This study examines the credibility of social media influencers using existing theoretical credibility concepts formed from traditional celebrity influencers (Forkan, 1980) (Ohanian, 1990) (Ohanian 1991) (Solomon et al., 1999, 177). The source-credibility scale and the three dimensions of expertise, trustworthiness and attractiveness will be tested to discover whether it is an appropriate method of credibility measurement for the modern-day influencer (Ohanian, 1990). The presence sponsorship disclosure was also utilised to understand the consumers current awareness of social media advertisements and their attitude towards it (Boerman et al., 2012) (Stubb et al., 2019). These elements were used to determine the impact that the perceived credibility of a social media influencer has on consumer purchase intentions. In addition to the previous literature, primary qualitative data was collected to investigate the gap in the topic through the use of two focus groups (Saunders et al., 2016). The participants provided a deep insight into the research question and the surrounding topics by discussing their extensive personal experiences. The findings predominately aligned with the current literature, but it was highlighted that with the advancement of social media, determining the credibility of a modern-day social media influencer has evolved as consumers become more aware of sponsored content. This research also revealed that the source-credibility scale requires refinement to be an appropriate method to examine social media influencer credibility (Ohanina, 1990). Lastly, it was identified that future research is needed as influencer marketing adapts with the advancement of social media, particularly through specific demographics such as male participants only.
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