Influencer marketing is a marketing method that more companies are using when it comes to marketing a brand. The use of social media influencers in advertising has increased and therefore we want to investigate this from a consumer perspective through a qualitative method with 13 semistructured interviews. The purpose of the study was to gain a deeper understanding of how SMIs influence consumers' buying behavior. To understand this, consumer attitudes and trust in the phenomenon have been relevant factors to examine. The study also aimed to find out whether WoM or SMIs have the greatest impact on consumers' buying behavior. The results have shown that SMI's impact on consumers' buying behavior depends on whether attitudes are positive or negative. Consumers with positive attitudes towards SMIs have a greater tendency to acquire what is marketed in comparison with consumers who have negative attitudes towards SMIs, who instead refrain from buying. Factors that increase the trust in SMI are whether the consumer feels connected, feels honesty and that SMI markets products / services within its area of expertise. What has proven to play a significant role when it comes to influencing consumers' buying behaviors and attitudes is what the environment's perceptions, opinions and experiences about the phenomenon look like (WoM). It has emerged that the respondents have a greater trust in their acquaintanceship than they have in SMIs. / Influencer marketing är en marknadsföringsmetod som allt fler företag använder när det kommer till att marknadsföra varumärken. Användningen av sociala media influencers i reklam har ökat och därför vill vi undersöka detta utifrån ett konsumentperspektiv genom en kvalitativ metod med 13 semistrukturerade intervjuer. Studiens syfte har varit att få en djupare förståelse kring hur SMIs påverkar konsumenters köpbeteenden. För att förstå detta har konsumenters attityder och förtroende till fenomenet varit relevanta faktorer att undersöka. Studien syftade även till att ta reda på om WoM eller SMIs har störst påverkan på konsumenternas köpbeteenden. Resultaten har visat att SMIs påverkan på konsumenters köpbeteende beror på om attityderna är positiva eller negativa. Konsumenter med positiva attityder till SMIs har större tendens att införskaffa det som marknadsförs i jämförelse med konsumenter som har negativa attityder till SMIs, som istället avstår från ett köp. Faktorer som ökar förtroendet till SMI är om konsumenten känner samhörighet, ärlighet och att SMIn marknadsför produkter/tjänster inom sitt expertisområde. Det som har visat sig ha en betydande roll när det kommer till påverkan på konsumenters köpbeteenden och attityder är hur omgivningens uppfattningar, åsikter och erfarenheter kring fenomenet ser ut (WoM). Det har framkommit att respondenterna har ett större förtroende för sin omgivning än vad de har för SMIs.

I takt med den ökade betydelsen av symbolisk konsumtion har begreppet Social Media Influencers, SMI, grundats. SMI är ett samlingsbegrepp för de oberoende personer som genom sina sociala medier påverkar och inspirerar sina följare genom att vara en förebild inom mode, skönhet, livsstil, hälsa och inredning. SMI representerar dagens opinionsledare då de genom sina sociala medier sprider marknadsföring som människor uppfattar som uppriktig och genuin. Idag används SMI strategiskt av företag för att nå ut till kunder på ett individualiserat och anpassat sätt. Den här nya typen av marknadsföringsstrategi kan ses som en modern version av Word of Mouth (WOM). Marknadsföringsstrategin grundas i att informationen som kommer från en SMI ofta uppfattas mer som rekommendationer än reklam. SMI har en betydande roll på marknaden idag då det är viktigare än någonsin att visa upp vilken social grupp man tillhör. Speciellt för unga kvinnor, som finner det viktigt att passa in och följa nya trender. Instagram är utsedd till en av de mest skadliga sociala medierna för ungdomars mentala hälsa. Detta då det bidrar till en ohälsosam självbild och skapar höga krav på människors liv. Samtidigt som SMIs roll på marknaden växer, blir konsumenter allt mer reklamtrötta. Därför ifrågasätts SMI som fenomen och 329 kvinnor runt om i Sverige har besvarat en webbenkät kring sin inställning till SMI på Instagram. Det är tydligt att många kvinnor har svårt att bilda en konkret uppfattning kring sin inställning till fenomenet och många varierar sig i sina ställningstaganden. Undersökningen visar att kvinnor med högre utbildning och i äldre åldrar är kritiska till budskapen SMI sprider via Instagram, medan kvinnor med lägre utbildning och i den yngre generationen anser marknadsföringen från SMI som uppriktig och ärlig i en högre grad. Undersökningen visar också att trots att många kvinnor har en negativ inställning till SMI säger de sig ändå handla produkter som SMI rekommenderar. / In line with the increased importance of symbolic consumption the notion of Social Media Influencers, SMI, has been found. SMI is a concept used to describe independent people who both influence and inspire other people on their social media channels by being a role model in fashion, beauty, lifestyle, health and interior design. SMI represents today’s opinion leaders by using their social media channels to spread advertising and marketing to people who perceive the information as sincere and genuine. Today SMI are used in companies business strategies to reach out to customers in a individualized and faithful manner. This new kind of marketing strategy can be seen as a modern version of Word of Mouth (WOM). The purpose by using this kind of marketing is that the information that comes from an SMI are often perceived more as recommendations than advertising. SMI’s got a significant role on the market today and it’s more important than ever before to show what social group you belong to. Especially for young womens, who finds it important to fit in and follow the last trends. Instagram is one of the social media platforms which is the most detrimental for young people’s mental health. It contributes to an unhealthy self-image and creates high demands on people's life. At the same time as SMI is rapidly growing, consumers gets tired of being constantly chased by advertising. Therefore people are now questioning SMI as a phenomenon. 329 women in Sweden have participated in a web survey about their approach to SMI at Instagram. It’s shown that many women find it hard to form a concrete perception of their attitude towards the phenomenon and many women varies in their positions. The survey shows that older women and women with higher education are critical towards what SMI’s are posting on Instagram, while women with lower education and in younger generations consider SMI's marketing to be sincere and honest. The survey also shows that despite the fact that many women got a negative attitude towards SMI, they’re still keen on buying whatever that SMI recommends them to buy.

An over-commercialized society has made consumers prefer the opinions of influential people in online settings. Companies have a harder time reaching consumers and therefore turn to social media influencers (SMIs) for exposure. With the growth of influencer marketing, regulations and guidelines in Sweden have been put in place to ensure consumers integrity. SMIs and companies are required to disclose paid partnerships. However, many companies have the perception that truthful marketing can affect consumers brand perception negatively. Research based on consumer brand perception and disclosed paid partnerships between SMIs and companies have not previously been explored. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis is to explore how consumers perceive brands when SMIs disclose paid partnerships. In order to gather consumers ́ brand perception when SMIs and companies collaborate, a qualitative study using focus groups was conducted, where the participants thoughts and opinions have been studied. The findings of this thesis indicate that the communication and characteristics of SMIs influences consumers brand perception. The factors analyzed were: influence of SMIs, content, trust and truthfulness. The factors were important for how consumers perceive the SMI and brand of companies. The most important implication of this thesis is that the study can be of use for companies that seek to collaborate with SMIs when the aim is to reach target groups and enhance brand perception.

Influencer marketing and celebrity endorsement has grown in the past years and has become a vital part of marketing in the fashion industry. This field has been well researched, however a gap in the research is the focus on men and the role brand love has. The purpose of this study has been to enhance the understanding of how brand love influences men’s perception when exposed to influencer marketing and celebrity endorsement on Instagram. Additionally, the aim was to examine if influencer marketing or celebrity endorsement was most appropriate when marketing brands.    The method for this thesis was a qualitative approach by interviewing men in focus groups. The empirical findings were analyzed together with the literature in order to find thematics. The conclusions from the analysis was men do not experience brand love in the same capacity as the literature describes. However their emotional preferences and connections can still influence how they view brands being marketed on Instagram by an influencer or celebrity endorser. Men tend to trust celebrity endorsement more compared to influencer marketing regardless of gender, as they are viewed as more professional aligned with source credibility. However, the empirical findings showed men do not feel a need for male influencers. A reason why brands need to rethink marketing through endorsers.