Definition of Social Media Influencers

An influencer is someone who has the authority, expertise, position, or connection to

his or her audience in order to influence others' purchase decisions. Additionally, he or
she actively participates with followers in a certain niche. Anyone may be an
influencer as long as they have an influence on individuals in a certain community and
industry and motivate them to utilize the goods and services of businesses on the basis
of their advice and recommendations (Brown and Fiorella 2013).
Gray Geppert (2019), however, defines social media influencers as independent social
media specialists who have developed their brand personalities based on their
faithfulness and credibility as specialists or experts in generating and communicating
authentic messages to their followers. They typically do not make openly visible
advertisements instead choosing to start by engaging in conversation or interaction in
their community.
A social media influencer, on the other hand, is "a new kind of independent third-
party endorser who changes audience opinions through blogs, tweets, and the usage of
other media platforms," according to Glucksman (2017). According to a research by
Khamis et al. (2017), social media influencers are a kind of micro-celebrities that
perform self-presentation on social networking sites. This is accomplished by creating
an online image and using it to attract and retain an expansive number of followers.
To be more precise, social media influencers advertise brands by sharing details about
their private life, which makes them more approachable to the typical customer. They
frequently post about that topic on their preferred social networks, where they develop
significant fan networks of motivated, engaged people who closely focus on their
viewpoints. When one person tries to persuade another to do something, Ledbetter
claims that "a dynamic emerges that can impact the path and contents of their relation"
(Ledbetter, 3). Influencers, particularly those on social media, therefore act as the
strongest potential connection between a brand and a customer.
Classification of Social Media Influencers
**By follower numbers
Nano-influencers
The most recent type of influencer to gain popularity is the nano-influencer, who often
has less than 1,000 followers.
Nano-influencers may be overlooked by many brands as being irrelevant, but they
may be quite valuable to companies who offer highly specialized and niche products.
However, it is likely that nano-influencers don't have enough power to genuinely help
the bulk of companies. Even while they would be cheap and have a substantial impact
on a small number of people, you would need to work with hundreds of nano-
influencers to reach a huge audience in most sectors.
Micro-influencers
In comparison to well-known influencers with broader networks who tend to become
less approachable as their success develops, micro-influencers are typically seen as
being more genuine. Audiences are attracted to micro-influencers because of their
portrayals of accessibility and sincerity (Hatton, 2018; Bernazzani, 2018). Micro-
influencers often have between 1000 and 40000 followers on a single social media
network.
Micro-influencers have developed specialized followings, and if they are perceived as
endorsing a lemon, they will not want to damage their relationship with them.
Moreover, micro-influencers are generally picky about who they deal with since the
relationship between micro-influencers and brands must be in line with target
audiences. While some micro-influencers are willing to freely promote a brand, others
will anticipate being paid in some form of payment. Regardless of the payment, any
influencer is unlikely to seek connection with a brand that is "inappropriate" for their
audience.
Macro-influencers
On social media, you would classify someone as macro-influencers if they had 40,000
to 1 million followers.
The majority of macro-influencers are well-known and are great at spreading
awareness. Because there are more macro-influencers than mega-influencers, finding
a macro-influencer who is willing to work with a company should be simpler.
Additionally, they are more likely to be accustomed to dealing with companies than
micro-influencers, which facilitates communication.
With this level of influencer, you must be careful since they are the group most likely
to participate in influencer fraud.
Mega influencers
Mega influencers are people who have a huge amount of followers on social media.
Even though there are no hard and fast rules on where the borders between the various
sorts of followers should be drawn, mega-influencers are often regarded to have more
than 1 million followers on at least one social media network. The people who have
developed into mega-influencers are actors, sportsmen, artists, and even reality
television stars.
Nevertheless, mega-influencers should only be approached by large businesses for
influencer marketing. They will charge up to $1 million every post for their services,
and they'll certainly be picky about who they work with. Mega-influencers almost
always have representatives negotiating any marketing arrangements on their behalf.
**By types of content
Blogger
Brands are now recognizing and promoting the fact that bloggers, namely
microbloggers, have the most sincere and engaged relationships with their audience.
Influencer marketing and blogging have been associated for some time; therefore, on
the internet, there are a lot of blogs with enormous influence. If a well-known blogger
recommends your product in a post, the blogger's followers may be enticed to try it
out.
Youtubers
Blogs aren't the only widely used format for internet publication because there is a
nother common kind of content which is video. Instead of each having their own
website in this case, the majority of video makers construct a YouTube channel.
Therefore, brands and well-known YouTube video makers regularly collaborate.
Podcasters
A relatively new type of web entertainment that is gaining popularity is podcasting.
Many people have become household names as a result of it, with John Lee Dumas of
Entrepreneurs on Fire serving as maybe its finest example. If you haven't gotten a
chance to listen to podcasts yet, Digital Trends has compiled a thorough list of the
Best Podcasts of 2019.
Definition of Gen Z
People born after 1995, when the commercialisation of the internet started, are known
as Generation Z. (Mowery & Simcoe, 2002). Since they were born into a world of
digital technology, Gen Z has evolved in ways that set them apart from other
generations. Online platforms including social networking, gaming, online education,
and online communication are the most widely utilized media since Gen Z prefers to
rely on current technology (Greydanus and Greydanus, 2012). Their existence is more
closely linked to the electronic and digital environment since they were raised on
social networks (Singh and Dangmei, 2016). According to Berkup, Gen Z uses
technology as a means of knowledge dissemination as well as consumption (2014).
Potential of Gen Z in Vietnam
Gen Z creates many new trends in life and always wants to be connected to the online
community, so they put content on community groups. And it's not just about sharing,
but Generation Z wants to get the community's attention on their posts. Since then,
Generation Z knows how to thoroughly exploit the content of their articles in the
community. They know how to generate income for them through articles by
integrating advertising content into articles in a subtle, clever and intelligent way
without making readers feel uncomfortable when it appears. advertisement.
Generation Z has been exposed to the internet since birth, so it is very quick to grasp
information on the internet. They always keep up with trends on social networks,
know how to orient the media and public opinion to make people see the potential.
their capabilities (Thu Trang, 2021).
Particularly for Generation Z, openness is an essential element in the working
environment. So, for companies with a long history or those with strict discipline,
dealing with Generation Z is really difficult for this generation (RIO, 2021).
Data from the General Statistics Office of Vietnam in 2019 shows that: There are
about 13 million people in Generation Z (Gen Z - from 15 to 24 years old). It is
expected that by 2025, Gen Z will account for about one-third of the working-age
workforce in Vietnam and will have a great influence on the domestic labor market
(Thuy Le, 2021). According to Adosta research, Gen Z accounts for 1/7 of Vietnam's
population, Gen Z is the generation that determines online advertising trends, such as
Influencer Marketing and Video Content. Facebook is considered the national social
network, Youtube becomes the second most visited website in the world after parent
company Google. In which Tiktok and Instagram are said to be the "world" of gen Z
(Huyen Nguyen, 2020).
Relationship between Social Media Influencers and Generation Z's Purchasing
Behavior
Influencer impact on consumers’ decision in social media
A passive user would now become an informed, engaged user on social networking
sites (Belagatti, 2017). Social networks' advent has enabled users to share their
thoughts and experiences on products and services with one another. Jalilvand and
Samiei (2012) claim that prospective buyers frequently read product reviews written
by online influencers because they want to learn more from individuals who have used
and purchased the things they are interested in (Barzdait & Abromaviius, 2016).
Influencers' purpose is to increase brand awareness and encourage purchases. Both of
these objectives obviously benefit from the suggestions and comments made by
influencers on social networks (Edson, Escalas, & Bettman, 2015). Many individuals
attract attention to the opinions and suggestions of influencers, which may assist the
business in establishing a relationship with prospective customers. Compared to
traditional advertising, people are much more trusting of the influencers' suggestions.
It is likely that people will follow the opinion leader, buy the good or service, and
continue to be happy with the future purchasers of this good or service (Cernikovait,
2018).
Each of these influencers has developed a strong personal brand, a distinct area of
expertise, and distinct personalities and beliefs. Their audience is largely constant in
terms of interests, connections, and even social position, and they naturally attain the
number of followers on social networks. They engage their followers in conversation
and support their functioning because they have a genuine speech, an opinion, and are
devoted to it (Černikovaitė, 2018).
Online brand awareness is raised when a brand is mentioned and its followers share,
comment, or "like". In this way, the brand's reputation is becoming more widely
known, and this reputation is organically expanding. The Influencer can connect with
a variety of people, even extremely particular demographics (Bush, Martin, & Bush,
2004). And when the brand's target market is a narrow group, this is a huge benefit. It
makes sense in this situation to work together with an Influencer who is listening to
that specific niche demographic rather than a well-known individual.
Influencers have established a deep connection with and gained the trust of their
audience. In this approach, the user gains confidence in the Influencers as a
trustworthy source of information on particular goods or services. Such individuals
typically have more than 10,000 followers; as a result, persons are seen as having a
status.
Hypothesis
*Trustworthiness
According to Erdem and Swait (2004), being trustworthy means consistently
delivering on promises. Trustworthiness includes the honesty, integrity, and
trustworthiness of an endorser, which is an important factor in the evaluation of
messages and the reception of information in online communities (Zhang & Watts,
2008). When an influencer recommends a product, consumers are more likely to
consider the endorser as a reliable source to evaluate a product's favorable attributes
(Zhu and Tan, 2007). After that, once clients have put their faith in a product, they
will readily accept and do so again in the future. Therefore, it will be simpler to draw
in more interested people if an influencer can develop a trustworthy and honest
reputation.
*Expertise
An advertising influencer who possesses the professionalism to persuade customers to
purchase a product is defined as an expertise (Goldsmith, et. al., 2000). According to
previous research, the process of changing people's behavior is significantly
influenced by the communicator's perceived expertise (Janssen et al., 2020), and
audiences are more likely to concur with communicators they believe to be
knowledgeable or an authority on the subject being discussed (Hughes et al., 2019).
Additionally, a source with greater knowledge appears to be more persuasive and has
the power to affect customers' perceptions, emotions, and behaviors. Therefore,
expertise is a significant factor of a person's capacity to influence others' purchasing
behavior (Aral's, 2011).
*Attractiveness
The audience's perception of the endorser's attractiveness is measured by how
appealing, smart, gorgeous, elegant, and sensual they find them to be (Choi & Rifon,
2012; Pornpitakpan, 2004; Wang et al., 2017). Consumers might be persuaded by a
beautiful endorser since they readily take the information they send out (Van der
Waldt et al., 2009). In general, attractive endorsers are more effective in drawing in
customers' attention and promoting items. Lou and Yuan (2017) and Nguyen (2000).
Therefore, influencers' attractiveness is a key factor in getting the audience to pay
attention to the information they are spreading. The more attractive they are, the more
popular they are and the stronger the impact on community behavior (Rifon et al.,
2016).
*Relationship with consumers
There is a good match between the customer and the influencer because of how they
interact. This implies that among the thousands of influencers with diverse interests
that are available, the customer has the right to choose and follow any influencers they
would like at any time (Swant, 2016). The customer develops a positive relationship
with influencers they follow because they represent an ideal version of themselves or
because they have similar interests (Boerman, 2020). In order to avoid imbalance or
dissonance, when a consumer sees an influencer promote a product that is consistent
with the message they want to spread on social media, it should foster a good
relationship between them and the product. High congruence between the influencer
and the product should encourage good customer evaluation of the product (Breves et
al., 2019). This connection, however, could be broken if the buyer thinks the
relationship between the influencer and the product is illogical. Consequently, our first
hypothesis proposes: