FASHION AND BEAUTY INFLUENCERS AND ROMANIAN MILLENNIALS: EXPLORING THE DYNAMICS OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOR
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24193/subbeph.2021.1.01Keywords:
social media influencers, Millennials, consumer behavior, fashion and beauty, trust.Abstract
Studies have found that product-related information from social media influencers can shape millennial consumers’ purchasing behavior. This research investigates, in a descriptive approach, how Romanian millennials relate to content provided on social media platforms by influencers they prefer and follow. The study also shows factors that influence trust in this dynamic. Using data collected through an online-administered survey in the second half of March 2020, the authors found that Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube were the top preferred platforms providing the much-desired video content by influencers. Romanian millennials use this content frequently to make informed purchasing decisions, and they value honest recommendations and opinions, lending trust to experienced influencers, who seem to have qualified voices. They also show confidence towards the influencer to whom they can relate, and the one who is actively involved with their community. For Romanian millennials, the influencers’ notoriety measured by the number of followers is an artefact of their quality content, and their confidence is boosted by influencers who show clear, real, and satisfactory results when using products that they are advertising. Marketers, thus, should be cognizant of the elements of trust that can translate online reviews by influencers into purchasing behavior, and can design strategies that rely on actual product benefits demonstrated by influencers.References
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