SAMMANFATTNINGDatum:  2023-05-30Nivå: Kandidatuppsats i Företagsekonomi, 15 hpInstitution: Akademin för Ekonomi, Samhälle och Teknik, Mälardalens                  UniversitetFörfattare: Sofia Svedberg 97-01-06 Anna Mellberg 96-05-29                           Titel: Tiktok: en plattform för marknadsföring – en kvalitativ studie om hur företag kan använda sociala medieplattformen Tiktok som marknadsföringsstrategi.             Handledare: Rana MostaghelNyckelord: Sociala medier, Tiktok, Innehållsmarknadsföring, Generation Z, Influencer marknadsföring,  Visuellt innehåll.Forskningsfrågor: -Hur kan företag använda Tiktok som plattform för marknadsföring?    -Vilka strategier används för att skapa effektiv marknadsföring med användningen av Tiktok?-På vilket sätt skiljer sig företags marknadsföring strategier på Tiktok från deras strategier på andra sociala medieplattformar?Syfte: Syftet med studien är att utforska hur företag använder Tiktok som en plattform för marknadsföring. Målet är att bidra till en ökad förståelse för hur företag kan dra nytta av Tiktok som ett marknadsföringsverktyg och marknadsföringsstrategi. Metod: KvalitativSlutsats: Företag kan använda Tiktok för marknadsföring genom att skapa engagerande och anpassat innehåll till målgruppen, särskilt generation Z. Effektiv marknadsföring på Tiktok kräver strategier som uppdaterar och anpassar innehållet efter populära trender, med fokus på autentiskt, personligt och humoristiskt material som kommunicerar snabbt och nära med kunderna. Marknadsföringsstrategier på Tiktok skiljer sig från andra sociala medieplattformar genom behovet av trendigt och snabbt innehåll, ständig uppdatering och  anpassning efter målgruppens behov. / ABSTRACT Date: 2023-05-30Level:Bachelor thesis in Business Administration, 15 crInstitution: School of Business, Society and Engineering, Mälardalen UniversityAuthors: Sofia Svedberg  97-01-06 Anna Mellberg 96-05-29 Title: Tiktok: a platform for marketing – a qualitative study about how companies can use the social media platform Tiktok as a marketing strategy.Supervisor: Rana MostaghelKeywords: Social media, Tiktok, Content Marketing, Generation Z, Influencer marketing, Visual ContentResearch questions: -How can companies use Tiktok as a platform for marketing? - What strategies are used to create effective marketing with the use of Tiktok?                  -How do companies' marketing strategies on Tiktok differ from their strategies on other social media platforms?Purpose:The purpose of this study is to explore how companies use Tiktok as a platform for marketing. The goal is to contribute to an increased understanding of how companies can benefit from Tiktok as a marketing tool and create new marketing strategies.Method: QualitativeConclusion: Businesses can use Tiktok for marketing by creating engaging and customized content, including influencers especially Generation Z. Effective marketing on Tiktok           requires strategies that update and adapt content to popular  trends, focusing on authentic, personal and humorous material that communicates quickly and closely with       customers. Marketing strategies differ from other social media platforms by the need for trendy and fast content, constant updating and adaptation according to the needs of the target audience.

Studien syftar till att med hjälp av en kvantitativ undersökning förstå konsumenters köpbeteende när de möter betalda produktrekommendationer tillsammans med rabattkoder från modeinfluencers. Metoden som använts i studien var en kvantitativ studie där empirin samlades in genom en digital enkätundersökning. Studien har visat att konsumenters köpbeteende påverkas av influencer marketing. Tittar vi specifikt på rabattkoder finns det ett samband mellan konsumenters köpbeteende. / The study aims to using quantitative research to understand the consumer buying behavior when they encounter paid product recommendations along with discount codes from fashion influencers. The method used in the study was a quantitative method where the empirical evidence was collected through a digital survey. The study has shown that consumer buying behavior influenced by influencer marketing. If we look specifically at discount codes, there is a connection between consumers' buying behavior.

This diploma thesis titled: 'The influence of fitness influencers on the self-body image - the phenomenon of fitness culture amongst young women and men' deals with the phenomenon of fitness influencers on Instagram, whose content may affect its users' body image perception, self-perception, and self-conception. This thesis aims to theoretically introduce Instagram influencer marketing in the fitness field, with the focus on body image perception amongst their users and the evaluation of its psychological aspects. The sample contains people who actively exercise in the 20-30 age range. The analysis of in-depth interviews with 12 respondents was chosen as the methodology. After data collection, the interviews are subsequently thematically analysed using open coding and a categorical system. This thesis aims to find out why individual Instagram users consume selected content and how they perceive it. Perception is linked to gender optics, which examines whether users monitor and perceive content concerning gender influencers and, if so, why? Gender comparison compares different motives for tracking profiles and simultaneously reveals overlap in the perception of profiles by users within gender stereotypes. Another goal of this thesis is to present the results of the topics which showed the importance...

Los fitness influencers se han convertido en el recurso publicitario más usado por la industria fitness para generar credibilidad de marca a través de Instagram; red social que se ha consolidado como el escaparate más conveniente para promover un estilo de vida saludable basado en el ejercicio y la alimentación balanceada. El objetivo de la presente investigación fue identificar el rol que cumplen los fitness influencers en la construcción de credibilidad de marca para jóvenes varones, principiantes o intermedios en alguna disciplina fitness, a través de imaginarios distorsionados de vida saludable en Instagram. La metodología empleada para este estudio fue de carácter cualitativo, tipo exploratoria. Los resultados revelaron que los fitness influencers actúan como facilitadores de credibilidad de marca a pesar de promover un imaginario social donde tener un porcentaje bajo de grasa corporal y una masa muscular prominente, impulsadas por el abuso de sustancias sintéticas, es reflejo de llevar una vida saludable. / Fitness influencers have become the most used advertising resource by the fitness industry to generate brand credibility through Instagram; social network that has established itself as the most convenient showcase to promote a healthy lifestyle based on exercise and balanced eating. The objective of this research was to identify the role that fitness influencers play in building brand credibility for young men, beginners or intermediate in some fitness discipline, through distorted imaginary of healthy life on Instagram. The methodology used for this study was qualitative, exploratory type. The results revealed that fitness influencers act as facilitators of brand credibility despite promoting a social imaginary where having a low percentage of body fat and a prominent muscle mass, driven by the abuse of synthetic substances, is a reflection of leading a healthy life. / Tesis

As a result of the large number of users on social media, brands need to rethink, adapt and search for new marketing opportunities. One of the fast-growing strategies applied by brands as a result of the shift is influencer marketing. For those brands who want to introduce influencer marketing in their digital strategy, strategic planning is of great importance to reach the right target group. Specifically, the challenges are relevant for start-ups that tend to lack both capital and experience regarding the strategy. Therefore the following study was carried out with the aim of increasing understanding of how strat-ups work with influencer marketing, influencer marketing as a marketing strategy and to highlight the possibilities with the strategy. Based on a qualitative method, semi-structured interviews were conducted where start-ups registered in 2018 or onward acted as informants. It was clarified that a strategic process often fails when a start-up company applies influencer marketing in its digital strategy. Despite this, the informants for the studies state that the strategy went with a successful result and further formed the basis for strong brand building. / Som resultat av den stora mängden användare på sociala medier har varumärken behövt tänka om, anpassa sig och se nya marknadsföringsmöjligheter. En av de snabbt växande strategierna som tillämpats av varumärken till följd av skiftet är influencermarknadsföring. För de varumärken som vill införa influencermarknadsföring i sin digitala strategi är strategisk planering av stor vikt för att träffa rätt målgrupp. Specifikt är utmaningarna aktuella för uppstartsbolag som saknar både kapital samt erfarenhet gällande strategin. Följande studie utfördes därför med syfte att öka förståelse för hur uppstartsbolag arbetar med influencermarknadsföring, influencermarknadsföring som marknadsföringsstrategi samt att belysa möjligheterna med strategin. Utifrån en kvalitativ metod har semistrukturerade intervjuer genomförts där uppstartsbolag registrerade senast år 2018 agerat informanter. Det tydliggjordes att en strategisk process ofta uteblir då ett uppstartsbolag tillämpar influencermarknadsföring i sin digitala strategi. Trots det uppger infomanterna för studien att strategin gått med lyckat resultat och vidare stått till grund för ett starkt varumärkesbyggande.

Background: Social media influencers provide their followers with different monetary sales promotions to increase purchases by the brands they endorse. Hedonic motivation and emotions initiate each other and are fulfilled through consumers' need to act. As a result, monetary sales promotions will encourage consumers to buy unplanned purchases. Previous research recommends additional quantitative research on sales promotions and influencers, and others propose more research to fill the gap on influencers' impact on society. The interest lies in how these, in turn, affect consumers' impulsive buying behavior.  Purpose: This study aims to explain the effects of hedonic motivation and emotions, triggered by social media influencers' monetary sales promotions on consumers' impulse buying online.   Methodology: This paper is explanatory, with a deductive approach to research while utilizing a quantitative strategy to achieve a cross-sectional research design. The study has three hypotheses that were deducted based on the concepts within the theoretical framework, and the data was collected through a self-completion questionnaire to receive its final results: if the hypotheses were rejected or accepted. Furthermore, the questionnaire received a total of 105 responses. Findings: All hypotheses were statistically insignificant when tested with the control variables. However, hedonic motivation was accepted when disregarding the control variables by only testing the independent variables against the dependent. Nevertheless, all hypotheses are rejected based on their statistical insignificance. Furthermore, the findings portray that the variables are too intercorrelated. While the results did not provide any practical contribution, it acknowledged the difficulties with measuring hedonic motivation, pleasure, and arousal simultaneously with impulse buying online.   Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, it is concluded that there are no positive effects of hedonic motivation and emotions and that these are triggered by social media influencers' monetary sales promotion on consumers' impulse buying behavior online.

Syftet med studien är att undersöka huruvida kommunikationsargumenten för reklam och annonsering av produkter skiljer sig åt beroende på om det är en manlig eller kvinnlig influencer. Vidare syftar studien till att analysera försäljningsargument i utvalda inlägg publicerade av influencers. Dessa har sedan jämförts med tidigare forskning aktuell för området.  Denna studie redogör för en innehållsanalys av influencers argument för att kommunicera produktreklam på Instagram. Studien visar att svenska influencers använder känsloargument i hög utsträckning. Det ethos som framförallt framhålls är det egna jaget. Studien visar också att kvinnliga influencers i högre utsträckning än manliga influencers arbetar med att framställa skönhet och elegans, medan manliga influencers i majoriteten av fallen marknadsför produkter som associeras med träning, hälsa och fysisk aktivitet.

The beauty industry has been around for centuries and keeps growing and developing daily. The industry has not been slowing down during the spread of the virus covid-19 but has had a fast platform change. Most brands today are available online and promoted by influencers on social media platforms. However, the question remains if it is achievable to get an equivalent experience of beauty products that one would get in-store online as when scrolling on social media.The purpose of this study was to see how beauty companies work with sensory marketing on their own and through influencers' social media platforms, with the effect of captivating young women's interest in their products and brand. The question of whether the effect of sensory marketing and the persona that influencers effuse on beauty products was a new gap. It was also interesting to see if customers are affected by sensory marketing and influencers when making an online beauty purchase decision. Beauty products are personal and specific and often seen as complex to buy online since they have particular formulations, scents, and colors. The empirical findings are conducted through a pilot interview with an extensive beauty company in the Swedish beauty sector. The interview with the head of sales gave the ground information and peeked into the workaround influencer and sensory marketing. Then that information could be used as a base for the questions in structured customer interviews. The findings were then presented and analyzed with the literature review to make a final result and answer the question.The conclusion of the thesis showed that the young women in generation Z were a part of the online beauty movement. Considering that most young women followed influencers where they got to learn, explore and get an insight, they could easily make purchase decisions. The result showed a positive effect on the combinations of influencers and sensory marketing on generation Z due to their perception. The result also showed a more significant effect on the trust of a persona than sensory marketing, as getting to know the influencer's personality had a more significant impact than something being aesthetically pleasing.

The purpose of this thesis is to research how consumer recommendations can be used in terms of marketing and sales purposes in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods sector. Due to technological changes and a shift from traditional to digital marketing, the way of communicating to the audience has changed. Consumer recommendations, micro influencers and social media platforms are a part of digital marketing that is growing progressively. The paradigm of the thesis is interpretivism with following a qualitative research method, inductive reasoning and a case study in focus. The findings show that digital marketing, thanks to aspects as social media and e-commerce, has been growing, however has not completely taken over the marketing field. Influencers are getting a bigger role as marketing tools with the shift of power evolving. Due to these reasons is why and how consumer recommendations have become such a big trend nowadays.

Background: In marketing today, influencer marketing has become a very efficient tool for companies within the beauty and fashion industry. With the utilization of social media and social media influencers, it become easy for brands to promote products and reach large audiences. Today's teenagers and young adults are part of a very digital-oriented generation and are fond of social networks. Therefore, they are the primary target of companies using this strategy. Aim: The aim of the study is to research how companies within the beauty and fashion industry use influencers and social media to influence consumers and especially the adolescent and young adults. But also, to determine what are the impacts of this influence on the behavior and especially the purchasing behavior of the consumers. Research questions: RQ1: How do the influencers within the fashion and beauty industriesinfluence using social media? RQ2: How the influencer marketing strategy impacts teenagers and young adults' behavior and purchasing behavior? Method: A qualitative research including three interviews of influencer in the fashion and beauty industry, two interviews of brand within the fashion and beauty industry and seven interviews of followers following the influencers previously mentioned. The study used three perspectives, as all the parts are linked together and in order to have more reliable findings thanks to the triangulation of data. Findings: Brands, thanks to social networks and influencers, have a real power of influence on young generations of consumers. Consumers identify and create links with influencers, which drives them to follow influencers recommendations. This relationship impacts young consumers on different level. Indeed, followers tend to purchase what the persons they idealize use or wear, being the influencers in this case. Thus, even if partnerships are a strategy used a lot by brands, it is not the only one. Today, brands are aware of the behavior of consumers, and they know that their sales will improve if an influencer post any type of content with their products and especially if they are not paid to do it. In fact, followers have more trust toward what is said by an influencer when there is no paid collaboration involved. That’s why on top of partnership, where the influencer perceives a remuneration, brands also send them gifted products in the hope that the influencer will use them.