The impact of credibility of influencers recommendations on social media on consumers behavior towards brands

Abstract

Companies are becoming increasingly aware of the importance and opportunities provided by social media in order to communicate faster and more efficiently with their consumers. In order to convey the message about the value of their brands to their target market, organizations hire influential people who are considered to be the creators of public opinion in a virtual environment. Nowadays, social media are crowded with micro and macro influencers, or at least those who present themselves as such. Their main job is to represent and recommend brands to other users (their followers) and thus influence consumer attitudes about brands and possibly strengthen their purchasing decisions. Very often, influencers on social media are hired by companies to promote their brands for a fee. In order to have more control over their communication activities, companies provide them, in advance, with the content they want to be conveyed to consumers, but also the time frame when the message should be launched. In this way, organizations try to reduce the risk of turning electronic word-of-mouth (EWOM) communication into a negative one. In order for consumers to trust the recommendations of influencers on social media, these people need to have significant expertise in a certain area, charisma and respect from other users, so that their credibility affects the value of content and recommendations they place in the online environment. The aim of this paper is to present the attitudes of respondents who use social media websites about the impact of the credibility of influencers' recommendations on social media, and their opinion on whether and in what way their credibility influences consumer attitudes towards brands.

Unveiling the Dynamics: Exploring the Stimulus-Organism-Response (Sor) Model in the Context of Social Media Influencer Marketing, Electronic Word of Mouth, and Purchase Decisions, With a Focus on the Mediating Role of Brand Awareness

“…According to the findings of this study, social media influencer marketing plays a significant role in building brand awareness for any organization (β = 0.520, t = 5.150, p < 0.001). This is consistent with previous studies that have also found social media influencer marketing to be an effective way to increase brand awareness (Kwiatek et al, 2021). However, Vrontis et al…”

“…This is consistent with previous studies, such as Ye et al (2021), which have shown that social media influencer marketing supports the primary objective of increasing revenue for a company by influencing customers to buy specific brand's products. Kwiatek et al (2021) concluded that the credibility of social media influencers is critical for the success of a business, which further emphasizes the importance of social media influencer marketing in driving purchasing decisions. Taking into consideration the results of this study (t = 5.150, β = 0.520, p < 0.001), it can also be concluded that social media influencer marketing is one of the most cost-effective ways to increase the likelihood of a consumer making a purchase.…”

Confirmation bias in digital communication: The tendency of consumers to favor information that confirms their pre-existing beliefs

“…Their primary duty is to represent and recommend brands to their followers, so influencing customer perceptions and consumers' purchasing decisions. 31 The disadvantage of this type of sanctioned information exchange is that customers are exposed to 'filtered' information. 32 This exposure raises the possibility of false information spreading on the social media site.…”

The role of travel influencers in sustainable tourism development

“…Thanks to them, communication with consumers is much faster and more efficient. However, in order to convey the message even more effectively to the target market (about the value of brands), companies hire social media influencers, who are considered modern opinion makers in the digital environment [20].…”