The study examines influencers usage of the social media platform Instagram and how their usage can affect the receiver of their content. The purpose of this study is therefore to observe how influencers are using the platform in order to influence their followers. This study is based on the question: how are the influencers using the social media platform Instagram in order to influence their followers? With the help of the Source Credibility Model, we have been able to value influencers credibility and usage during the netnographic method approach. The original Source Credibility Model consists of three factors: expertise, trustworthiness and attractiveness which helps to evaluate a source credibility. By doing this, we have been able to adapt and adjust this model to a new research area. Our analysis therefore reveals a fourth factor of this model - networking. This factor consists of two under categories: technical and social interaction. The study discovered that an influencer reaches attractivity with adjusting his or her visual content and by using functions on the social platform. The influencers collaborations and advertisement on the social platform shows on which level of expertise they achieve. Furthermore, the followers experience of the influencers content is evaluating the influencers credibility. To be able to evaluate these three factors, the influencer needs to interact with technical aspects such as social platforms and functions, but also to interact socially by giving personality and create engagement for the followers. The study also discovered a difference between male and female influencer usage of the platform, which gives their influence different impacts. This study therefore contributes the field of interest with a new model that can be used in order to examine influencer usage on different social platforms.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:umu-171046 |
| Date | January 2020 |
| Creators | Andegras, Ronja, Amelie, Näslund |
| Publisher | Umeå universitet, Institutionen för informatik, Umeå universitet, Institutionen för informatik |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | Swedish |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
| Relation | Informatik Student Paper Bachelor (INFSPB) ; 2020.03 |
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