A Study on Consumers’ Motivation to Follow Digital Influencers and Purchasing Intentions

Year 2023, , 23 - 45, 27.12.2023

Nurcan Yılmaz

https://doi.org/10.17829/turcom.1195072

Abstract

Social media influencers, in other words, digital influencers, which have recently been reflected in our language as Influencers, are important actors of influencer marketing. These actors are digital influencers who produce content with expertise in areas such as fashion, beauty, health and travel, transfer their productions to a wide network of followers, communicate directly with them and guide their purchasing decisions. The study’s aims are to reveal the motivations of consumers to follow influencers based on the uses and gratifications approach and examine the relationship between these motivations and purchase intention. To achieve the determined goals, an online questionnaire was applied to 385 people. As a result of the analysis, the majority of the participants were women and the 18-29 age range. The maximum number of followed influencers is between 1-3; it has been determined there is more participation in areas of expertise such as fashion, beauty and care, and entertainment, respectively. Four dimensions came to the fore in the form of originality, consumer-oriented information, inspiration and envy for motivation to follow influencers. Also, it was concluded that there is a moderately positive and significant relationship between motivation to follow influencers and purchase intention. In the analyses conducted to determine whether there is a difference according to demographic variables, it was found that there is a significant differentiation between gender and purchase intention; education and income variable with motivation to follow.

Keywords

Influencer Marketing, Digital Influencers, Purchase Intention, Uses and Gratifications, Motivations

Tüketicilerin Dijital Etkileyicileri Takip Etme Motivasyonları ve Satın Alma Niyetleri Üzerine Bir Araştırma

Abstract

Son zamanlarda dilimize “Influencer” şeklinde yansımış olan sosyal medya etkileyicileri, bir diğer deyişle dijital etkileyiciler, etkileyici pazarlamanın önemli birer aktörleri olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Söz konusu aktörler moda, güzellik, sağlık ve seyahat gibi alanlarda uzmanlıkla içerik üreten, üretimlerini geniş bir takipçi ağına aktarıp onlarla doğrudan iletişim kuran ve onların satın alma kararlarını yönlendiren dijital etkileyicilerdir. Çalışmada kullanımlar ve doyumlar yaklaşımından hareketle tüketicilerin etkileyicileri takip etme motivasyonlarının ortaya konulması ve söz konusu motivasyonlar ile satın alma niyeti arasındaki ilişkiyi incelemek amaçlanmıştır. Belirlenen amaçlara ulaşmak için 385 kişiye çevrim içi anket uygulanmıştır. Analiz sonucunda katılımcıların büyük çoğunluğunu kadınlar ve 18-29 yaş aralığı oluşturmuştur. Takip edilen etkileyici sayısının en fazla 1-3 arasında olduğu; sırasıyla moda, güzellik ve bakım ve eğlence gibi uzmanlık alanlarına daha fazla katılım gösterildiği tespit edilmiştir. Etkileyicileri takip etme motivasyonlarına yönelik özgünlük, tüketici yönlü bilgilendirme, ilham alma ve özenme şeklinde dört boyut ön plana çıkmıştır. Bunların yanı sıra etkileyicileri takip etme motivasyonları ile satın alma niyeti arasında orta düzeyde pozitif ve anlamlı bir ilişki olduğu sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Demografik değişkenlere göre farklılaşıp farklılaşmadığını belirlemek için yapılan analizlerde cinsiyet ile satın alma niyeti; eğitim ve gelir değişkeni ile de takip etme motivasyonları arasında anlamlı bir farklılaşmanın olduğu ortaya çıkmıştır.

Keywords

Etkileyici Pazarlama, Dijital Etkileyiciler, Satın Alma Niyeti, Kullanımlar ve Doyumlar, Motivasyon

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