PROJECT REPORT

ON
“THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS IN YOUNG
CONSUMER’S PURCHASE DECISIONS”
SUBMITTED FOR
PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF
DEGREE
OF
“BACHELORS OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION”
OF
CHANDIGARH UNIVERSITY, MOHALI, PUNJAB

Submitted To:- Submitted by:-

Mrs. Aarti Sharma Anish Kumar (22BBA11939)
Assistant Professor Yesh Maurya (22BBA11946)
Karan Patel (22BBA11944)
Saurav (22BBA11937)

DECLARATION

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I Anish Kumar (group leader) and my team members (Karan Patel, Yesh
Maurya, and Saurav ) enrolled BBA students currently, affirm that the project
entitled [THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS IN
YOUNG CONSUMER’S PURCHASE DECISIONS] has been entirely
developed, written, and finalized by us. This project is entirely authentic and
has not been replicated or plagiarized from any other literature sources, review
articles, or published works in this specific domain. This culmination of year-
end project report is being presented to meet the partial requirements for the
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree at University School of
Business, Chandigarh University. No previous submissions of this report for
certification, diploma, degree, or any other form of recognition have been
made to any other academic institution or university.

In the event that any segment of this work is identified as replicated from
another source, we take full responsibility for such instances and acknowledge
that we may face appropriate consequences.

Student’s Signature,

Anish Kumar
Karan Patel
Yesh Maurya
Saurav

CERTIFICATE BY GUIDE

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This is to certify that, Anish Kumar, Karan Patel, Yesh Maurya and Saurav are
students of BBA, Semester 6 (BATCH-2022-2025) with University School of
Business, Chandigarh University.

There report is titled “THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA

INFLUENCERS IN YOUNG CONSUMER’S PURCHASE DECISIONS”.
The students have successfully completed the task with my guidance.
According to the declaration submitted by the student, the report is an
authentic and original work and may be considered for partial fulfilment
towards course credits. I wish them success in life.

Mrs. Aarti Sharma

Assistant Professor,
BBA department,

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

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The success and outcome of this project report were possible by the guidance
and support of many people. It required a lot of efforts from each individual
involved in this project with us and we would like thank them all. It’s a
pleasure to have guidance of Ms. Aarti Sharma for their valuable suggestions
and encouragement. Besides we are grateful to GOD and everyone who helped
us in completing this task to our satisfaction level. A paper is not enough for us
to express the support and guidance that we received from anyone for all the
work we did. In the end we apologize to all the other unnamed people who
helped us in various ways to complete our training.

ABSTRACT

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This project report delves into the profound influence wielded by social media
influencers on young consumer purchasing behavior. With the advent of social
media platforms, individuals have gained unprecedented reach and influence,
becoming pivotal players in shaping consumer decisions. Through an analysis
of existing literature and empirical research, this report aims to elucidate the
mechanisms through which social media influencers affect consumer behavior
and explore the implications for businesses.

This study aims to explore the impact of social media influencers on consumer
purchasing decisions. The research will examine the various factors that
influence consumers' attitudes towards influencers, the types of influencers that
are most effective in driving purchasing behavior, and the extent to which
consumers trust and follow influencer recommendations. Additionally, the
study will investigate the role of authenticity and transparency in influencer
marketing and how these factors influence consumer trust and loyalty. The
findings of this research will provide valuable insights into the dynamics of
influencer marketing and its impact on consumer behavior.

The literature review gives a comprehensive overview of social media

marketing. A framework was developed based on the literature review which
revealed the social media influencer’s characteristics that might impact the
purchase intention of a cosmetic product.

The study is both quantitative and descriptive. The researcher has employed
both primary and secondary data. Primary data are those data which are
collected for the first time and are also known as raw data. The primary data
are collected through questionnaire with the help of an online survey. The
sources of secondary data used in the research are published journal and
different website from the internet. Samples are collected using the
convenience sampling approach.

It can be concluded from this research that consumers in Punjab, India are
actively utilizing social media and social media influencer’s validations for
their purchase decisions. The results overall show that social media and social
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media influencers have a strong impact on the consumer decision-making
process.

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 Contents
S. No. Topic Page no.
1. Introduction 8
1.1 Introduction of the project 9
1.2 Background of the study 10
1.3 Meaning of social media 13
1.4 Social Media and Consumer 15
1.5 Social Media Marketing 17
1.6 Scope and Objective of the project 23
2. Review of literature 24
2.1 Review of literature 25
3. Research Methodology 28
3.1 Research Methodology and its process 29
3.2 Nature of study and primary and secondary data 33
3.3 Limitations of the study 34
4. Data Analysis and Interpretations 35
4.1 Introduction to Data Analysis 36
4.2 Steps involved in Data Analysis 37
4.3 Data Analysis Methods 38
4.4 Interpretation 40
5. Findinds and Conclusion 53
5.1 Findings 54
5.2 Conclusion 55
6. References 56
7. Questionnaire 62

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Introduction

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Our contemporary world exists during an era dominated by digitalization which has been
changing our world structure throughout many years. The digital transformation remains
active and fluid as it impacts almost every sector and routine of modern life. All aspects
of modern society are deeply integrated with digital technologies as they appear through
smartphone, PCs, software, social media platforms and smart household appliances.

Modern digital technologies have deeply integrated into Generation Z who evidently
make up this social group of birth years from the 1990s to the early 2010s (Merriam-
Webster, 2019).[1] Research suggests Generation Alpha will demonstrate an even stronger
affinity toward digital technologies because members of this generation connect Gen Z
with this digital age (Merriam-Webster, 2019)).[40]

Children combined with teenage and young adult populations exist today due to digital
technology which they have relied upon continuously from birth. Generation Z entered
the world during the early years of the internet before Generation Alpha materialized at
the beginning of 2010 through the rise of technological devices such as the iPad alongside
Instagram's development. These two generations lived through continuous technological
progress during their developmental periods (Arora & Jha, 2020)[11].

According to Jha (2020)[11] Generation Alpha members have started molding the
direction of marketing developments as well as technological innovations alongside
shaping choices among millennial parents. Modern companies recognize the digital shift
that consumers favor and they continue adapting their marketing strategies in order to
reach new digitally native audiences for maintaining market competitiveness.

Influencer marketing showcases itself as the digital version of conventional person-to-

person promotion strategies. The objective of WOMM encompasses mass audience reach
through social attention generation (Li, Lai, & Chen, 2011)[41]. Social interaction for
influencer marketing begins when influencers start the procedures themselves.

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People who influence purchase decisions fulfill the influencer role when they operate
from genuine expertise or become popular choices or through personal connections
(Bladow & Laura, 2018).[42]

Today marketers have fully embraced influencers as product promotional tools within the
market. Through their partnership with digital influencers companies attain access to
wider audience segments while promoting brand visibility thus encouraging users to buy
their products. The approach functions powerfully as an electronic marketing approach
that gives publicity coverage along with user engagement capabilities.

Background of the Study

The core focus of marketing involves studying individual requirements and meeting these
needs through valuable solutions which Ferrell (2021)[13] outlines. Marketers developed
Digital Marketing and Green Marketing as well as Guerilla Marketing (Wind & Mahajan,
2001)[1] to fulfill their defining purpose better. Digital marketing stands as the most
important among all digital strategies. Digital technologies support organizations in
reaching their targets by creating formal communication systems that fulfill consumer
needs exactly (Sawicki, 2016).[43]

Association of National Advertisers (2022) defines influencer marketing as the method of

using powerful individuals to reach potential buyers followed by designing marketing
strategies to distribute brand messages across broad audiences. Influence marketers have
transformed into vital brand communication tools because they attract substantial fan
bases that demonstrate high loyalty according to De Jans et al. (2020)[44]. Various
academic studies investigate both business adoption of patterns and its practical value in
brand performance (Backaler & Shankman, 2018[45]; Coll. Companies choose influencer
marketing because it offers authentic and non-intrusive experiences that allow for better
value compared to traditional advertising methods (Ye, Hudders, De Jans, & De Veirman,
2021)[12]. The practice has emerged to become a core component of digital marketing

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strategies used by multiple businesses since it effectively enables brand promotion and
effective audience engagement.
The evolution of word-of-mouth marketing transformed into influencer marketing
because it depends on shared experiences alongside user-generated content and its
delivery by blogs and social media platforms (Ye et al., 2021) [48]. Digital content driven
by authentic experiences receives high value in current market standards since people
tend to place more trust in peer recommendations and influencer endorsements instead of
brand-created messages (Djafarova & Rushworth, 2017). [53]

Leads of influencer marketing utilize different forms of SM consisting of Instagram

Facebook X and YouTube. People who have amassed substantial social media audiences
frequently publish content that encourages audience intimacy through personal narratives
(Harrigan et al., 2021)[46]. The strong bond between influencers and their followers
resembles parasocial interactions because their audience develops personal connections
although they are not truly known in real life Perceived similarity together with intimacy
and psychological closeness develop trust between social media users

Companies leverage influencer relationships with big audiences to make their product
promotions through them. The bond that forms between influencers and their followers
results in strong improvements of brand recognition together with increased revenue (De
Jans et al, 2020).[12]

Marketing professionals emphasize that digital transformation of promotional

communication approaches leads to behavioral changes among consumers and market
structure modifications (Dwivedi et al., 2020).[47] Modern business environments offer
prospects alongside difficulties for organizations. Consumer choices undergo significant
influencer-driven influence since individuals view trusted representatives who
demonstrate expertise in their sectors (Singh, 2021).[9]

Digital companies now use influencers as their primary digital strategy to leverage their
followers' trust in order to execute effective brand promotions throughout the digital age.

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The combination of social media and influencers allows brands to accomplish product
promotion according to what was previously established. The strategy is employed by
businesses in many sectors including sports and technology together with food and travel
industries (Ye et al., 2021). The beauty industry and its associated fashion sector derive
maximum impact from this marketing strategy according to research by Nafees et al.
(2021).[54]

Social media influencers within the beauty and fashion fields possess extensive online
profiles which bring forth substantial follower activities. This research examines the
beauty market because consumer choices in this sector are directly influenced by
purchasing decisions. According to Sudha & Sheena (2017)[5] fashion consists of “the
process of social diffusion by which a new style is adopted by some group of consumers.”
The fashion industry serves both economic needs and social purposes through which it
enables people to broadcast their individual personalities and identity.

Industry knowledge about consumer purchase decisions in fashion and beauty proves
critical for modern businesses because of rising influencer marketing influence. Followers
submit to influencers because of their personal relationships which grants the influencers
impressive power to define industry trends and increase sales.

Meaning of Social Media

Platforms with technologies allows users to create exchange and share content within
virtual community networks we call social media. Facebook and other platforms
including Instagram and Twitter and Pinterest and Wikipedia operate as social media
websites providing features for social communication and content sharing and online
social activities.

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This digital tool supports information and concept sharing which enables worldwide
communication through browser applications running on mobile phones and other
handheld devices. Modern social media applications allow users to message fellow
members and share updates as well as media files as they develop real-time social
connections.

The contemporary business world relies heavily on social media through its strategic
influence in marketing operations. The promotional strategies of businesses include
product advertisement combined with brand recognition enhancement to maintain
customer communication and project launches through social media networks. The
marketing tool enables businesses to deliver specific promotions at precise times to
individual customers for more effective communication with their audience base. The
research examines how social media platforms affect customers’ actions during the
modern digital period.

The online networks both aid personal communication along with business marketing
activities

The digital environment allows contacts with family members and discovering shared
interests while people express emotions using social networks to develop both personal
and professional connections. All participants can access virtual social networking
platforms.

Social media networks provide businesses with an invaluable marketplace for their needs.
The platform manages to build customer relationships and run product advertisements in
addition to providing observation of trends and accessibility features. Through social
media companies can design specific promotional tactics that help them achieve accurate
marketing assessment goals. Social media loyalty rewards with their interactive features
enable customer participation to become a key marketing planning tool of modern times.

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The rise of online social networking sites

The Wikipedia website reports that more than 300 social networking sites reached about
1.5 billion global users. The basic nature of social networks involves operating through
online communities that let users make profiles and build relationships with other
members. People now communicate differently due to social networking platforms while
these platforms also help users establish interest-based groups to share content.

These platforms enable users to exchange images along with discussion on culture and
movie topics and sports and education subjects and they also help to reconnect with past
friends. Users gain better understanding regarding social culture and economic aspects
alongside cultural information from social networking. People love social networking
platforms because registration is effortless and the ability to connect with people around
the planet exists for everyone.

Users mostly publish information that consists of personal data and images and
expressions of their interests. Social networking sites maintain various established
applications currently used by large numbers of people and show the potential to launch
additional applications as these platforms continue their development. Through
information and interest sharing platforms social media establishes relationships between
users while promoting engagement between them.

Facebook stands as the worldwide service leader with more than 300 million users
between all the existing social networking platforms including Facebook, MySpace,
Orkut, Cyworld, and LinkedIn.

Meaning of consumer behaviour

Individuals or groups conduct consumer behavior through their selection activities and
subsequent purchases right up until product use and disposal choices. Under study are the
psychological and emotional along with social aspects and cultural influences which

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shape what purchasers decide to buy. The objective in consumer behavior analysis
involves recognizing buyer behavior patterns to forecast consumer reactions toward
different products or marketing initiation plans. Such knowledge enables businesses to
develop successful marketing initiatives and produce items which fulfill user
requirements and enhance client happiness.

Consumer
An individual or a group qualifies as a consumer when they plan to buy and either
purchase or use items for individual needs and domestic purposes beyond commercial
operations. Business strategies in the market system depend heavily on consumer
preferences because demand creation comes from their activities.

Social Media and Consumer

Introduction to Social Media's Role
Most people consider social media fundamental for contemporary living because it
defines the ways people contact each other and discover information alongside
influencing which products they purchase. SMI stand as the most impactful features
through which they maintain substantial control over consumer perception across
different industrial sectors. Fashion influencers establish trends as they promote brand
products by displaying outfits alongside commercial partnerships with fashion companies.

The makeup tutorial along with product evaluation combined with skin care video content
that influencers produce shapes whether newly released beauty products will succeed in
the market. The influencers establish strong relationships with their followers which
makes their endorsement recommendations highly influential. Internet influencers
perform as beta testers and product critics for gadgets and software and digital solutions
in the technology sector. The knowledge provided by influencers impacts both consumer
perceptions and choices particularly among people interested in technology. Social media
influencers strategically modify consumer actions through their authentic relatable
content that engages viewers. Their strategic focus on particular sectors demonstrates the

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complete integration of social media with marketing strategies along with brand
promotion and customer purchasing behavior.

Theoretical Framework
Further analysis will investigate base concepts of influencer marketing together with
necessary theoretical frameworks from social media marketing (SMM) alongside
consumer behavioral models.

Social Media Marketing (SMM)

The promotion of products through media platforms while developing brand visibility
constitutes the use of SMM according to Shamsudeen and Ganeshbabu (2018)[7]. SMM
functions as a fundamental digital marketing approach by permitting organizations to
access efficient interactive and inexpensive communication channels which connect them
to their audience (Tuten & Solomon 2018).[ 8]
Sructure media marketing enables businesses to establish enduring customer-brand
connections and enhances consumer brand faith while raising their recognition across
their audience. Brands on Instagram and YouTube alongside Twitter and blogs provide
digital locations to communicate content and receive continuous feedback (Tuten &
Solomon, 2018). [8]
Through social media users can access communities where members bonding occurs
because they share similar tastes and life attitudes. The communication between
customers and businesses provides businesses useful information regarding consumer
choices and their actions.
The transformation of traditional marketing into SMM occurs through two-way
conversation and community development alongside instant interaction which constitutes
a necessary component for understanding contemporary consumer behavior.

Platforms and Focus on Instagram

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The process of SMM involves companies connecting with consumers on Facebook as
well as YouTube Twitter and Instagram. Multiple social media channels have their own
distinct audiences which use them. The core demographic on Facebook includes a wide
range of users but YouTube together with Twitter and Instagram hold particularly strong
appeal for individuals under thirty (Duggan & Smith, 2013).

Instagram become one of the main SM platforms because users love its emphasis on
visual content. Daily engagement on the platform arises from photos and videos and
stories enabling users to strongly interact with the platform (Duggan & Smith, 2013).

Users on Instagram subscribe to other accounts to view content in a system of followers

(Billiot, 2015). Users demonstrate their involvement through likes as well as comments
and shares and saves of content. Hashtags help increase visibility of posted content so it
can reach people with shared interests and larger audiences.

Through its platform structure the application allows users to connect through shared
content interests with other community members (Shamsudeen & Ganeshbabu, 2018).[7]
The community-based structure of Instagram serves influencer marketing perfectly
because it helps influencers develop trust connections with their followers through
content sharing. Under the concept of e WOMM influencer marketing serves as a
platform that enables brand interactions with target consumers through genuine and
powerful communication (Etikan, Musa & Alkassim, 2016).[4]

The visual style of Instagram combined with its high engagement makes it the top
platform for influencer marketing activities that help influencers deliver branded content
while forming relationships and shaping purchase choices (Jaakonmäki, Müller & Vom
Brocke, 2017).[6]

Electronic Word-of-Mouth (e-WOM)

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Word-of-mouth (WOM) stands as most powerful marketing concepts which marketers
widely apply. The term defines the “informal information transmission which occurs
between people who do not work for marketing organizations” according to Blythe
(2013).[49]
The emergence of SM platforms gave birth to digital word-of-mouth (e-WOM)
communication according to Kwiatek et al. (2021).[50]

The communication method in e-WOM functions analogously to traditional WOM

because it includes consumer-to-consumer exchanges and consumer-brand dialogue. The
digital platforms Instagram Twitter and YouTube serve as e-WOM communication
channels which exist beyond organizational control according to Kotler al. (2017). The
sharing of reviews regarding products and services by influencers takes place when they
receive compensation (Bakker, 2018)[45]. These influencers aim to reach broad audiences
through their posts as they try to modify personal perceptions and drive their fans toward
making buying choices.

Influencer Marketing
Businesses today use influencers as their marketing tool to promote products and services
which are supported by popular figures with established credibility around the digital
world. The direct relation between influencer marketing and consumers makes it more
effective than traditional advertising media (Bakker, 2018).[45]

Three Key Perspectives in Influencer Marketing :

Owners Perspective:
Brands use this technique to fulfill their communication targets while they develop
audience connection and improve brand recognition and public perception and attract
more visitors. Brand managers must choose influencers with personalities which match
their brand and resonate with their target market segment.

• Influencer perspective

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Brands issue multiple paid collaborations based on fanatic popularity levels to different
influencers. The choice of influencers depends heavily on the number of their followers
because influential users who receive higher recognition attract larger followership and
secure additional brand collaborations. The key aspect for influencers should be selecting
partnerships that align with their personal beliefs because this ensures they maintain trust
with their online followers.

• Consumer perspective
The decision-making process of consumers involves five distinct participants starting with
the Initiator followed by the Influencer followed by the Decider followed by the Buyer
followed by the User with the possibility of these four roles being held by single or
different individuals. Users ensure recognition of influencer marketing as paid advertising
but influencers perform a dual responsibility to generate Buy orders (Hein, 2017).[51]
Trust and credibility serve as important standards by which people evaluate their choice
of influencers to follow.

Size of the influencer

Influencers fail to acquire matching fanbases and achieve the same audience size. Conick
(2018)[52] identifies three influencer categories based on their follower counts.

• Micro Influencer: Number of followers between 50 and 25,000.

• Mid Influencer: Number of followers between 25,001 and 100,000.

• Macro Influencer: Number of follower higher than 100,000.

Choosing the Right Influencer

For brands looking to create meaningful effects the choice of proper social media
influencers stands as an essential factor. Authentic connections between influencers and

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their audience along with genuine knowledge of follower requirements will strengthen
positive shopping habits.

New sales sky-rocket because trusted influencers present their product recommendations
which work as social proof. Brands achieve higher return on investment and consumer
engagement by using trust-based promotion which enables them to reach people more
personally. A business can achieve considerable success through forming strategic
alliances with appropriate influencers who guide customers toward making purchasing
choices and improve brand exposure.

By partnering with multiple influencers Daniel Wellington successfully grew both product
recognition and revenue numbers for its watch collection. Always launched their
#LikeAGirl campaign employing influential figures to fight gender stereotypes which
triggered worldwide emotional discussions among viewers. The media partnership
between Dunkin' Donuts and Charli D'Amelio resulted in growing store traffic and more
people downloading the Dunkin' Donuts smartphone application.

Scope of the Study

1. This research examines the different characteristics and benefits which social
media marketing offers in modern digital marketing.

2. Various customer patterns together with important variables that drive purchasing
choices need examination.

3. To compare traditional marketing methods (e.g., radio, television) with the

evolving relevance of social media marketing.

4. Business owners who think ahead are choosing social media as their fundamental
marketing approach.

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 5. The analysis of extensive social media marketing approaches requires assessment
of their long-term effects together with their prospective long-term advantages.

Objectives:
1. To examine the influence of social media influencers on the purchasing decisions of
young consumers.
2. To identify the key factors that make social media influencers effective in shaping the
buying behavior of young audiences/consumers

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 Review of Literature

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 1. Wind & Mahajan (2001)
The study investigates product innovation promotion strategies alongside effective
approaches for market introduction that use dynamic market assessment methods. To meet
such conditions business organizations must establish market segmentation while also
performing strategic target selection and positioning alignment.
2. Kothari, C. R. (2004)
This book creates essential guidelines which researchers need to conduct research in
social sciences and business. The book discusses multiple research approaches together
with sampling approaches and collection ways with analysis strategies. The study deploys
Kothari’s techniques to develop its descriptive research design and implements systematic
approaches for data management.

3. Saravanakumar & SuganthaLakshmi (2012)

The documentation reveals that Facebook and Twitter enable users to communicate
interactively thus improving brand engagement and enhancing customer relationships.
4. Etikan, I., Musa, S. A., & Alkassim, R. S. (2016)
Travel Smith analyzes the differences between convenience sampling and purposive
sampling in quantitative research in this paper. This information demonstrates why
convenience sampling should be used in this study because it provides a practical method
to reach readily available young social media users.
5. Sudha & Sheena (2017)
Professors analyzed research to understand how users with social media profiles alter the
consumer purchasing behavior. Follower trust and purchase decisions depend on the three

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significant attributes consisting of authenticity and relatability and attractiveness that
define influencer effects.
6. Jaakonmäki et al. (2017)
This research shows that emotional along with aesthetic content serves as essential stimuli
to drive people toward brands while enabling them to remember brand-based information.

7. Shamshudeen & Ganeshbabu (2018)

Digital advertising approaches receive analysis from the authors regarding their capability
to build product awareness.

8. Tuten & Solomon (2018)

Social media marketing practices and useful methods appear in Tuten and Solomon's book
with thorough explanations. The experts work on building brand content and performance
assessment through consumer relationships to improve marketing outcomes

9. Singh, Jaywant, Quamina, La Toya, Xue, Tao (2018)

This research says Internet influencer collaborations create substantial improvements to
consumer perceptive value and buying motivation for diverse product types. The
customer response is highly pronounced among those consumers who listen to peer
opinions since they rely heavily on online personalities. Research should expand to
examine brand loyalty together with self-image as contributors that affect these observed
results.

10. Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2019)

The authors provide complete instructions about research methodologies in business. The
methodology discussed in this work helped construct the survey questionnaire and
determine appropriate sampling procedures for this study.
11. Jha (2020)
Jha studies in his research how digital marketing strengthens its control of current
consumer choices. Online platforms embody current tools which bind customers through

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direct connections and enable brands for advertising and controlling consumer choices
targeting mainly young customers.

12. De Jans et al. (2020)

Through their research study the authors show how influencer marketing works with
adolescent consumers alongside showing the influence these influencers apply to brand
perception and consumer purchase decisions. Research unveils key factors about youth
reception to branded content based on their authenticity-awareness and felt relation to
13. Ferrell (2021)
Through his study Ferrell presents an ethical analysis of marketing practices in digital
marketing domains.
14. Bharti Megha (2021)
Online fashion apparel businesses heavily depend on Instagram to engage their
consumers. SEMed a four-attribute conversion model of Instagram page engagement on
327 consumers to determine popularity gauge as a key attribute alongside influencer
appeal and visual aesthetics and interactivity. Multiple factors including good design
elements and people-powered content enable online fashion stores to receive higher
purchase activity and conversion rates.
15. Muda, Mazzini, Hamzah, Muhammad Iskandar (2021)
This paper investigates how consumer perceptions about UGC source reliability on
YouTube shapes their purchasing decisions and attitudes. Using PLS-SEM methodology
with 372 respondents from Gen Y the research establishes that source credibility drives
UGC attitudes which lead to purchase intentions and electronic word-of-mouth behavior.
Companies need to utilize micro-influencers and prosumers for branding techniques
because consumers now rely on UGC more than content made by brands.
16. Lal, Ruhi Sharma, Geeti (2021)
The analysis assesses brand consciousness as a middle factor linking influencers on social
media platforms to purchasing actions online. The research confirms brand consciousness
serves as a complete mediation through analyzing 567 youth-based data from Delhi NCR
using SEM. This research demonstrates how SMIs effectively influence consumer
awareness and selection of purchases conducted through online channels.

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 17. Piehler R.; Schade M.; Sinnig J.; Burmann C. (2022)
Social media users' self-esteem levels determine the effectiveness of non-original and
original social media influencer fame in influencing purchase decisions. The results of a
study conducted with 129 Russian participants showed that low self-esteem users respond
better to popular non-original SMIs whereas high self-esteem users display greater
effectiveness to original SMIs born from social media platforms. The study establishes
why it is crucial for SMI choices to match the psychological needs of intended
consumers.
18. Koay K.Y.; Cheung M.L.; Soh P.C.-H.; Teoh C.W. (2022)
The research analyzes how followers' purchase intentions are impacted by social media
influencers' (SMIs) overall credibility that combines attractiveness with expertise and
trustworthiness. A study with 191 Instagram users demonstrates that trustworthiness
together with expertise strongly urge purchase decisions although attractiveness primarily
affects buyers with high materialistic traits. The research investigates how SMI credibility
together with materialistic traits influence consumer choices.
19. Fakhreddin F.; Foroudi P. (2022)
Social media opinion leadership serves as a core topic for this research into influencer
marketing of cosmetics. The evaluation of 223 Instagram followers revealed that original
content combined with excellent quality and many pieces boosts opinion leadership to
drive purchase intentions and concrete buying decisions and customer retention. Social
media marketing strategies can be enhanced through knowledge acquired from this
research investigation.
20. Chen H.; Ren J. (2022)
Through examination of influencers' personal profiles this paper examines their influence
on consumer engagement within short-video platforms on TikTok. Different research
studies show how influencers merge their brand identities with their content creation work
to produce consumer participation and buying choice activation. The research delivers
practical knowledge to benefit social media marketing and supports digital advertising
alongside video advertisement practices.
21. Irfan M.; Malik M.S.; Zubair S.K. (2022)

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This research evaluates consumer travel decisions and buying behavior through the vlog
marketing channel operated by social media influencers called vloggers. Vlog marketing
demonstrates significant effects on both travel and purchase intentions according to PLS-
SEM analysis results from 428 surveyed responses while destination image and ease of
travel help improve the travel intentions factor. The study investigates how consumer
behavior changes because of vloggers together with their influence on travel-related
marketing through destination portrayal.
22. Pop R.-A.; Săplăcan Z.; Dabija D.-C.; Alt M.-A. (2022)
The research evaluates trust in social media influencers (SMIs) toward their influence on
consumer travel choices by utilizing customer journey theory. Through Smart PLS
analysis SMI trust proves to have a positive effect on all stages of consumer decision
journey from initial desire to final experience sharing. Trust serves as a mediating factor
between every step which demonstrates the necessity for ongoing SMI participation in
tourism marketing activities. The research shows that marketers should utilize SMI trust
as a driver for consumer interest and travel-related decisions.
23. Yu S.; de Barnier V. (2022)
Researchers analyze influencer marketing performance during COVID-19 through their
investigation of the satisfaction effects on both influencer and luxury brand attachment.
Social attachment theory demonstrates that consumer satisfaction shows a stronger effect
on influencer attachment rather than brand attachment yet brand sponsorship influences
the satisfaction to brand attachment relationship. Consumer emotional involvement with
influencers and brands increased because of isolation during quarantine so influencers
stand out as crucial linking points for luxury brand relationships.
24. Özbölük T.; Akdoğan K (2022)
The research investigates how consumers make purchase decisions based on online
credibility of sources and their identification with influencers. Research data from 460
participants shows that trustworthy influencers create positive purchase behavior among
consumers as well as personal alignment between influencers and consumers.
25. Agrawal C.; Duggal T.; Shukla V.; Dohroo M. (2023)
The research examines how expertise together with authenticity and SMIs' advertisement
disclosure affects luxury products' purchase intention while exploring gender-based

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effects. All variables investigated in the study have a positive effect on purchase intention
yet no correlation exists between gender and advertisement disclosure. The study results
demonstrate understanding of how SMIs affect luxury brand buying behaviors.
26. Savitri A.S.E.; Widita A.; Putri G.S.; Amalia A.M.C (2023)
The study investigates how Hairen uses Instagram branding to enhance consumer brand
awareness which leads to purchase behavior changes. Research findings from qualitative
interviews prove that Instagram has been instrumental for brand awareness growth since
Hairen's pandemic launch period. Interactive content enhances the effectiveness of
content marketing and influencer marketing strategies used by Hairen. Hairen should
implement additional measures to maximize customer involvement in order to reach top-
of-mind awareness.
27. Crnjak-Karanović B.; Kursan Milaković I.; Elez J.(2023)
The research examines how micro-influencers affect each phase of consumer decision
making among youth who purchase cosmetic items in Croatia. Perceived credibility
creates a positive impact on every step from problem recognition through information
search and evaluation of alternatives and purchase until post-purchase activities. The
study shows that absence of sponsorship increases credibility; however trust level
influences this connection between credibility and sponsorship and buying behavior. This
research offers information to businesses about which steps their micro-influencers can
effectively help during decision-making processes.
28. Joo T.M.; Teng C.E.(2023)
The research investigates the effects of social media influencers known as SMI on
consumer buying decisions. The study demonstrates that SMI characteristics combined
with social media eWOM affect purchasing behaviors yet friend and family influence
continues to matter. The research collected data through an online questionnaire
administered to 150 participants from the young adult demographic.
29. Rzayeva U.; Grebennikova V.M.; Us O.A.; Malkov A.A.
The analysis investigates the effects that Facebook Twitter and Instagram social networks
have on the purchasing behavior of youth customers when they follow recommendations
from social influencers. Traditional media has declined in use because smartphones and
social media became popular so word-of-mouth marketing spread through these

PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 42
platforms. Social networks have become vital forces which shape marketing strategies
and decisions throughout the consumer demographic especially targeting young people.
30. Ashraf A.; Hameed I.; Saeed S.A.(2023)
The research investigates the PSR development and buying choice influence of T-SMIs.
The study discovers that establishing trust-based relationships with experts who are also
attractive enhances parasocial relationships that drive purchasing intention. The research
offers companies recommendations regarding their choice of influencers.
31. Bi N.C.; Zhang R(2024)
The book Global Perspectives on Social Media Influencers evaluates the effects of
influencers on brand devotion and consumer conduct and corporate strategic planning.
The research investigates ethical dilemmas along with different interactive approaches
and streaming practices which provide knowledge for marketing professionals and
academic researchers.
32. Wukkadada B.; Yelamanchili R.K.; Jain A. (2024)
The study evaluates how micro-influencers affect budget hotel consumer choices within
the Indian market. An analysis of factors concerning influencer marketing together with
user-generated content and perceived value is performed through SPSS on 200 survey
responses. The research results establish that micro-influencers effectively affect buying
choices of consumers.
33. Tartaraj A.; Avdyli D.; Trebicka B. (2024)
Economical models help analyze how influencer marketing on TikTok influences
consumer choices in this research study. A survey of TikTok platform users gives insights
into brand recognition levels and purchasing plans as well as the actual purchase acts of
users. Organizational research shows social media influencers successfully influence
customer strategic choices thus providing marketing professionals better approach
optimization.
34. Bayti N.; Paramita B.; Deryane I.; Sufnirayanti S.; Putra A.S. (2024)
This study analyzes influencer promotion methods that boost the market visibility and
sales results of Sungai Enam Otak-Otak Village brand products. Research analytics based
on customer feedback and sales data demonstrate which elements of influencer

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sponsorship impact purchase choices in ways to assist local market operators according to
observations.
35. Patil K.P.; Vijayakumar Bharathi S. (2024)
Research analyzes virtual influencer effects on consumer actions through an assessment of
the TEARS model. The research that surveyed 381 Instagram users discovered that brand
attachment and mimetic desire cause purchase intent through trust, expertise,
attractiveness and similarity factors. Research findings lead to improvements in marketing
strategies that use computer-generated influencers.
36. Chen V.Y. (2024)
The study measures how social media influencers influence consumer behaviors together
with their awareness levels to determine decision-making performance. The main
determinant identified in surveys of Taiwanese consumers was their understanding of
products while monitoring influencer information sped up their decision-making process.
Understanding level of users functions as a controlling mechanism that influences the
relationship between gathering information and making efficient decisions.
37. Gonçalves M.J.A.; Oliveira A.; Abreu A.; Mesquita A. (2024)
The research examines how social networks together with influencers affect online
purchasing behaviors through the combination of TAM and UTAUT models. The analysis
of 135 responses using PLS-SEM establishes that consumers`] αυτά behavior is
significantly influenced by influencers who demonstrate credibility and establish
emotional connections.
38. Silveira P.D.; Chawla Y.; Xara-Brasil D. (2024)
Research results demonstrate that Instagram stories excel at influencing early stages of
purchase rather than posts through their impact on both need recognition and information
search.
39. Pham A.D.; Dao T.T.T.; Pham P.M.; Pham Y.H.; Nguyen H.T.; Pham L.N. (2024)
The research examines how credibility of influencers together with conformity beliefs and
psychological ownership factors influence consumption decisions of youth consumers in
food and beverage markets while providing strategic recommendations for influencer
marketing across Vietnam and Asia.

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 40. Merriam-Webster (2019)
reference probably originates from the dictionary and provides descriptions about social
media terms alongside consumer behavior terminology that helps establish basic
understanding of research concepts.

41. Li, Lai and Chen (2011)

investigates how social media affects consumer decision processes. The analysis covers
consumer gateway activities on social media while exploring the purchasing behavior
caused by online interactions.

42. Bladow & Laura (2018)

the research investigates consumer attitudes and behaviors that result from social media
influencer interactions together with their influence on marketing strategies alongside
consumer trust.

43. Sawicki (2016)

This research shows social media marketing relationships with consumer behavior to help
us to understand digital platform.

44. De Jans et al. (2020)

investigated influencer marketing through an examination of how credibilities and
attractiveness levels from influencers impact consumer purchasing behavior.

45. Backaler and Shankman (2018)

discuss social media influencers as key players within global marketing by explaining
how they influence local markets and international consumer spending.

46. Harrigan et al. (2021)

this research helps us to understand consumer buying behavior through perception.

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 47. Dwivedi et al. (2020)
investigates trust-building factors that influence consumer trust in influencers while
examining their subsequent purchase decisions as well as how trustworthy influencer-
consumer relationships strengthen trust.

48. Ye et al. (2021)

this study shows consumer decision making behavior influenced by social platforms.

49. Blythe (2013)

creates a theoretical framework about purchasing behavior effects through digital
marketing using consumer behavior theories in social media influencer contexts.

50. Kwiatek et al. (2021)

researchers investigated the ways personality characteristics of social media influencers
with their follower activity boost their power to drive consumer buying behaviors.

51. Hein (2017)

This research shows the effect of influencer marketing on consumer trust and engagement.
It also demonstrate how influencers establish authentic relationship with audience.

52. Conick (2018)

evaluates the marketing landscape change through influencers and evaluates their impact
on consumer behavioral adjustments.

53. Djafarova & Rushworth (2017)

examines how perception of influencer attractiveness combined with expertise levels
impacts consumer trust leading to social media platform purchasing decisions.

54. Nafees et al. (2021)

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explores influencer effects on youth consumers especially their buying tendencies while
studying the elements which shape these behavioral patterns including influencer
trustworthiness and social media involvement.

Research Methodology

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3.1 Research Design
The research design of this study bases its examination on descriptive methods to assess
how social media influencers affect purchasing choices of young consumers. The research
design utilizes description methods because it facilitates organized data collection and
assessment through measurable information acquisition which reveals behavioural
patterns with influencing elements (Kothari et al.2004) [2].

3.2 Research Objectives

The primary focus of this research includes two main objectives.

1. To examine the influence of social media influencers on the purchasing decisions of

young consumers.
2. To identify the key factors that make social media influencers effective in shaping the
buying behaviour of young audiences/consumers

3.3 Data Collection Methods

Primary Data
The structured questionnaire operated through Google Forms enabled the collection of
primary data. Performing the survey required both multiple-choice questions and Likert-

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scale questions to gather data about user characteristics as well as their social media
activity and their relationships with influencers.

Secondary Data
Academic journals together with books and reports and credible online sources related to
influencer marketing and social media trends along with consumer behavior provided the
secondary data in this research. The literature review and theoretical framework received
backing through the use of these supporting sources according to Saunders et al. (2019).
[10]

3.4 Sampling Technique

This study applied convenience sampling to gather research participants who conveniently
responded to the questions. For this study's purpose the researcher selected this method
since it focused on digitally engaged young users.

Sample Size: 130 respondents

A target audience consists of active youths ranging from 16 to 30 years of age who use
platforms including Instagram and YouTube together with X (formerly Twitter).

3.5 Research Instrument

The research instrument used structured questionnaires containing these sections.

Data collection about participants included their age together with gender and educational
background.

Social media usage patterns

Engagement and trust in influencers

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Impact of influencers on purchase intentions

3.6 Data Analysis Tools and Techniques

Researchers processed the acquired information through Microsoft Excel and IBM SPSS
Statistics. A set of instruments together with analytical methods served as the following
tools:

Descriptive statistics for summarizing responses

Charts and graphs for visual interpretation

The analysis included T-tests together with Pearson correlations which showed the
significance of variable relationships.

A chi-square analysis evaluated relationships between different age groups and their
friendship with influencers while examining their trust levels.

3.7 Scope of the Study

Young digital consumers in India who respond to influencer content posted on Instagram
and YouTube make up the research sample. The research investigates how influencers
change purchasing behaviours specifically within the domains of fashion and beauty
production along with electronics and food & beverage industries.

3.8 Limitations of the Study

Limited to 130 participants, restricting generalizability.

The sample selection method using convenience sampling has the potential to produce
biased results.

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The research concentrates mainly on the urban population without sufficient study of rural
consumers.

The collected answers might contain emotional responses along with potential
unawareness regarding the product.

Data Analysis & Iinterpretations

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Introduction to Data Analysis
4.1 Introduction
Data acquired from 130 questionnaires was evaluated and interpreted in this chapter.
Social media influencers affect young consumers' purchasing decision making patterns so
this research seeks to explore those effects by analyzing their behavior. The processing of
responses occurred through Microsoft Excel and SPSS software platforms to create
descriptive statistics along with statistical tests and graphical outputs.

According to Kothari (2004).[2] data analysis serves as a vital process which converts
unprocessed data into significant findings helpful for making decisions while validating
hypotheses.

4.2 Demographic Profile of Respondents

Age Distribution
Among 130 surveyed participants, 77.7% maintained an age range of 16 to 20 years and
8.5% fell within 21–25 years while 13.8% were 26–30 years old. The prevalence of
younger respondents follows the main demographic objective of influencer marketing
because research shows that digital platforms influence Gen Z and millennial consumers
(Djafarova & Rushworth, 2017).[53]

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Gender
The studied group consisted mainly of males (66.2%) with females representing 33.1% of
the total while 0.8% identified with other gender categories. The distribution of
participants indicates an equal balance along with a somewhat greater number of male
participants.

Education and Occupation

The survey results demonstrated that most participants were undergraduates amounting to
77.7% and student demographics comprised 82.3% thus proving that the survey
efficiently acquired insights from a youthful digital audience. Students together with
young professionals show high sensitivity to social media trends according to Bharti
(2021).[14]

4.3 Social Media Usage Patterns

Platform Usage
A significant portion of participants used Instagram at 88.5% while YouTube recorded
68.5% usage and Snapchat reached 53.1% use. Research by Koay et al. (2022) [18]
supports the platform popularity of Instagram since users appreciate its visual interface
and interactive capabilities.

Time Spent Online

Daily social media exposure among respondents reached a total of 2–3 hours for 36.2% of
participants and 3–4 hours for 22.3% of them. The study by Jaakonmäki et al. (2017) [6]
validated that longer screen time directly correlates with increased exposure to influencer
content which supports this research finding.

4.4 Engagement with Social Media Influencers

Following Influencers

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Social media influencer followership exists among 76.2% of survey participants. The
results of Muda & Hamzah (2021) [15] researched youth population to discover
influencers serve as credible information sources for numerous young participants.

Parasocial Connections
Over half of the participants indicated feeling personal links with influencers during
occasional engagements (30.8%), identical to the number who did so frequently (25.4%).
A significant number of followers develop parasocial relationships with influencers which
is defined as one-sided intimacy (Horton & Wohl, 1956; Ashraf et al., 2023). [30]

Engagement Behavior
The survey revealed that over half of the respondents participate with influencer content
at least occasionally. Influencer recommendations gain more persuasive power because
interaction strengthens both psychological connections as well as emotional bonds
(Silveira et al., 2024).[38]
4.5 Influence on Purchasing Decisions
Perceived Influence
Respondents showed their opinions about influencer effects on their purchasing behavior
through three different answers.

40.8% said “sometimes”

23.1% said “often”

5.4% said “always”

The research supports the influencing power of consumers' decision-making processes

through influencers even if their impact differs in degree according to Koay et al. (2022).
[18]

Categories of Products Purchased

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The most popular categories which influencers impacted included the following three
areas:

Electronics (51.5%)

Fashion items (50%)

Beauty products (46.2%)

Food and beverages (43.1%)

The fashion, beauty, and tech sector demonstrates the maximum susceptibility to SMIs
according to Nafees et al. (2021).[54]

4.6 Trust and Consumer Skepticism

Trust in Influencers
When asked about trust:

48.5% said they “sometimes” trust influencers

19.2% said “often”

Procedural trust stands at a moderate level according to this data because consumers still
doubt influencers despite their effectiveness particularly when unauthentic content
material is presented (Özbölük & Akdoğan, 2022).[24]

Misalignment with Expectations

Among the survey participants 62.3% admitted to buying materials promoted by
influencers which ended up meeting their expectations negatively. The findings underline
the necessity for honest and open endorsements according to Agrawal et al. (2023). [25]

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4.7 Factors That Build Trust in Influencers
The survey participants indicated these characteristics as essential:

Engagement with followers (50%)

Expertise or knowledge (46.2%)

Transparency about sponsorships (41.5%)

Quality product reviews (44.6%)

A comparison emerges regarding consumer trust factors between the TEARS model
utilized by Patil & Bharathi (2024) [35] and the research findings.

4.8 Statistical Test Results

T-test: Gender vs Likelihood to Try Product
No significant difference between male and female consumers (p = 0.397)

The study results match those of Joo & Teng (2023) [28] which show that gender does not
impact purchase decisions influenced by influencers.

Correlation: Following New Influencers vs Trying Products

Weak, non-significant relationship (r = -0.128, p = 0.148)

The outcome shows that following latest influencer figures fails to boost consumers'
product sampling behavior.

Correlation: Age vs Trust in SMIs

Weak but statistically significant (r = 0.247, p = 0.005)

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Research has shown that trust toward influencers grows at a minimal level with each
advancing year of age (Crnjak-Karanović et al., 2023). [27]

Chi-Square: Age Group and Trust

Significant relationship (χ²(8) = 16.118, p = 0.041)

Research shows that trust toward influencers differs between age-defined population
groups.

4.9 Summary of Insights

The main social media platforms used by young users consist of Instagram alongside
YouTube.

People tend to be more persuaded when influencers obtain positive engagement metrics
such as likes and comments and shares from followers.

People have trust in influencers at a moderate level while requiring complete transparency
during interactions.

Consumers develop doubts toward products when their anticipated features fail to match
reality.

Trust development depends on maintaining active interaction between these three

elements.

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FIG- 1
The data which we have collected and by the help of pie chart we are able to see that out
of 130 respondents 77.7% are aged between 16-20 years , 8.5% are between 21-25 years
of age, 13.8% are 26- 30 years of age.

Age Frequency percentage

16 – 20 18 77.7
21 - 25 11 8.5
26 - 30 101 13.8

Table – 1

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FIG-2
The data which we have collected and by the help of pie chart we are able to see that out
of 130 respondents 86 were male and 43 were female. So it shows that male respondents
were more than female respondents.

Gender Frequency Percentage

Male 86 66.2
Female 43 33.1
Others 1 0.8
TABLE-2

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FIG-3
The data which we have collected and by the help of pie chart we are able to see that out
of 130 respondents 101 were Undergraduate, 21 were Graduate, 7 are
Diploma/Certification Course holder and 1 is school level student.

Frequency Percentage
School Level (up to 1 0.8
12th)
Diploma/Certification 7 5.4
Course
Undergraduate 101 77.7
Graduate 21 16.2

TABLE-3

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FIG-4

The data which we have collected and by the help of pie chart we are able to see that out
of 130 respondents 107 were Student, 14 were working professional, 9 were self
employed and others are 0. So it shows that our most of the respondent are students.

Frequency Percentage
Student 107 82.3
Working Professional 14 10.8
Self-Employed / 9 6.9
Entrepreneur
Unemployed /Looking 0 0
for a job
Homemaker 0 0
TABLE-4

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FIG-5
The data which we have collected and by the help of pie chart we are able to see that out
of 130 respondents 115 uses Instagram , 89 are the you tube users , 38 were using X , 42
uses face book , 20 uses Pinterest , Snapchat users are 69 and etc. So it shows that our
most of the respondent uses Instagram, You tube , Snapchat , Face book , and X .

Frequency Percentage
Instagram 115 88.5
You Tube 89 68.5
X 38 29.2
Facebook 42 32.3
Pinterest 20 15.4
Snapchat 69 53.1
WhatsApp 1 0.8
2 1.5
Linked in 1 0.8
TABLE-5

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FIG-6
The data which we have collected and by the help of pie chart we are able to see that out
of 130 respondents 21 respondent uses social media for 0 to 1 hrs, 12 respondent uses for
1 to 2 hrs , 47 are using for 2 to 3 hrs , 29 respondents spend time 3 to 4 hrs and 21
respondent uses social media for more than 4 hours a day. So, it shows that our most of
the respondent spend 2 to 3 hrs a day on social media.

Frequency Percentage
0 to 1 hrs 21 16.2
1 to 2 hrs 12 9.2
2 to 3 hrs 47 36.2
3 to 4 hrs 29 22.3
More then 4 hrs 21 16.2
TABLE-6

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FIG-7
The data which we have collected and by the help of pie chart we are able to see that out
of 130 respondents 99 respondent follows any social media influencers and other 31 did
not follow any. So it shows that our most of the respondent follows social media
influencer.

Frequency Percentage
Yes 99 76.2
No 31 23.8

TABLE-7

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FIG-8
The data which we have collected and by the help of pie chart we are able to see that out
of 130 respondents 40 says sometimes, 33 says often, 25 says always, 16 says rarely, and
16 says never feel any kind of personal connection with any social media influencer. So it
shows that our most of the respondent feels any kind of connection with social media
influencers.

Frequency Percentage
Never 16 12.3
Rarely 16 12.3
Sometimes 40 30.8
Often 33 25.4
Always 25 19.2
TABLE-8

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FIG-9
The data which we have collected and by the help of pie chart we are able to see that out
of 130 respondents 43 says sometimes, 39 says often, 21 says always, 19 says 19 and 8
says they engage with the content posted by the social media influencers

Frequency Percentage
Never 8 6.2
Rarely 19 14.6
Sometimes 43 33.1
Often 39 30
Always 21 16.2
TABLE-9

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FIG-10
The data which we have collected and by the help of pie chart we are able to see that out
of 130 respondents 32 says sometimes, 34 says often, 22 says always, 23 says rarely and
19 says that social media influencers aligns with your own aspirations or preferences.

Frequency Percentage
Never 19 14.6
Rarely 23 17.7
Sometimes 32 24.6
Often 34 26.2
Always 22 16.9
TABLE-10

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FIG-11
The data which we have collected and by the help of pie chart we are able to see that out
of 130 respondents 43 are neutral, 27 are agreed, 22 strongly agrees, 16 disagrees and 22
strongly agrees that the story of a social media influencer makes their recommendation
more persuasive.

Frequency Percentage
Strongly disagree 22 16.9
Disagree 16 12.3
Neutral 43 33.1
Agree 27 20.8
Strongly Agree 22 16.9

PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 42
T
FIG-12
The Data which we have collected and by the help of pie chart we are able to see that out
of 130 respondents 53 says sometimes, 30 says often, 7 says always, 22 says always and
18 says never feel that social media influencers have any influence on their purchase
decision.

Frequency Percentage
Never 18 13.8
Rarely 22 16.9
Sometimes 53 40.8
Often 30 23.1
Always 7 5.4

PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 42
TABLE 12

FIG-13
The data which we have collected and by the help of pie chart we are able to see that out
of 130 respondents 56 are neutral, 19 not very likely, 6 not likely at all, 39 somewhat
likely and 10 very likely try a new product or service based on an influencers
recommendation.

Frequency Percentage
Very likely 10 7.7
Somewhat likely 39 30
Neutral 56 43.3
Not very likely 19 14.6
Not likely at all 6 4.6

PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 42
TABLE-13

FIG-14
The data which we have collected and by the help of pie chart we are able to see that out
of 130 respondents 65 says fashion items, 60 says beauty product, 67 says food and
beverages, etc have bought these kind of products by the recommendation by an
influencer.

Frequency Percentage
Fashion items 65 50
Beauty products 60 46.2
Electronics 67 51.5
Food and beverages 56 43.1
Vehicles 1 0.8
NA 1 0.8
Books 1 0.8
Nothing 1 0.8
Not Any 1 0.8
2 1.5

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TABLE 14

FIG- 15
The data which we have collected and by the help of pie chart we are able to see that out
of 130 respondents 81 says yes and 49 denied that they ever bought any project that is
promoted by influencer and it does not match their expectations.
Frequency Percentage
Yes 81 62.3
No 49 37.7
TABLE 15

FIG 16

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The data which we have collected and by the help of pie chart we are able to see that out
of 130 respondents 63 says sometimes, 25 says often, 10 says always, 25 says rarely and 7
says never they trust social media influencer and their recommendations. So mostly
respondent have trust on social media influencer.

Frequency Percentage

Never 7 5.4
Rarely 25 19.2
Sometimes 63 48.5
Often 25 19.2
Always 10 7.7
TABLE 16

FIG 17
The data which we have collected and by the help of pie chart we are able to see that out
of 130 respondents 40 says authenticity, 60 says expertise or knowledge, 65 says
engagement with followers, 51 says visual appeal and 26 says frequency of posts are the
features of social media influencers that they find most effective.
Frequency Percentage
Authenticity 40 30.8

PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 42
 Expertise or 60 46.2
knowledge
Engagement with 65 50
followers
Visual appeal (quality 51 39.2
of content)
Frequency of posts 26 20
TABLE 17

FIG 18
The data which we have collected and by the help of pie chart we are able to see that out
of 130 respondents 54 says transparency about sponsorship or partnership, 47 says
consistency in recommendations over time, 40 says personal connection, 46 says positive
feedback and 58 says quality of product reviews or demonstrations are the factors that
contributes most to build trust in an influencers recommendation.

Frequency Percentage
Transparency about 54 41.5
sponsorship or
partnerships

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 Consistency in 47 36.2
recommendations over
time
Personal connection or 40 30.8
relatability
Positive feedback from 46 35.4
other consumers
Quality of product 58 44.6
reviews or
demonstrations
TABLE 18

FIG 19
The data which we have collected and by the help of pie chart we are able to see that out
of 130 respondents 44 says sometimes, 13 says often, 10 says always, 22 says often and
41 says always they do research before buying any product based on influencers
recommendation.

Frequency Percentage
Always 41 31.5
Often 22 16.9
Sometimes 44 33.8

PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 42
 Rarely 13 10
Never 10 7.7
TABLE 19

FIG 20
The data which we have collected and by the help of pie chart we are able to see that out
of 130 respondents 45 says yes and 85 says no to the question that they ever felt misled by
any influencers sponsored content.

Frequency Percentage
NO 85 65.4
Yes 45 34.6

PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 42
TABLE 20

FIG 21
The data which we have collected and by the help of pie chart we are able to see that out
of 130 respondents 20 says lack of transparency about sponsorships, 45 says over
promoting, 49 says scripted content, 16 says expensive product are the biggest drawback
of influencer marketing.

Frequency Percentage
Lack of transparency 20 15.4
about sponsorships
Over-promoting too 45 34.6
many products
Inauthentic or scripted 49 37.7
content
Expensive products 16 12.3
that may not beworth
the price

PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 42
TABLE 21

FIG 22
The data which we have collected and by the help of pie chart we are able to see that out
of 130 respondents 41 are neutral, 21 says somewhat unacceptable, 18 says completely
unacceptable, 33 says somewhat acceptable, and 17 says completely acceptable for them,
that influencer who promote products but they don’t use personally.

Frequency
Completely acceptable 17 13.1
Somewhat acceptable 33 25.4
Neutral 41 31.5
Somewhat 21 16.2
unacceptable
Completely 18 13.8
unacceptable
TABLE 22

PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 42
FIG 23
The data which we have collected and by the help of pie chart we are able to see that out
of 130 respondents 67 says sometimes, 15 says often, 6 says always, 31 says rarely and 11
says never they follow influencers recommendation over traditional advertisements. So
according to our response most of the people follow influencers recommendation over
traditional advertisement.
Frequency Percentage
Never 11 8.5
Rarely 31 23.8
Sometimes 67 51.5
Often 15 11.5
Always 6 4.6
TABLE 23

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T test
Relationship between gender and How likely you try a product/service based on an
influencer's recommendation
1. Group Statistics

Interpretation: On average, males scored slightly higher on trying a product on influencer

recommendation than females.
2. Levene’s Test (Equal Variances Test)
 Sig. = 0.299 (greater than 0.05)
So, equal variances assumed → use the first row for interpretation.
3. t-test Results

 p = 0.397 > 0.05 → Not statistically significant

PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 42
  There is no significant difference between male and female consumers in how
likely they try a product based on an influencer’s recommendation.
Conclusion (for report or presentation)
An independent samples t-test is conducted to compare male and female responses to
influencer recommendations. The result was not statistically significant, t(127) = 0.850, p
= 0.397, suggesting that gender does not significantly affect the likelihood of trying a
product recommended by an influencer.

Correlation Between:
 New_followers – How often you follow new influencers
 Product_try – How likely you try a product recommended by an influencer

Interpretation:
 The correlation coefficient (r = -0.128) suggests a weak negative relationship
between following new influencers and trying products they recommend.
 However, the p-value = 0.148, which is greater than 0.05, shows that this
relationship is not significant.

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Conclusion:
There is no significant relationship between how often young consumers follow new
influencers and how likely they are to try products based on influencer recommendations
in your sample.

Correlation between age and How likely you try a new product/service based on
influencer's recommendation
Hypotheses
Null Hypothesis (H₀):
There is no significant relationship between age and their likelihood to try a product
based on an influencer's recommendation.
(r = 0)
Alternative Hypothesis (H₁):
There is a significant relationship between age and their likelihood to try a product
based on an influencer's recommendation.

What This Means:

 r = 0.085 → This is a weak positive correlation.
 p = 0.355 → This is not statistically significant (since p > 0.05).

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  Conclusion: There is no significant relationship between a person’s age and their
likelihood to try a product based on an influencer’s recommendation in your
sample.
A Pearson correlation was conducted to examine the relationship between age and
likelihood to try a product based on an influencer’s recommendation. There was a very
weak and non-significant positive correlation, r(118) = .085, p = .355, suggesting that
age is not significantly associated with product trial behavior based on influencer
recommendations.

correlation between age (new_age) and the trust in SMI

Hypotheses
Null Hypothesis (H₀):
There is no significant relationship between age and trust in SMI.
(r = 0)
Alternative Hypothesis (H₁):
There is a significant relationship between age and trust in social media influencers.
(r ≠ 0)

Interpretation
 r = 0.247 → This Shows a weak positive correlation.
 p = 0.005 → This is statistically significant (p < 0.01).

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 Conclusion: There is a significant positive relationship between age and trust in
SMI. This means as age increases, trust in influencers tends to slightly increase in
your sample.

We conducted Pearson correlation to check the relationship between age and trust in
social media influencers. We found a significant positive correlation, r(128) = .247, p =
.005, indicating that older participants are slightly more likely to trust influencers and
their recommendations as compared to younger participants.

Chi-Square test - age group and trust in SMI.

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Hypotheses
 Null Hypothesis (H₀): There is no association between age group and trust in
social media influencers and their recommendations.
 Alternative Hypothesis (H₁): There is a significant association between age
group and trust in social media influencers and their recommendations.
Results
A Chi-Square Test of Independence was conducted to examine the relationship between
age group and trust in social media influencers.
 The test revealed a statistically significant association between the variables:
o χ²(8) = 16.118, p = 0.041
 Therefore, the null hypothesis is rejected.
This suggests that trust in social media influencers varies significantly across different age
groups.

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Findings and Conclusions

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FINDINGS
1. Demographic Profile of Respondents
Age Group
Most individuals between 21 to 25 actively consume influencer content based on
the survey results.
Social media plays an even stronger influence on this digitally active and socially
connected group because they are most likely to emulate social media trends and
famous figures.
Gender
The survey data demonstrates that men make up the majority of respondents
though it remains uncertain whether the selection process skewed the results or
male influencers won more popularity in this specific testing group.
Educational Background
The responding individuals mostly have attended undergraduate studies or are
currently attending them.
The young educated population embraces social media because it allows
exploration possibilities thus making them responsive to influencer content that
matches their lifestyle goals.
Occupation
Students make up the biggest segment of the participants with fewer self-
employed persons and professionals also included.
Early-career students belong to the learning stage therefore they rely on
influencers to help them make purchasing decisions regarding trends and lifestyle
choices.

2. Social Media Usage

Popular Platforms
People frequently use Instagram and YouTube as well as X (Twitter) while
employing Snapchat and Facebook to a lesser extent.
Instagram

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 YouTube
X (formerly Twitter)
Snapchat and Facebook to a lesser extent.
Users demonstrate a clear preference for visual and video content because the
dominant marketing approach among influencers consists of presenting products
through these means.
Time Spent Daily
Social media users dedicate between two to four hours and extend their time spent
at over four hours during each day.
When users spend significant time on social media they raise their chances of
encountering influencer content and its possible influence.
3. Engagement with Social Media Influencers
Following Influencers
The study participants confirmed that social media influencers exist among their
list of followed accounts. The broad reach developed by influencers proves they
hold a critical position among online users during their time spent online.
Personal Connection
Social media users develop personal connections with their selected influencers
while using social media platforms.
Having a meaningful bond between users and their favorite influencers produces
better audience engagement since it develops trust between them.
Content Interaction
Social media users participate through their dual support functions which include
endorsing content with likes and commenting and also sharing influencer content
with their networks.
Lifestyle Alignment
Survey participants indicated multiple choice influences showing life decisions
that matched their goals while making their content more influential.
4. Influence on Consumer Behavior
Persuasiveness of Personal Stories

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 The participants confirm influencers build authority through storytelling about
their personal changes because these authentic stories make their product
endorsements more compelling. Purchase Decisions Many members of the
population state that recommendations from influencers serve as triggers to
determine their purchasing decisions.
Products and Services Bought Participants reported buying:
Electronics (such as gadgets or devices)
Fashion items Beauty & skincare products
Food & beverages
Books sales evidence shows that influencer marketing succeeds in different sectors
of the market.
5. Trust and Skepticism
Trust Frequency
Survey participants demonstrated an average level of trust toward influencers
since they mostly trust them either "often" or "sometimes."
A small minority of people have complete trust in influencer recommendations
because others have become both watchful and careful.
Mismatch of Expectations
Users admitted to purchasing products from influencers but ended up
disappointed because these items did not align with their original expectations.
Product Research
Before Buying Most people check products independently before making a
purchase no matter which influencers recommend.
Growing consumer awareness
Influencers need to display increased authenticity together with transparency to
maintain their credibility.
6. Factors Building Trust in Influencers
Effective Features
The participants determined these traits as essential for influencers to be perceived
as effective:
Authenticity (being real and genuine)

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 Expertise or knowledge in a particular domain
Visual appeal (well-presented content)
The effective involvement of audience members through response communication
and interaction methods.
Trust-Building Factors
Survey participants believe trust foundation occurs through these three elements:
Transparency about paid promotions
Consistency in recommendations
Personal connection or relatability
Positive past experiences with influencers suggestions
7. Concerns and Drawbacks of Influencer Marketing
Feeling Misled
A considerable number of users experienced feelings of being misled because of
influencers who did not disclose their content honestly.
Major Drawbacks
Identified Participants identified various significant problems in influencer
marketing which consisted of Inauthentic or scripted content Over-promotion of
multiple, unrelated products
Clients fail to disclose when influencers receive payment for maintaining product
partnerships.
Perception of Inauthentic Endorsements
Nearly all respondents express dissatisfaction toward influencer promotion of
products without personal usage as this practice stands as an untrustworthy
practice to them.
8. Influencer Recommendations vs Traditional Advertising Preference
Some participants choose influencer recommendations as their preference at least
some of the time instead of traditional advertising.
Initially the preference for influencer content was not widespread because
consumers continue to trust traditional advertisements during instances where
influencer marketing feels too commercialized.

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CONCLUSION
Research data demonstrates that youth consumers with higher education active use social
media to change their shopping behavior The main platforms on which influencers
connect with their followers are YouTube and Instagram and these platforms support
followers through customer choice formation processes to receive this influence.

Each participant checks their chosen influencers because they want to both distribute
content and keep up with the platform users they follow. Group users rely on influencers
to pick electronic products while also selecting fashion goods and beauty products and
food items for purchase. Although influencers create fashion trends they receive minimal
trust from their fans because these followers lack faith when it comes to such cases.
People now routinely conduct research before making any purchase even though
endorsement recommendations still influence how they act in purchasing decisions.

There are four essential elements that determine how users and influencers build and
preserve trust: authenticity, relatability and expertise along with transparency. Although
users expressed concern about too much promotional material they also emphasized a
lack of sincerity together with decreased transparency since these aspects reduce the
effectiveness of influencer marketing.

Marketers achieve their maximum effect with influencer promotions whenever influencers
present endorsements in ways that seem genuine and useful to their audience. Brands
together with influencers must dedicate their efforts to generating belief among their
audiences instead of depending on short-term promotional methods.

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QUESTIONNAIRE
1. Name
2. Age
16 to 20
21 to 25
26 to 30
3. Gender*
Male
Female
Others
4. Educational Background*
School Level (up to 12th)
Diploma/Certification Course
Undergraduate
Graduate
5. Occupation*
Student
Working Professional
Self-Employed / Entrepreneur
Unemployed / Looking for a job
Homemaker
6. Social Media Platforms Used by You *
Instagram
You tube
X
Facebook
Pinterest

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 Snapchat
Other:
7. Time spend on social media platforms on daily basis.*
0 to 1 hr
1 to 2 hr
2 to 3 hr
3 to 4 hr
more then 4 hr
8. Do you follow any social media influencers*
Yes
No
9. Do you feel any kind of personal connection with the social media influencers you
follow*
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
10. How often do you engage with the content posted by social media
influencers? (e.g., like, share, comment) *
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
11. How often do you feel that the lifestyle of a social media influencers aligns
with your own aspirations or preferences*
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often

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 Always
12. Personal story or journey of a social media influencer makes their
recommendations more persuasive *
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
13. Do you feel that social media influencers have any influence on your
purchase decision *
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
14. How likely you try a new product or service based on an influencer's
recommendation *
Very likely
Somewhat likely
Neutral
Not very likely
Not likely at all
15. Based on influencers recommendation what type of product or service you
have purchased *
Fashion items
Beauty products
Electronics
Food and beverages
Other:
16. Have you ever bought any product that is promoted by an influencer and it
does not match your expectations*

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 Yes
no
17. How often do you trust Social media influencer and their recommendations
*
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always
18. What features of social media influencers do you find most effective?*
Authenticity
Expertise or knowledge
Engagement with followers
Visual appeal (quality of content)
Frequency of posts
19. According to you what are the factors that contribute most to build trust in
an influencers recommendation*
Transparency about sponsorship or partnerships
Consistency in recommendations over time
Personal connection or relatability
Positive feedback from other consumers
Quality of product reviews or demonstrations
20. Do you research a product before buying it based on an influencers
recommendation*
Always
Often
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
21. You have ever felt misled by any influencers sponsored content *
yes

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 no
22. According to you the biggest drawback of influencer marketing is*
Lack of transparency about sponsorships
Over-promoting too many products
Inauthentic or scripted content
Expensive products that may not be worth the price
Other:
23. How do you feel about the influencers who promote products but they
don't use personally *
Completely acceptable
Somewhat acceptable
Neutral
Somewhat unacceptable
Completely unacceptable
24. Do you follow influencer recommendations over traditional
advertisements*
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always

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