looking to
fellow consumers to inform their purchasing decisions.

The rise of social media has opened up a new channel for brands to connect with
consumers more directly and more organically. If a brand is not using social media
influencer marketing as a strategy to better attract its target audience, now may be the
time for the company to start evaluating their advertising strategy. Social media brand
influencers are on the rise, becoming one of the biggest marketing and public relations
trends. Influencers focus on working with companies whose products non-celebrity
individuals use in their everyday lives. By working alongside social media influencers,
public relations agencies can capture the attention of brand consumers and promote
relevant and relatable content to clients. While influencer marketing based on
traditional media has been used in public relations for many years, the rise of social
media has created the boom of social media influencer marketing. Social media
influencer marketing has successfully changed the way that brands interact with
consumers.

Influencer marketing on social media opens up a new channel for brands to connect
with consumers more directly, organically, and at scale to their everyday lives. Social
media influencers promote brands through their personal lives, making them relatable
to the average consumer. Influencers truly serve as the ultimate connection between a

2
 brand and a consumer. Through their candidness and openness with consumers,
influencers have high social clout and credibility, which is what makes the phenomenon
so successful. Where traditional marketing targeted mostly mass audiences, influencers
have the unique ability to target niche audiences that have until now been unreachable.

1.2 Statement of problem

Not long before technological advancements, scheduled television was virtually the
only mass media consumers had access to and was one of the main platform marketers
used to advertise to the masses. Today, with the creation of the internet and the
popularity of social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook and YouTube,
consumers have unlimited freedom and choice over the content they wish to view. This
creates a problem for brands. As their target audience continues to spread out over
various forms of media, it becomes increasingly difficult to reach them. As a result,
marketers discovered that influencer marketing could offer a solution to the problem. It
allows brands to locate and advertise directly to their target audience. This research is
designed to understand the effectiveness of social media influencer marketing among
the youth in Thrissur.

1.3 Objectives of the study

• To find customers’ attitude towards social media influencer marketing
• To analyze the type of product mostly purchased due to social media influencer
marketing.
• To predict the future trend of social media influencer marketing.

1.4 Significance of the study

Brands have always had a focus on targeting their consumers’ wants and needs. The
image a brand gains from its social media influencers helps build direct relationships
with its key consumers and encourages brand loyalty. While a brand does not have total
control over its online conversation, the direct voice of an influencer and trust that
consumers have for this individual is instilled in the brand through the two-way
conversation that is established for the product via social media outlets. Therefore this
study will assist the marketers to evaluate the impact of social media influencer
marketing using Instagram influencers among the youth in Thrissur.

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1.5 Scope of the study
The scope of the study is to find the effectiveness of social media influencer marketing
among the youth of Thrissur municipal corporation

1.6 Research Design

1.6.1 Nature of the study

This study is based on both analytical and descriptive in nature, with support of
primary and secondary data.
1.6.2 Nature of the data

The study is based on both primary and secondary data.

1.6.3 Sources of the data

Primary data will be collected through online questionnaire. Secondary data will be
collected from various sources such as books, journals, newspaper, internet etc.

1.7 Sample design

1.7.1 Nature of population
Target population is the young in Thrissur aged between 18 to 30 years, who are
Instagram users.
1.7.2 Sample size
The sample size selected for the study is 70
1.7.3 Sampling method
Samples for the study are selected through convenient sampling technique.

1.8 Tools used for analysis

The data was analyzed and interpreted with the help of different tools such as
percentages, tabulation and figures.

1.9 Limitation of the study

• The population is finite and only 70 samples are selected

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 • Due to covid 19 pandemic restrictions, data collection was limited to online
questionnaire.
• Collected primary data is based on convenient sampling
• The study is only based on one popular media – Instagram

1.10 Chapterization
Chapter 1: This chapter covers the introduction of the study, statement of the problem, scope
and significance of the study, objective of the study, research design, tools used for analysis,
limitations of the study and chapter scheme.

Chapter 2: This chapter contains review of the literature related to the topic.

Chapter 3: This chapter depicts theoretical framework on effectiveness of social media

influencer marketing

Chapter 4: This chapter deals with data analysis and interpretation.

Chapter 5: This chapter covers major findings, suggestions and conclusions from the study.

5
 CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

6
1. Farivar, Wang and Yuan (2010) in the study “Opinion leadership vs para social
relationship: key factors in influencer marketing” provided a comprehensive
understanding of the effects of the two key constructs by combining and comparing
in a model with moderators of post characteristics and correspondent inference. The
study identified that in influencer marketing, parasocial relationship is more
prominent over opinion leadership in affecting followers’ purchase intention.

2. Jalilvand, Karchizadeh and Samiei (2010) has conducted a study which provides
a theoretical framework of electronic word of mouth. The study revealed that
customers are going online in increasing numbers and that in their electronic
universe, these consumers are exposed to and are influenced by many sites devoted
to the selling or discussion of product or service. In conclusion, the new breed of
electronic intermediaries does not provide face to face contact and diminishes the
power as opinion leaders.

3. Tejavibulya and Eiamkanchanalai (2011) studied the impact of opinion leaders

towards purchase decision engineering under different types of product
involvement. The study identified that opinion leadership is a strong factor causing
a purchasing decision, but it does have an equal weighting on the purchase decision
of opinion seekers. The consumers’ purchase decision also varies due to different
cultural background. In conclusion, the study reveals that different types of product
require different marketing techniques.

4. Barreda, et.al (2015) conducted a study on generating brand awareness in online

social networks. The study results indicate that building brand awareness in online
social networks increases word of mouth traffic and it is important to create a
virtually interactive environment, enabling users to exchange reliable, rich and
updated information in a timely manner to foster brand awareness in social networks.

5. Isosuo (2016) examined the factors that affect how the followers of chosen
influencers perceive content marketing in the study “Social media influencer

7
 marketing”. The study concluded that social media brings influencers closer to their
followers as influencers are regarded as peers and their opinion is valued.

6. Woods (2016) in the study explored the emergence of influencer marketing from
the advertising agency perspective. The study revealed that the origin of social media
influencers was born out of the lack of opportunity to advertise on social platforms
and it was used by advertising agencies to market their brands.

7. Glucksman (2017) conducted a study on “The rise of social media influencer

marketing on lifestyle branding”. Pentadic analysis of Instagram posts and
qualitative content analysis of YouTube videos of a social media personality were
performed to identify the factors that make a social media influencer successful in
communicating a lifestyle brand to their followers. The study revealed that social
media influencers’ success does not rely solely on their follower count, but their
ability to influence followers through authenticity, confidence and interactivity to
create a connection between the followers and the brand.

8. S.V Jin, A Muqaddam and Ryu (2019) in the study entitled “Instafamous and
social media influencer marketing” studied the effects of two types of celebrities,
Instagram celebrity and traditional celebrity on source trustworthiness, brand
attitude, envy and social presence. The study identified that consumers exposed to
Instagram celebrity’s brand posts perceive the source to be more trustworthy, show
more positive attitude toward the endorsed brand, feel stronger social presence and
more envious of the source than those consumers exposed to traditional celebrity’s
brand posts. The study concluded that influencer marketing would be an effective
branding strategy as compared to traditional endorsement marketing.

9. Genç and Öksür (2019) in their study examined brand collaborations between
youtubers with great number of followers. The study revealed that youtubers have
great power in reaching and influencing social media users. Brands aim to more
visible, reinforce their image and influence consumers’ purchase behaviour by
benefiting from the love, sympathy and trust for the youtubers by collaborating with
them.

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10. S Venus Jin (2020) in the study entitled “I’ll buy what she’s # wearing: The roles
of envy toward and parasocial interaction with influencers in Instagram celebrity
based brand endorsement and social commerce” have identified the dynamics of
interaction among brand related user generated contents posted on Instagram, social
media based brand communication with Instagram celebrities and consumers’
characteristics. In conclusion, consumer behavior towards Instagram celebrities is a
parasocial interaction that leads to materialistic envy and compulsive buying
tendency.

11. Casalo, Flavian and Sanchez (2020) provided a study which analyzed the
antecedents and consequences of opinion leadership on Instagram. The results
indicate that consumers who follow an opinion leader who publishes original and
unique content develop subsequent behaviors that may benefit both the opinion
leader and companies. Companies can use these opinion leaders in their
advertisement campaign to showcase their image with the consumers.

12. Taylor (2021) in the study entitled “The future of advertising research: new
directions and research needs” identified that due to technological changes as well
as societal and public policy issues, the new face of advertising would remain to be
social influencers.

9
 REFERENCE

1. Samira Farivar, Fang Wang, Yufei Yuan, Opinion leadership vs. para-social
relationship: Key factors in influencer marketing, Journal of Retailing and Consumer
Services, Volume 59, 2021, 102371, ISSN 0969-6989.

2. Mohammad Reza Jalilvand, Sharif Shekarchizadeh Esfahani, Neda Samiei,

Electronic word-of-mouth: Challenges and opportunities, Procedia Computer
Science, Volume 3, 2011, Pages 42-46, ISSN 1877-0509

3. Pongsiri Tejavibulya, Somkiat Eiamkanchanalai, The Impacts of Opinion Leaders

towards Purchase Decision Engineering under Different Types of Product
Involvement, Systems Engineering Procedia, Volume 2, 2011, Pages 12-22, ISSN
2211-3819, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sepro.2011.10.003.

4. Albert A. Barreda, Anil Bilgihan, Khaldoon Nusair, Fevzi Okumus, Generating

brand awareness in Online Social Networks, Computers in Human Behavior,
Volume 50, 2015, Pages 600-609, ISSN 0747-5632

5. Isosuo, H. (2016). Social media influencer marketing. JAMK University of Applied

Science.

6. Woods, Steven, "#Sponsored: The Emergence of Influencer Marketing"

(2016). Chancellor’sHonorsProgramProjects.
https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_chanhonoproj/1976

7. The Rise of Social Media Influencer Marketing on Lifestyle Branding: A Case Study
of Lucie Fink Morgan Glucksman Strategic Communications Elon University

8. Jin, S.V., Muqaddam, A. and Ryu, E. (2019), "Instafamous and social media
influencer marketing", Marketing Intelligence & Planning, Vol. 37 No. 5, pp. 567-
579. https://doi.org/10.1108/MIP-09-2018-0375

9. Merve Genç, Burcu Öksüz, An Analysis on Collaborations between Turkish Beauty

YouTubers and Cosmetic Brands, Procedia Computer Science, Volume 158, 2019,
Pages 745-750, ISSN 1877-0509

10. S. Venus Jin, Ehri Ryu,“I'll buy what she's #wearing”: The roles of envy toward and
parasocial interaction with influencers in Instagram celebrity-based brand
endorsement and social commerce, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services,
Volume 55, 2020, 102121, ISSN 0969-6989

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11. Luis V. Casaló, Carlos Flavián, Sergio Ibáñez-Sánchez, Influencers on Instagram:
Antecedents and consequences of opinion leadership, Journal of Business Research,
Volume 117, 2020, Pages 510-519, ISSN 0148-2963

12. The future of advertising research: new directions and research needs Charles R.
Taylor &Les Carlson Pages 51-62 | Published online: 22 Jan 2021

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 CHAPTER 3
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

12
3.1 Marketing
3.1.1 Definitions of marketing
• According to the American Marketing Association (AMA) Board of
Directors, Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating,
communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for
customers, clients, partners, and society at large.
• Dr. Philip Kotler defines marketing as “the science and art of exploring, creating,
and delivering value to satisfy the needs of a target market at a profit. Marketing
identifies unfulfilled needs and desires. It defines, measures and quantifies the
size of the identified market and the profit potential. It pinpoints which segments
the company is capable of serving best and it designs and promotes the
appropriate products and services.”
• In the words of Cundiff and Still – “Marketing is the term used to describe
collectively those business functions most directly concerned with the demand
stimulating and demand-fulfilling activities of the business enterprise”
• Enis (1974) defined marketing as, “marketing is the business of moving goods
and services from the producers to the customers”

3.1.2 Meaning of marketing

Marketing is a comprehensive term. It comprises of all the activities performed by
firms to direct and facilitate flow of goods and services from the producers to buyers.
It is a two-way exchange process in which needs and wants of both buyers and sellers
are satisfied. It is the exchange of value between buyers and sellers. Marketing is the
process of converting prospective buyers into actual customers by communicating
complete information of the product or services to the customer. The key elements
which are the secret to a successful marketing practice are thorough market survey
and research, framing a competitive strategy, designing a realistic marketing plan and
implementing different tactics to execute the plan. Marketing is an ongoing practice
to capture customer’s attention towards a product or service. It is the core of all the
business practices, without which any business will prove to be a colossal failure.

3.1.3 Features of marketing

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 • Needs and wants:
The main objective of marketing process is to satisfy the needs and wants of the
customers. All the marketing activities are carried out to fulfil this objective. A
need can be defined as sum total of all those items which are basic to human
beings. For example, food, shelter, clothing, water etc. Culturally defined objects
that are potential satisfiers of needs are known as wants. For example, basic need
for water can take many forms such as cold drink or lemon water or tea or coffee
etc. These forms are known as wants. An organisation must identify the various
needs of their customers and should develop products and services that satisfy the
same.
• Creating a market offering:
Market offering means giving an offer for goods and services by describing its
features like shape, size, quality, uses etc. Suppose a computer is offered in a
market; its various features like different sizes and prices at which it is available,
technologies used, location of the shops at which it is available etc. are described.
A good ‘market offer’ is one which aims at complete consumers’ satisfaction.
• Customer value:
The customer is willing to purchase the product or services only when its value is
satisfying their needs, in relation to its cost, which means, the product or service
is providing them maximum benefit. Therefore, the marketer’s job is to add some
value to its product so that it is preferred by the customers over the competitors’
product.
• Exchange Mechanism:
The process of marketing consists of exchange of goods and services for money
or money’s worth. This mechanism helps both buyers and sellers to get what they
desire. Exchange is defined as an essence of marketing. Products can be
exchanged through various middlemen at different levels of distribution.
3.1.4 Importance of Marketing

Marketing is a very much part of our normal lives, where ever we live. Firms cannot exist
without marketing wings. Peter Drucker said that marketing is everything. All other
activities in the organisation are support services to the marketing strategy.

• Creating a brand:

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 The brand is the company’s most valuable asset and the sole responsibility to
create a brand lies on the shoulder of the marketing department of the
organization. The market is full of similar products and the only thing which
makes the company stand out is its brand. Today, Brand is not just a combination
of name, symbol, and design, it is the business-consumer relationship, the
consumers’ perception, and the consumers’ opinion about the company and its
products. Along with the symbolic value, a brand also carries an awareness value
which eventually leads to brand loyalty and more sales if taken care of properly.
• Product development:
One of the most important aspects of product development is to search for a
perfect market for the product, get consumer insights, and develop a perfect
proposition to make it stand out of the rest. The 4p’s of marketing play a huge
role in the product development.
• Communication:
Competition is everywhere and sometimes it’s only the good communication
strategy which makes the brand stands out of the rest. New communication
avenues like internet, smart devices, and social media, have opened the doors to
new and more targeted communication strategies which eventually lead to more
conversions. In this competitive environment, a product without communication
is a dead product. Communication infuses life in it and triggers sales.
• Building relationships:
A relationship is built on trust, understanding, and pride. Marketing plays a very
significant role in building a relationship between the customers and the
organization. It works along with the product team to deliver what’s promised at
the time of and after the sale has taken place. The relationship, once built, makes
the customers more brand loyal and gives them the confidence to repeat sales and
buy more products under the same brand. The relationship further narrows down
the marketing funnel by removing the top two stages (awareness & interest) and
making the business activities more fruitful.
• Maintaining the company’s reputation:
The success and the life-span of the company are positively correlated to the
company’s reputation which usually is correlated to the brand equity of the
business. A majority of the activities of the marketers are directed towards
building the brand equity of the business. Company’s reputation is built when it
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 successfully fulfils the expectations of its customers, when it acts like a
responsible member of the society, and when the customers feel proud of using
its products. Marketers by using effective communication, CSR, PR, and
branding strategies, make sure that the company’s reputation is maintained.
• Tackling the competition:
Competition has reached an all-time high to a point where the only difference in
most of the cases is not a product feature but how it is communicated to the user.
New communication avenues are being explored along with new markets.
Marketing plays a vital role in tackling the competition by not only deciding
which feature will sell but also planning strategies on how to portray it better than
the other players.
3.2 Social Media Marketing

3.2.1 Definition of social media marketing

The term social media marketing (SMM) refers to the use of social media and social
networks to market a company’s products and services. Social media marketing provides
companies with a way to engage with existing customers and reach new ones while
allowing them to promote their desired culture, mission, or tone. Social media marketing
has purpose-built data analytics tools that allow marketers to track the success of their
efforts. Sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are commonly used to execute social
media marketing.

3.2.2 Social Media Marketing Platforms

• Facebook
Facebook is an American online social media and social networking service based
in Menlo Park, California, and a flagship service of the namesake company
Facebook, Inc. It was founded by Mark Zuckerberg. Facebook is one of the top
social media platforms with more than 1.23 billion active users worldwide. 62%
of the 1.23 billion users log in on a daily basis making it the best medium to reach
for new customers. Today, businesses both big and small use Facebook as an
advertising source to help their brand expand.
• Instagram
Instagram is an American photo and video sharing social networking service
owned by Facebook, created by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger and originally
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 launched on iOS in October 2010. The app allows users to upload media that can
be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts
can be shared publicly or with pre-approved followers. Users can browse other
users' content by tags and locations and view trending content. Instagram can be
used to bring or draw connection between product and individual which leads to
large viral advertising opportunities and create an audience that becomes brand
ambassadors. Instagram has about 500 million active users and is one of the
increasingly popular platforms with integrated business tools. The site allows
established brands to link directly to e-commerce shops or products, making it
one of the most monetizable platforms of social media.
• YouTube
YouTube is an American online video-sharing platform headquartered in San
Bruno, California. The service, created in February 2005 by three former PayPal
employees—Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim—was bought by
Google in November 2006 for US$1.65 billion and now operates as one of the
company's subsidiaries. YouTube is the second most-visited website after Google
Search. YouTube is a great way to make passive income for individuals or brands.
The site hosts endless videos created by users that can be monetized to generate
advertisement revenue. YouTube boasts 2 billion active users, making it widely
available and popular worldwide.
• WhatsApp
WhatsApp Messenger, or simply WhatsApp, is an American freeware, cross-
platform centralized messaging and voice-over-IP service owned by Facebook,
Inc. It allows users to send text messages and voice messages, make voice and
video calls, and share images, documents, user locations, and other content.
WhatsApp is a widely active social network, with over 1.5 billion active monthly
users.
• Snapchat
Snapchat is an American multimedia messaging app developed by Snap Inc.,
originally Snapchat Inc. One of the principal features of Snapchat is that pictures
and messages are usually only available for a short time before they become
inaccessible to their recipients. Snapchat was created by Evan Spiegel, Bobby
Murphy, and Reggie Brown. Snapchat generates most of its revenue through
brand advertisements. The company’s key advertising products are Sponsored
17
 Lenses, 3D overlays that utilise augmented reality and mobile video advertising
service Snap Ads.
3.2.3 Working of Social Media Marketing

Social media has changed the way we function as a society, including the way we connect
with one another. As platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram took off,
businesses also took notice. They began to use these sites to further their interests through
social media marketing. That's because these sites are able to change consumer
behaviour. Social media websites allow marketers to employ a broad range of tactics and
strategies to promote content and have people engage with it. Many social networks allow
users to provide detailed geographical, demographic, and personal information, which
enables marketers to tailor their messages to what is most likely to resonate with users.
Because audiences can be better segmented than more traditional marketing channels,
companies can ensure they focus their resources on the audience that they want to target
using social media marketing.

3.2.4 Merit and Demerit of Social Media Marketing

• Social media marketing campaigns have the advantage of appealing to a broad

audience at once. For example, a campaign may appeal to current and prospective
customers, employees, bloggers, the media, the general public, and other
stakeholders, such as third-party reviewers or trade groups.

• These campaigns can also create obstacles that companies may not have had to
deal with otherwise. For example, a viral video claiming that a company’s product
causes consumers to become ill must be addressed by the company, regardless of
whether the claim is true or false. Even if a company can set the message straight,
consumers may be less likely to purchase from the company in the future.

3.3 Social Media Influencers Marketing

3.3.1 Social Media Influencers

In general terms, an influencer is a person or a thing that influences another. Influencer

is someone who affects or changes the way that other people behave. Simply put, social
media influencers are people who have garnered a massive and devoted following on

18
social media. They have a strong online presence on one or more social media platforms.
And they are often perceived as role models or industry experts by their fans. In
marketing terms, an influencer is a person who is paid by a company to show and describe
its products and services on social media, encouraging other people to buy them.

3.3.2 Types of Social Media Influencers

• Bloggers and Vloggers:

Bloggers are people who use a dedicated blog to publish content on a regular
basis. They are also usually active on various social media platforms where they
promote their content. Popular bloggers usually have a highly engaged and loyal
audience that looks forward to their next posts. They are often perceived as
industry experts and trusted sources of information. For instance, digital
marketing guru, Neil Patel, regularly shares his knowledge and expertise on his
own blog. Owing to his authority about topics related to digital marketing, his
readers are likely to trust his recommendations. So, if he were to recommend a
keyword research tool in one of his articles, his readers may be compelled to
check it out.
Similar to bloggers, vloggers share content in the form of videos. They often use
platforms such as YouTube and Vimeo to publish their content. The content can
be anything from snippets of their daily lives to extreme travel videos.
Collaborating with bloggers and vloggers is usually a highly effective way of
renewing a company’s content strategy. It is also an effective way to boost brand
awareness and generate leads for business. One can find popular bloggers across
various domains including travel, marketing, fashion, lifestyle, etc.
• Social Media Sensations:
Unlike bloggers, social media stars don’t rely on blog or video content to keep
their audiences engaged. Instead, they share glimpses of their regular lives and
forge a strong rapport with their followers. These are people who have garnered
popularity solely on the basis of their social media profiles. Even though they
aren’t necessarily considered to be niche experts, they possess the power to
influence purchase decisions. This is because such influencers often have more
personal connections with their followers. They are perceived as real-life
consumers instead of high-profile celebrities. Their followers are often highly
engaged and have faith in their recommendations.
19
 Take Katie Stauffer for instance. The mother of five has an Instagram account,
Stauffer Family. She rose to fame by uploading quirky videos and pictures of her
adorable twins, Emma and Mila. At present, she has more than 4 million
followers and regularly collaborates with beauty, lifestyle, and fashion brands.
• Reality TV Stars:
The phrase “overnight sensation” is best personified by reality television stars.
They can go from being home chefs or bathroom singers to becoming household
names. Thus, social media users often find it easier to relate to them.
Consequently, they might share stronger connections with reality TV stars. It is
crucial for marketers to identify and partner with emerging reality TV stars at the
right time. Their fame is often short-lived and is likely to fizzle out soon after the
television show goes off-air.
• Micro-Influencers:
Micro-influencers usually have a few hundred thousand or an even a smaller
number of followers. However, they have extremely engaged fan communities
pertaining to a highly specific niche. As a result, they are more likely to be able
to motivate their followers to take the desired action. This enables them to drive
their audience towards a particular brand without seeming overly promotional.
81% of the active Instagram influencers have less than 100,000 followers. They
often charge a smaller fee in comparison to more popular influencers with
millions of followers. Many of them are also open to other forms of
compensation including giveaways and shoutouts.
• Nano-Influencers:
The rising demand for influencers has forced marketers to look for new and
unique types of social media influencers. This has contributed to the rise of nano-
influencers. Much like micro-influencers, they are characterized by a small yet
engaged social media following. Nano-influencers usually have a few thousand
followers (sometimes even less than that). They can come in handy for small
businesses. What sets them apart is that they are usually devoted fans of a
particular brand or product. They are likely to be vocal about this on their social
media profiles. The right incentive can encourage them to become loyal
advocates of a company’s brand and recommend it in their networks. Their
followers are likely to perceive this as an authentic testimonial instead of a
branded endorsement.
20
• Activists:
Social media activists are usually driven by a political or social cause. Their
vision is to introduce some kind of positive change by influencing others. They
often have radical views on current issues and use social media as a tool to voice
their opinions. Therefore, brands should be extremely cautious when
collaborating with such types of social media influencers. For instance, writer,
Jennifer Nini, uses her Instagram account to talk about issues such as
sustainability, ethical fashion, and body positivity. Citizen Wolf, a fashion tech
company, collaborated with her to promote their brand.
• Journalists:
Journalists are powerful media personalities who can change the way people
perceive a company’s brand. Nowadays, most journalists also have an active
presence on social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram. Identifying
such journalists and collaborating with them will have a monumental impact on
a company’s reach and reputation.
• Photographers:
Photographers are creators of high-quality visual content. Many of them
regularly share their work on their social media profiles. Thus, they can be an
extremely useful resource for travel, fashion, and lifestyle brands. In addition,
international camera brands such as Canon and Nikon often collaborate with
famous photographers to promote their products. For instance, active Nikon
users with a large social media following are designated as official ambassadors
of the brand. These ambassadors just have to upload high-quality images
captured using Nikon cameras with the hashtag #NikonAmbassador. In addition
to boosting brand awareness, this also doubles as a genuine testimonial from a
real-life user. It also gives the brand access to a pool of top-notch user-generated
content.
• Thought Leaders:
These are the types of social media influencers who are proponents of cutting-
edge innovations. They are usually entrepreneurs and top-level decision-makers
of big companies. Social media users follow them to learn about the latest
developments and trends in their industries. Their followers are also fiercely
loyal and swear by their recommendations. Popular examples include Mark
Zuckerberg and Elon Musk.
21
 • Mainstream Celebrities:
A compilation of various types of social media influencers is incomplete without
mentioning their traditional counterparts. These include movie stars, athletes,
sportspersons, musicians, models, and other popular public figures of
mainstream media. Such celebrities are often appointed as brand ambassadors
and become the faces of these brands. Owing to their immense popularity,
celebrities have a massive reach on social media platforms as well. However,
they are often associated with a hefty price tag. In addition, their audiences are
often more generic and doesn’t pertain to any particular niche. Targeting the right
audience becomes difficult when you collaborate with these types of social media
influencers. Nevertheless, big-shot brands in fashion, retail, beauty, and lifestyle
often collaborate with famous actors and actresses. Likewise, sports stars are
often approached by fitness brands as well as food and beverage companies to
promote their products.
3.3.3 Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is basically a type of marketing in which the focus mainly lies on
using influential people in a particular niche in order to drive the message that a particular
brand wishes to give. The brand owners instead of reaching out to the target audience
would hire or influence a well-known celebrity so that they would talk about the brand
to the large mass of consumers. The influencer marketers prefer opting for people who
influence the thought process of people rather than the one who just have fame. The
concept proves to be really helpful to increase the potential customer base of the brand.

3.3.4 Concept of Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is basically accompanied by social media marketing along with

content marketing. Most of the influencer campaign that takes place has some kind of
social media and content marketing elements in it. This is due to the fact that people
nowadays are more active on social media than any other platform of entertainment. The
influential people can spread the message of the brands through their own social media
channel and this leads to more people getting connected to the image of the brand.
Content marketing is also used widely in influencer marketing by either creating contents
for the influencers so that they can market it to the consumers or sometimes the
influencers create the content themselves and then markets it. Even though influencer

22
marketing goes hand in hand with social media marketing and content marketing but they
are not synonymous. Through, they function in a well-integrated manner.

By using Influencer Marketing, a business tries to harness the power of important

individuals on the web or in particular industry for meeting any specific business goal.
This is done through a mutually productive relationship.

3.3.5 Advantages of Influencer Marketing

• The whole concept of influencer marketing is engaging the customers so that

they can get much more involved with the brand. Traditional marketing mainly
focused on creating advertisements so that people get to know about the products,
but now, people get frustrated with the concept. Here the whole process of social
media marketing can prove to be really helpful in generating leads.
• Lots of people follow the influencer on social media, so when they would
endorse the brand, it would bring a sense of trust among all the people. Moreover,
the marketing would be highly focused and very relevant. For example, if you
have a sports brand then you would hire a renowned sportsperson to endorse it
and people who love sports would be the first one to view it.
• As the advertisement is more focused and relevant, it makes customer acquisition
much easier. The influencers work on engaging stories so that their followers can
relate themselves to the brand and gets drawn towards it.
• The influencer marking is an exceptionally focused concept and when the
influencer is chosen right, it would spread the words of your brand to the people
who are mostly interested in your products and thus you would be confident that
you are mostly investing your money on the potential customers.
• It has been observed that influencer marketing even helps in boosting the SEO
ranking of a particular website. This is because when influencers talk about your
brand, more of their followers would also talk about it resulting in an overall
increase in the brand visibility which in turn boosts the SEO rankings.
• Brand awareness and reachability goes to new heights with influencer marketing.
• Rather than considering high-end film stars or expensive for promoting the
brands, influencer marketing focuses on hiring social influencers who have a lot
of followers in that particular field and hence the overall cost of hiring them is
much affordable.

23
3.3.6 Disadvantages of Influencer Marketing

• You have to stay really updated in order to make sure that influencer marketing
would go the way you wanted it to be. Be sure about the influencers who are
endorsing your brand. Their social media presence should be really good and it
should not be volatile or exposed to any kinds of threats. This, in turn, might
damage the image of your brand.
• The influencer marketing is basically a strategy that needs to be included in a
larger marketing mix. In order to get success, the whole concept needs a lot of
time, patience and dedication.
• This marketing strategy would not give you success by paying the influencers. It
is mainly the influencers who would drive the whole process and generate
creative ideas to accumulate more leads. That is why even though many
companies invest in this marketing strategy but they severely fail in it.
3.3.7 Influencer Marketing Agencies

Influencer marketing agencies act as a middleman in the influencer marketing process.

To many brands, the process of discovering influencers, contacting and selecting the most
suitable ones, and then running campaigns with them, is too time consuming. They would
rather pay a specialist influencer marketing agency to do the work for them.

➢ Influencer Marketing Agencies- Globally

• Viral Nation:
Viral Nation also acts as both an influencer marketing agency and an influencer
talent agency. They consider themselves the world's largest influencer talent
agency, professionally securing brand and endorsement deals for social media's
top influencers. They help their influencers develop their business while they
focus on creating the best possible content. They negotiate contracts, seek out
new brand opportunities, produce merchandise, and expand their influencers'
reach offline through traditional media opportunities such speaking engagements,
event appearances, content licensing, casting calls, and new media opportunities
such as app development, digital series development, collaborations across social
media platforms with other influencers, etc. Their relationships with a vast
collection of companies and brands allow them to secure the services of ideal

24
 influencers for every and any social campaign while staying at the forefront of
new media content development and activation.
• Central Entertainment Group:
Central Entertainment Group intersects talent representation and creative brand
strategy. With a diverse portfolio of clients, CEG believes they are the leader for
anything "influencer," whether businesses are looking to partner with talent, or
talent looking to make meaningful connections. Their services include Celebrity
talent representation, executing digital marketing campaigns and providing talent
for personal appearances, live events, and music tours.
They work on a personal basis to represent talent for social media partnerships,
personal appearances, TV negotiations, and more. CEG's priority is guiding their
talent to grow their brands and develop their platforms into careers. The company
manages schedules, handles all inbound inquiries, and understands the space to
maximize exposure. They implement strategies to produce engaging content that
will, in turn, create follower growth and increase brand recognition.
• Champions Celebrity Talent Agency:
Champions Celebrity Talent Agency believes that by placing social media
influencers at the centre of their marketing activities, brands can leverage their
audience reach and subsequently boost sales. Their work extends beyond high-
profile celebrities. They manage and work with some of the best social media
influencers, making them ideal to pair your brand with the right online influencer.
Champions Celebrity Talent Agency is a celebrity talent management agency
with a difference. For over 30 years, they have worked with top celebrity talent
and created powerful partnerships with some of the UK’s biggest brands. As a
result, they have established themselves among the UK talent management
agency elite.
• Colossal Influence:
Colossal Influence is a full-service influencer marketing agency and talent agency
offering management to some of the most gifted UK social creators alongside an
award-nominated consultancy service for brands and PR firms alike. Colossal
Influence is led by an influencer with a background in business and finance. The
agency handpicks its creators. They were fans of these influencers before working
with them. Colossal Influence not only understands their influencers' content in-
depth, but also where they flourish and their key demographics. Colossal
25
 Influence has decided to take on a much smaller influencer roster on an exclusive
basis for close personal management. They have worked with over 200 brands
and over 50 creators since officially forming in 2016.
• INF Influencer Agency:
INF Influencer Agency is a talent agency dedicated to casting and managing
digital influencers. INF Influencer Agency partners with A&F Music, one of
North America’s preeminent music management groups. With over 45 years in
the entertainment business, A&F Music provides a wealth of experience and
expertise in artist representation, talent management, event services, and
corporate consulting. INF exclusively manages a roster of top online personalities
in the beauty, fashion, lifestyle, home, parenting, wellness, and travel spaces.
They also work closely with brands and agencies to cast and manage talent for
global Influencer programs.

➢ Influencer Marketing Agencies- India

• Plixxo:
Plixxo is one of the biggest influencer marketing platforms in India with over
26,000 influencers. Launched by POPxo founder Priyanka Gill, it caters to both
influencers and brands alike. Bloggers, YouTubers, celebrities, Instagram
influencers and campus influencers can sign up on the platform for accessing paid
campaigns. Brands can also invite thousands of influencers through Plixxo for
joining them in their marketing campaign. For influencers, Plixxo is a platform
which verifies their profiles, reach and stats. This proves that they are bonafide
influencers and that Plixxo is an effective business generation tool which allows
them to pick up paid brand campaigns. Also, it also enables influencers to boost
their audience through social media posts. For brands, Plixxo makes searching
for influencers easy and verifying their reach numbers. It also allows them to
launch campaigns comprising of a thousand influencers and makes running
influencer campaigns easy and hassle-free.
• OPA:
OPA specializes in activating thousands of macro and micro-influencers at the
cost of just 1 celebrity influencer and works with influencers on platforms like
Instagram, YouTube, Blogs, Facebook and Twitter. Influencers register on their
app and receive invite-only collaborations. The drivers behind every other
26
 campaign on social media, they model their marketing like a grassroots word-of-
mouth movement around products.
• Winkl:
Bengaluru-based Winkl helps bloggers, influencers and content creators in
creating their own media kits, for showcasing their work to their peers, receive
feedback and connect with brands to work on brand collaborations. Top clients
include Flipkart and YGL.
• Grynow:
Grynow is a leading Influencer marketing agency in India which provides the best
influencer marketing platform to help brands / visionary marketers leverage social
media influencers’ content in marketing the product (service). Influencer
marketing experts of Grynow unite brands with top 50,000+ content creators,
social media influencers, artists and bloggers with interested viewers (potential
customers) for executing remarkable influencer marketing campaigns.
• Whisskers:
Whisskers is an award-winning and one of the top digital marketing companies
in India. Whisskers provides all types of digital transformation services in
different industrial sectors and company sizes to help enhance the online presence
and for better outreach to the customers.

27
 CHAPTER 4

DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

28
 Table 4.1 Classification on the basis of gender

Particulars Frequency Percentage

Male 30 42.9%
Female 40 57.1%
Transgender 0 0.00%
TOTAL 70 100%

Interpretation

From the table it is clear that only 42.9% of the respondents belong to the male category
whereas 57.1% of respondents are belonging to the female category. No respondents are
from transgender category.

Figure 4.1 Classification on the basis of gender

29
 Table 4.2 Classification on the basis of age

Particulars Frequency Percentage

18-20 29 41.4%
21-25 41 58.6%
25-30 0 0.00%
TOTAL 70 100%

Interpretation

From the table it is clear that 41.4% of the respondents belong to the age between 18 to 20
years and 58.6% of the respondents belong to the age between 21 to 25 years. None of the
respondents were of the age between 26 to 30 years.

Figure 4.2 Classification on the basis of age

30
 Table 4.3 Instagram users

Particulars Frequency Percentage

Yes 68 2.9%
No 2 97.1%
TOTAL 70 100%

Interpretation

From the table it is clear that 97.1% of the respondents have an Instagram account, while
only 2.9% of the respondents are not Instagram users.

Figure 4.3 Instagram users

31
 Table 4.4 Instagram usage time

Particulars Frequency Percentage

Less than 1 hour 22 31.4%
1-2 hours 22 31.4%
2-4 hours 21 30.0%
More than 4 hours 5 7.1%
TOTAL 70 100%

Interpretation

From the table it is clear that respondents who use Instagram for less than 1 hour,
respondents who use Instagram for 1 to 2 hours and respondents who use Instagram for 2 to
4 hours are almost equally distributed by 31.4%, 31.4% and 30.0% respectively. Only 7.1%
of the respondents use Instagram more than 4 hours.

Figure 4.4 Time spend on Instagram

32
 Table 4.5 Number of influencers followed on Instagram

Particulars Frequency Percentage

None 9 12.9%
1-5 20 28.6%
5-10 13 18.6%
More than 10 28 40.0%
TOTAL 70 100%

Interpretation

From the table it is clear that 12.9% of the respondents do not follow any influencers on
Instagram. 28.6% of the respondents follow between 1 to 5 influencers and 18.6% of
respondents follow between 5 to 10 influencers on Instagram. 40.0% of the respondents
follow more than 10 influencers on Instagram

Figure 4.5 Number of influencers followed on Instagram

33
 Table 4.6 Recommending Influencers

Particulars Frequency Percentage

Yes 48 68.6%
No 22 31.4%
TOTAL 70 100%

Interpretation

From the table it is clear that 68.6% of the total respondents would recommend their favorite
influencers on Instagram to others and 31.4% of the respondents would not recommend any
influencers to others.

Figure 4.6 Recommending influencers

34
 Table 4.7 Respondents interested to know about products through influencers

Particulars Frequency Percentage

Strongly agree 7 10.0%
Agree 36 51.4%
Neutral 21 30.0%
Disagree 5 7.1%
Strongly disagree 1 1.4%
TOTAL 70 100%

Interpretation

10.0% of respondents strongly agreed to know more about a product when introduced by
influencers. 51.4% of the respondents agreed to know about products through influencers.
30.0% of the respondents are indifferent when influencers introduce new products in
Instagram. Rest of the respondents are not interested to know about the products through
influencers, in that 7.1% disagreed and 1.4% strongly disagreed.

Figure 4.7 Respondents interested to know about products introduced by influencers

35
 Table 4.8 Respondents who would think about buying product introduced by
influencers

Particulars Frequency Percentage

Strongly agree 2 2.9%
Agree 25 35.7%
Neutral 26 37.1%
Disagree 13 18.6%
Strongly disagree 4 5.7%
TOTAL 70 100%

Interpretation

From the table it is clear that only 2.9% respondents strongly agreed to be interested in
purchasing the product and 35.7% of the respondents agreed to be interested in purchasing
the product introduced by the influencer. 37.1% of respondents are indifferent in purchasing
the product. 18.6% of the respondents have disagreed and 5.7% of respondents strongly
disagreed in being interested to purchase product introduced by influencers.

Figure 4.7 Respondents who would think about buying product introduced by
influencers

36
 Table 4.9 Respondents who would buy the product introduced by influencer

Particulars Frequency Percentage

Strongly agree 1 1.4%
Agree 10 14.3%
Neutral 33 47.1%
Disagree 19 27.1%
Strongly disagree 7 10.0%
TOTAL 70 100%

Interpretation

From the table it is clear that only 1.4% of respondents strongly agreed and 14.3% of
respondents agreed to buy the products introduced by influencers. 47.1% of respondents are
indifferent to purchase the product. 10.0% of respondents have strongly disagreed and
27.1% of respondents have disagreed to purchase products introduced by influencers.

Figure 4.9 Respondents who would buy the product introduced by influencer

37
 Table 4.10 Respondents not influenced by influencers to buy products

Particulars Frequency Percentage

Strongly agree 10 14.3%
Agree 14 20.0%
Neutral 29 41.4%
Disagree 16 22.9%
Strongly disagree 1 1.4%
TOTAL 70 100%

Interpretation

From the table it is clear that 14.3% of respondents strongly agreed and 20.0% of
respondents agreed that they are not influenced by influencers to purchase products. 41.4%
of respondents are indifferent to being influenced by influencers. 22.9% of respondents
disagreed and 1.4% of respondents have strongly disagreed that they are not influenced by
influencers to purchase the product.

Figure 4.10 Respondents not influenced by influencers to buy products

38
 Table 4.11 Respondents interested to discuss about the product introduced by
influencer

Particulars Frequency Percentage

Strongly agree 7 10.0%
Agree 25 35.7%
Neutral 27 38.6%
Disagree 9 12.9%
Strongly disagree 2 2.9%
TOTAL 70 100%

Interpretation

From the table it is clear that 45.7% of the total respondents are interested to talk about the
product introduced by an influencer, in that 10.0% of respondents strongly agreed and
35.7% of respondents agreed. 38.6% of respondents are indifferent to the product introduced
by an influencer. 12.9 % of respondents disagreed and 2.9% of respondents strongly
disagreed in being interested to communicate a product with others when introduced by an
influencer.

Figure 4.11 Respondents interested to discuss about the product introduced by

influencer

39
 Table 4.12 Respondents interested in watching product promotion videos posted by
influencers

Particulars Frequency Percentage

Always 7 10.0%
Sometimes 60 85.7%
Never 3 4.3%
TOTAL 70 100%

Interpretation

From the table it is clear that 7% of respondents are always interested to watch product
promotion videos done by influencers. 85.7% of respondents may watch promote promotion
videos while only 4.3% of respondents are not interested to watch product promotions
posted by influencers.

Figure 4.12 Respondents interested in watching product promotion videos posted by

influencers

40
Table 4.13 Respondents who prefer influencer posts over company advertisements to
gain knowledge about products

Particulars Frequency Percentage

Yes 47 67.1%
No 23 32.9%
TOTAL 70 100%

Interpretation

From the table it is clear that 67.1% of the respondents agree that they gain more knowledge
about a particular product or brand through influencers’ posts over company’s
advertisement. Only 32.9% of respondents disagreed to this statement.

Figure 4.13 Respondents who prefer influencer posts over company advertisements
to gain knowledge about products

41
 Table 4.14 Respondents who trust product recommendation given by influencers
over companies

Particulars Frequency Percentage

Yes 42 60.0%
No 28 40.0%
TOTAL 70 100%

Interpretation

From the table it is clear that 60.0% of respondents trust product recommendations when
given by influencers rather than the company itself while 40.0% of respondents do not feel
more trust about product recommendation given by influencers over companies.

Figure 4.14 Respondents who trust product recommendation given by influencers

over companies

42
Table 4.15 Reasons for trusting influencers’ product recommendation over company
recommendations

Particulars Frequency Percentage

Because they tried the 15 21.4%
product
They describe the products 14 20.0%
pros and cons
Reviews of the posts are 25 35.7%
helpful
If they promote the 14 20.0%
products falsely they would
lose followers
Other 2 2.9%

TOTAL 70 100%

Interpretation

It is clear from the table, 35.7% of respondents selected that reviews of influencers posts
being helpful about products is one of the main reasons to trust product recommendations
from influencers over company product recommendation. Rest of the options are almost
evenly selected by the respondents. Only 2.9% of respondents chose beyond the given
options.

43
Figure 4.15 Reasons for trusting influencers’ product recommendation over
company recommendations

44
 Table 4.16 Respondents who purchased a product or service recommended by an
influencer

Particulars Frequency Percentage

Yes 31 44.3%
No 39 55.7%
TOTAL 70 100%

Interpretation

It is clear from the table that 44.3% of respondents have purchased a product or service
which was recommended by an influencer. 55.7% of respondents have not purchased a
product or service which was recommended by an influencer.

Figure 4.16 Respondents who purchased a product or service recommended by an

influencer

45
 Table 4.17 Product purchased or checked out through influencer recommendation

Particulars Frequency Percentage

Beauty and cosmetics 20 28.6%
Fashion 25 35.7%
Fitness and nutrition 3 4.3%
Lifestyle 8 11.4%
Electronics 7 10.0%
Travel 5 7.1%
Photography 2 2.9%
Other 0 0.0%
TOTAL 70 100%

Interpretation

From the table it is clear that, most purchased or checked out products through influencer
recommendation are fashion with 35.7% and beauty and cosmetics with 28.6%. It is
followed by lifestyle, electronics and travel.

Figure 4.17 Product purchased or checked out through influencer recommendation

46
 Table 4.18 Customer satisfaction on the product purchased through influencer
recommendation

Particulars Frequency Percentage

1 9 12.9%
2 7 10.0%
3 31 44.3%
4 20 28.6%
5 3 4.3%
TOTAL 70 100%

Interpretation

On a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being the highest) 44.3% of the respondents are indifferent to the
product brought through influencer recommendation. 28.6% of respondents are satisfied and
only 4.3% of respondents are highly satisfied with the product recommended by influencers.

Figure 4.18 Customer satisfaction on the product purchased through influencer

recommendation

47
 Table 4.19 Respondents interested in product recommendations by endorsed
influencers

Particulars Frequency Percentage

Yes 22 31.4%
No 48 68.6%
Total 70 100%

Interpretation

It is clear from the table that 68.6% of respondents are not interested in product
recommendations if it is done by endorsed influencers. Only 31.4% of respondents are
interested in product recommendations by endorsed influencers.

Figure 4.19 Respondents interested in product recommendations by endorsed

influencers

48
 CHAPTER 5

FINDINGS, SUGGESTIONS AND CONCLUSION

49
5.1 Findings
1. Among the respondents, the majority of youth use Instagram
2. Most of the respondents spend a minimum of 1 to 2 hours on Instagram per day.
Only a few of the respondents spend over 4 hours on Instagram per day.
3. Among the respondents, majority of youth follow atleast one social media influencer
on Instagram. Among the 70 respondents, 28 follow over 10 influencers on
Instagram.
4. It is clear that, over 68% of respondents would recommend their favorite Instagram
influencers to other people.
5. Over 61% of the respondents are in favor to know more about a particular product
when introduced by an influencer on Instagram.
6. 38% of respondents would think about buying the product when it is introduced by
an influencer.
7. Majority of respondents are indifferent to purchase a product when introduced by an
influencer.
8. Over 30% of respondents claim to be not influenced by Instagram influencers to
purchase products. Although majority of the respondents stays neutral to that
statement.
9. More than 45% of respondents are in favor to discuss about products with others
when introduced by their favorite influencers.
10. It is clear that, 85% of respondents are sometimes interested to watch product
promotion videos done by Instagram influencers. 10% opted to always watch such
videos and 4.3% opted to never watch product promotion videos.
11. Majority of the respondents prefer influencer posts/videos over company posts in
order to gain new knowledge about a particular product.
12. 60% of respondents trust product recommendation when done by influencers over
companies.
13. The main reason for respondents to trust influencer product recommendation over
company recommendation is that the reviews from the influencers’ posts are helpful.
14. Even though majority of respondents have not purchased a product recommended
by an influencer, over 44% of respondents have bought products due to influencer
product recommendation.
15. The most purchased or checked out products due to influencers recommendation are
belonging to the fashion and beauty and cosmetics category.
50
 16. Majority of respondents are indifferent (neutral) about their satisfaction on the
product they purchased due to influencer product recommendation.
17. It is clear that, over 68% of respondents are not interested in product
recommendations by influencers if said influencers are endorsed.

5.2 Suggestions

1. Companies collaborating with social media influencers would be a great way to

increase the media coverage for a product.
2. Choosing the right influencer is significant in order to create an attachment or
relation with a particular group of people to influence their purchase behavior.
3. Collaborating with big time celebrities to promote products would be far more
expensive than regular, nano or micro influencers with whom the regular non
celebrity people could relate with.

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5.3 Conclusion

The purpose of this study is to analyze the effectiveness of social media influencer
marketing among the youth. The study was undertaken with a specific aim of studying and
analyzing the impact of social media influencers on the purchasing behavior among the
youth in Kerala with special reference to Thrissur Municipal Corporation.

According to the research, social media influencers have a great role in influencing the
behaviour of consumers in the virtual environment, particularly on the consumer who is
about to make purchase. Before the rise of social media influencers, advertising to
consumers was one-sided. Before the days of social media, a consumer could only see a
product through print advertisements, billboards, radio ads, and television commercials.
Today, a consumer now can interact with a product through social media. Watching a trusted
source, such as a favoured influencer, use a product allows consumers to feel as if they are
making a more informed decision when making a purchase. Through research, it is evident
that social media influencer marketing has, in fact, changed the way companies interact with
consumers in a positive way. The success of social media influencer marketing is expected
to be due to its two-way communication between the influencers and consumers.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

53
1. Chandwani Vinod Surender Kumar (2016), Impact of Social Media Marketing on
Consumers Buying Behavior.
2. Kawasaki Guy & Peg Fitzpatrick (2014), The Art of Social Media.
3. A Vinod, Marketing Management (2017)

4. Motoi Iwashita, A Proposal of Matching Algorithm for New Type of Advertisement

Business Model, Procedia Computer Science, Volume 159, 2019, Pages 1966-1975,
ISSN 1877-0509

5. Tong Bao, Tung-lung Steven Chang, Finding disseminators via electronic word of
mouth message for effective marketing communications, Decision Support Systems,
Volume 67, 2014, Pages 21-29, ISSN 0167-9236,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dss.2014.07.006.

6. Sofie Biaudet, Influencer Marketing as a Marketing Tool – The Process of Creating

an Influencer Marketing Campaign on Instagram (2017), Yrkeshögskolan Arcada

7. Bong Wan Zhung, Influence of social media marketing, brand loyalty and ewom
towards consumers’ purchase intention, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, 2017
8. www.academia.com
9. www.wikipedia.com
10. www.slideshare.com

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APPENDIX

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 QUESTIONNAIRE
Effectiveness of Social Media Influencer Marketing in Thrissur

1. Name

2. Age

3. Gender: Female Male Other

4. Do you have an Instagram account?

Yes No

5. How often do you use Instagram per day?

Less than 1 hour 1-2 hours

2-4 hours more than 4 hours

6. How many influencers on Instagram do you follow? (Influencers are

people with verified accounts/high followers/celebrities)

1-5 5-10 more than 10 none

7. Would you recommend your favorite influencers to others?

Yes No

Imagine your favorite influencer introduces a certain product within

an Instagram post.

Particulars SA A N D SD

8. I would be interested to know more about the

product

9. I would think about buying the product

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10. I would buy the product

11. I would not be affected by influencers to buy

the product

12. I would talk about the product with others

13. Would you see a video posted by your favorite influencer involving

product promotion?

Always Sometimes Never

14. Do you think you are more informed about a particular

product/brand/company through influencer’s posts/videos than regular

company advertisements?

Yes No

15. Do you feel more trust about a product/brand/company when

recommended by an influencer rather than the company itself?

Yes No

16. If yes, why?

Because they tried the product

They describe the products’ both pros and cons

Reviews from their posts are helpful

If they promote the products falsely, they would lose followers

Others (please specify)

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17. Have you ever purchased a product or service recommended by an

influencer?

Yes No

18.What type of product have you bought or checked out when

recommended by the influencer?

• Beauty and cosmetics Travel

• Fashion Photography

• Lifestyle Others (please specify)

• Fitness and nutrition

19. On a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being the highest) are you satisfied with the

product you bought, recommended by an influencer of your choice?

1 2 3 4 5

20. Would be interested in a product recommended by your favorite

influencer even when it is endorsed?

Yes No

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