A Study of Impact of Fashion Influencers

on Buying Behavior of Customers

 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

OPERATIONAL DEFINITION:
A fashion influencer is a personality that has a large number of followers on
social media, creates mainly fashion content and has the power to influence the
opinion and purchase behavior of others with their recommendation.
We have been living in the digitization era for a while now. The world is always
changing and in motion. Everywhere, in the majority of industries, and in every
aspect of our everyday lives, there is digitalization. With devices like phones,
laptops, software, social The next generation, generation Alpha, which is
defined as being "composed of individuals who were born at the crossover of
Generation Z and the new age" will be even more connected than our
generation, also known as generation Z, which is defined as a "group of people
who were born between the late 1990s and the early 2010s" Children,
adolescents, and young adults from this generation have in fact been The world
is always changing and in motion. Everywhere, in the majority of industries,
and in every aspect of our everyday lives, there is digitalization. With devices
like phones, laptops, software, social home appliances, for instance, belong to
the so-called generation Z, which is The next generation, generation Alpha,
which is described as being "composed of individuals who were born at the
crossover of Generation Z and the new age”. Because of this, influencer
marketing has been a well-liked tactic for businesses in recent years. It makes it
possible to reach a bigger audience, boost revenue, and raise awareness all due
to social networks and influencers.
Social media is a platform that links individuals, particularly between a
company and its customers. It developed into a marketing tactic to control
market contraction in the fashion sector. Particularly during the epidemic, the
Covid-19 virus infected all institutions, whether for-profit or non-profit
organisations. The fashion sector now has the chance to concentrate on using
social media as a marketing tool. The term "social media influencer" (SMI)
refers to a different class of subscriber from "celebrity endorsers."
The fashion industry is a multimillion dollar global enterprise that creates,
manufactures, and sells consumer-facing clothing and accessories. The fashion
business is a significant part of society in the modern period. Currently, people
use fashion to communicate their identities to the public. Customers are
impacted by their favourite social media influencers or friends who they may
remain informed about and debate the newest fashion trends in the
neighbourhood, especially for young customers.
This study looks at the behaviour of Instagram users / customers who follow
fashion influencers on Instagram and the change in buying decision of those
followers. In short, this study investigates the distinct effects of social media
influencer attributes on users, by taking into consideration some of the
parameters such as trustworthiness, familiarity, expertise, trends, life style of
influencers, etc. also this study includes in-dept. interview of 5 people.
Additionally, taking into account the roles of perceived social responsibility of
social media influencers and psychological well-being among digital users, this
research further broadens the par asocial interaction theory, representing a
current development in the marketing industry, also this paper studies about the
relation between impact of brand post/ promotion through a fashion influencer
on Instagram.

BACK GROUND OF THE STUDY

Relevance of fashion influencers on Instagram The study helps us to make
understand the contribution to the social construction of cognitive age through
their aesthetics style and approach the scenario of market today is, Online
customers are not only inclined to get the products or services recommended or
endorsed by celebrities, influencers or influential people in certain field. In
advertising getting 2 bucks for every dollar spent on advertising is considered as
a success but average returns is 6.5$ and top 13% Marketers earn up to 20% or
more.
According to Tomson (2019) 59% of marketers panned to increase their
influencers marketing budget year after year. It is the also the most cost
effective and fastest growing online customer acquisition channel ahead of
SEO, paid search and email marketing. Instagram had more than 1 billion active
users (2019) now its 2 billion plus with 72% teenagers using platform
everyday.59% of those under 30 39% of women. Influencer marketing enables
fashion brands to maximize their reach and promote their products in more
innovative ways to relate to brand values. In marketing, people look for
methods to satisfy the needs and desires of others while also providing excellent
value. Throughout time, other sorts of strategies, like digital marketing and
green marketing, have arisen for this goal. Digital marketing is the application
of digital technology to open up channels for prospective receivers in order to
meet customer wants more successfully and hence advance business objectives.
Influencer marketing is one of the new avenues. Influencer marketing focuses
on using people who can sway potential customers and organising marketing
initiatives around them in order to spread a brand message to a wider audience.
Influencers encourage businesses to use them as a relatively new marketing
strategy because of their ability to reach enormous audiences. The main
influencer marketing’s tools are social media in general (Instagram, facebook,
Twitter and youtube) and social media influencers. Social media influencers are
users of social media who are being followed by a significant number of other
users. As previously explained, influencer marketing allows brands and
companies to promote their product through tools such as influencers and social
network. So, as the beauty business plays a significant role in the lives of many
customers, we will examine it in its entirety. "The process of social
dissemination through which a new style is embraced by some set of customers"
is how fashion is defined. Several facets of our life are influenced by fashion; it
has both economic and social importance and gives people a means of self-
expression and identity formation. So, it is crucial to comprehend how
customers make decisions in the fashion sector.

STUDY OBJECTIVES WITH SUB-OBJECTIVES

Study Objective:
To study the impact of Fashion Influencers on buying behavior of
Customers

Sub Objectives:
1. Positive fashion influencer opinion leadership positively affects their
para-social relationship with followers.
2. The perception of risk derived from recommendations made by
influencers has a negative effect on the purchase intention derived from
their recommendations.
3. To study the impact of influencers on the consumers buying decision
process in fashion industry.
 LITERATURE REVIEW

Findings reveal how outfit selection, background choices and bodily poses
redefine expressions of look age through forms of aesthetic labor. Post-
construction, hashtag and emoji usage illustrates how influencers refrain from
directly posting about the fashion brands that they endorse.
- McFarlane, A., & Samsioe, E. (2020).

This research contributes to our understanding of the effective antecedents of

trustworthiness in social media-based fashion marketing and fashion brand
management. Instagram account types and content types influence the extent to
which social media communication allows for the formation of emotional ties
with and positive evaluation of the fashion brand.
- Jin, S. V., Ryu, E., & Muqaddam, A.
(2021).

To understand GEZ-Z and their relationship to influencers on #OOTD on

Instagram.
- Copeland, L., & Huang, O. (2020).

The study suggested that customers’ reactions toward an influencer’s posts

differ based on whether they are followers of the influencer and whether they
are highly or lowly involved with the promoted product.
- Belanche, D., Flavián, M., & Ibáñez-
Sánchez, S. (2020)

This study helps us to understand the effects of social media influencer

attributes on users’ perceived friendships with their favorite social media
influencers and well-being, consequently resulting in loyalty toward the
influencers.
- Kim, J., & Kim, M. (2022)
According to research, the three most important criteria influencing Instagram
users' buy intentions for fashion products are likability, trustworthiness, and
familiarity. As social media influencers like Instagram have a significant impact
on successful marketing methods, the study has ramifications for marketing
strategy.
- Anuar, N. K., Mohamad, S. A.,
Zulkiffli (2020)

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

For data analysis, both primary and secondary data have been used.
A sample of 100 respondents was collected for the analysis in this work, which
used the descriptive research method.
 REFERENCE

McFarlane, A., & Samsioe, E. (2020). #50+ fashion Instagram influencers:

Cognitive age and Aesthetic Digital Labours. Journal of Fashion Marketing and
Management: An International Journal, 24(3), 399–413.
https://doi.org/10.1108/jfmm-08-2019-0177

Jin, S. V., Ryu, E., & Muqaddam, A. (2021). I trust what she's #endorsing on
Instagram: Moderating effects of parasocial interaction and social presence in
fashion influencer marketing. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management:
An International Journal, 25(4), 665–681. https://doi.org/10.1108/jfmm-04-2020-0059

Copeland, L., & Huang, O. (2020). Gen Z, Instagram influencers, and #OOTD
hashtags’ effect on purchase intention of apparel. Pivoting for the Pandemic.
https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.11906

Anuar, N. K., Mohamad, S. A., Zulkiffli, W. F. W., Hashim, N. M. Z.,

Abdullah, A. Z., Rasdi, A. L. M., Hasan, H., Abdullah, T., Deraman, S. K.,
Zainuddin, S. Z., Azmi, N. F., & Abdullah, S. R. S. (2020). Impact Of Social
Media Influencer On Instagram User Purchase Intention Towards The Fashion
Products: The Perspectives Of Students. European Journal of Molecular &
Clinical Medicine, 7(8), 2589–
2598. https://ejmcm.com/article_4700_1df3f69fec2f7e3402c757af9e91f3ae.pdf

Kim, J., & Kim, M. (2022, February 18). Rise of Social Media Influencers as a
New Marketing Channel: Focusing on the Roles of Psychological Well-Being
and Perceived Social Responsibility among Consumers. International Journal of
Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(4), 2362.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19042362

APPENDICES
 Questionnaire
A Study of Impact of Fashion Influencers on Buying Behavior of
Customers

Questions:

1. Do you consider yourself an active Instagram user?

☐ Yes ☐1No

2. How often do you access Instagram per day?

☐ Less than 1 hour ☐ 1-3 hours ☐ More than 3 hours

3. Do you follow Fashion Influencers on Instagram?

☐ Yes ☐No

4. Which fashion influencer do you prefer to follow the most?

☐ Male ☐Female ☐Others

5. What is your annual expenditure on clothing?

☐10k-25k ☐26k-35 ☐36k-45k ☐46k and above

6. Do you follow the hashtag #OOTD? (Outfit of the day)

☐ Yes ☐ No

7. Have you ever purchased something under the influence of any Social
media influencer?
☐ Yes ☐No

8. How updated are you about the international, national and local fashion
scene i.e. fashion weeks, new collaborations, news?
☐Very update ☐Somewhat aware ☐Not updated at all

9. Which type of fashion sense do you like to watch on Instagram

☐Casual ☐Formal ☐Ethnic
 10.Have you bought items directly from an influencers affiliated link?
☐ Yes ☐ No

11.Which Attribute do you prefer to see at the very first instance?

(Rank the following attributes from 1 to 4, 1- most preferred and 4 – lest
preferred)

Attribute Rank
Personality
 
Content
 
Number of follower

Hashtag Trend
 

12. Answer the following Questions on basis of your satisfaction level

(1-Strongly disagree, 2-Disagree, 3-Neutral, 4-Agree, 5-Strongly agree)

Questions 1 2 3 4 5

I like the quality of posts regarding fashion on

Instagram
My perception of a brand change when
influencers post content with a brand
I have purchased something under
the influence of any Social media influencer

I Trust the influencer for my purchase

intension
I believe in the expertise of fashion influencers

I buy more clothing due to constant exposure

to new trends
Social media influencers’ content creates
interest in me about a product which I was not
interested in before.
I actively engage & share the post of fashion
influencer whose personality I like.
I am influenced by an Instagram fashion
influencer’s account than a fashion brand’s
Instagram account.
The fashion blogger/influencer lifestyle
attracts me.
I believe fashion influencers set trends.

13.Age
☐ 18-24 ☐25-31 ☐ 32-38 ☐ 39 & above

14.Gender
☐ Male ☐ Female ☐ Others

15.Occupation
☐ Student ☐ Employed ☐ Businessman ☐ Other

16.Education Qualification
☐ Matric ☐ Graduate ☐ Post-Graduate

17.Annual income
☐Below 5LPA ☐5-10 LPA ☐10-15 LPA ☐Above 15 LPA

18.Marital status
☐ Married ☐Unmarried

Transcript of Qualitative Study

Online Small Vendor:

What are some characteristics of a successful influencer marketing

campaign?

The first characteristic is to find the right influencers – those who have a large,
engaged following and are considered trustworthy by their followers. Second,
quality content must be created that appeals to the influencer’s audience and
provides value to their followers. And finally, it’s important to track the success
of the campaign and tweak it as needed to ensure it continues to achieve its
goals.

How do you negotiate with influencers?

When negotiating with influencers, it’s important to remember that they have a
lot of power. They can help or hurt your brand, so it’s important to be respectful
and understanding. You should always go to the negotiating table with a clear
understanding of what you want and what you are willing to give up to get it.
It’s also important to be flexible and willing to compromise. If you cannot meet
an influencer’s demands, it may be better to walk away.

How do influencers affect marketing?

Influencers are people who have many followers on social media and can
influence their followers’ opinions on certain topics, including brands. For this
reason, brands often look for influencers to promote their products and services.
In some cases, an influencer may be paid to promote a product; in other cases,
an influencer may simply give a product to try and post about. Regardless of
how it’s done, the goal is usually the same: to get the influencer’s followers to
buy the product.

What are the disadvantages of influencer marketing?

First disadvantage is that it can be expensive, especially if you work with big-
name influencers. Second, the ROI for influencer marketing is often hard to
track, making it difficult to determine whether the campaign was successful or
not. In addition, some people doubt the effectiveness of influencer marketing,
claiming that the majority of an influencer’s followers may not even be
interested in what they have to say.

Is Influencer Marketing Appropriate for Every Brand?

If your audience is on social media, and influencer marketing can work for your
brand. There are, of course, some cases that are more challenging than others
but with the right tools and expertise, any influencer marketing campaign can be
a success. If you want to do an influencer marketing campaign but don’t know
if it suits your brand, sit down with an influencer marketing professional and
they will help you put together the perfect strategy for you. The beauty of
influencer marketing is that you can tailor your campaign to fit your company’s
needs and objectives.

Is A Large Following the Only Thing You Need to Be Considered an

Influencer?

Influencer marketing is all about quality, not quantity. Although a large

audience is often a first-glance giveaway someone is not your average social
media user, numbers are not the only important thing when identifying
influencers. In order to find the best influencers, you need to dig a little deeper.
This brings us to our next question that will help identify what is really
important when finding influencers.

What Are Some ‘red Flags’ When Looking for Influencers?

When looking for an influencer there are a few ‘red flags’ that should turn you
away from working with an influence. First, look for fake followers. Shifts
platform identifies fake followers to ensure the influencers you work with have
a real and genuine audience. It is natural for a profile to gather spam followers,
especially as they grow in size but make sure the ratio is low so your content is
reaching a real audience.
Next, take a look at the last time the influencer posted and post frequency. They
may have been the ‘bee’s knees’ back in the day, but if they haven’t posted
since 2014, their followers have likely lost interest. A true influencer posts
consistently to keep the interest of their audience.
Lastly, avoid working with influencers who haven’t established a personal
brand. If there is no consistency in the type of content that they post, they lose
credibility – no one can be influential in a wide variety of topics.

How Do I Find Influencers?

There are two ways to find influencers:

By manually digging through the world wide web, often through social media,
or by using a trustworthy influencer marketing platform. With Shifts Influencer
Marketing Module, you can search based on keywords and refine the search
using target audience filters. When looking at the influencer profiles, analyse
the audience and engagement metrics to help you pick an influencer that aligns
with your company objectives.

What Are the Steps Involved in Running an Influencer Marketing

Campaign?

o Step 1: Identify the right influencers: Shift large database of quality,

hand-vetted influencers cuts through the noise to find you the
influencers and audiences that matter.
o Step 2: Reach out & Engage Influencers: This is where you reach
out to influencers with a pitch they simply cannot refuse and negotiate
a timeline, deliverables and compensation.
o Step 3: Track & Monitor: Throughout the campaign, monitor your
progress using contextures to ensure you are meeting benchmarks and
that influencers are performing well.
o Step 4: Measure: Use g Shift reporting tools to gain insight into your
campaign and measure which channels, content and influencers had the
greatest impact.

What Is the Minimum Amount of Followers You Need to Be Considered an

Influencer?

There is no set minimum number of followers required in order to be

considered an influence. Audience size varies quite a bit depending on
what category you are an influence in. For example, an awesome video
game influencer will likely have much less followers than a well-known
fashion influencer. However, if someone has less than 2000 followers on
their primary platform, that is a pretty good sign that they are not an
influence. To put the size of influencers in perspective, some of the
largest influencers have millions of followers.
Fashion Influencer:

What’s your definition of an ‘influencer’?

While often called influencers, we refer to them as content creators—creators

for short—because their passion is to create amazing content, generating
influence is a by-product. A creator is someone that empowers themselves to do
what they love for a living. They’re the content kings and queens, the unique
voices, the childhood heroes, and the new age creative artists. They’re the ones
who allow the entire world to experience their art and storytelling on a daily
basis.

What inspired you to pursue a career in marketing?

“I have always had a strong creative side and an interest in visual arts. I started
my own business while in school creating simple websites and promotional
materials for local businesses. I think that experience combined with my
education really solidified marketing as my career of choice, and I’m really
excited to be interviewing for this opportunity.”

How long did it take you to grow your Instagram following to its current
size?

Right now I have 16k followers, for reaching to this it took me nearly 19
months. The first 5k followers took 1 year but in last few months they are
increased 2x times due to constant post frequency and latest fashion updates.

What is the best Reaching time to post on social media?

As per various studies, the time between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. is a good time to
engage in social media activities. During this time, websites tend to get the
highest clickthrough. However, before 8 a.m. and after 8 p.m. is an unsuitable
timing to post on social media. Generally, Wednesday afternoon is considered a
very good time for posting.
What do you think are the three essential skills for a career in influencing?

“First of all, I think great communication skills are essential. A marketer needs
to understand the requirements of the client and be able to present ideas and
concepts. Being able to stay organized and work in a fast-paced environment is
also an essential skill. I think being proactive and trying to anticipate client
needs is also very valuable.”

What’s your view on micro-influencers compared to celebrity influencers?

Celebrity endorsements should be viewed as a completely separate marketing

channel than influencer marketing. While celebrity endorsements have a time
and place, there are many reasons why influencer marketing is more scalable
and a core part of any marketer’s media mix.
Relatability—I’ll never be as big or as strong as Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson,
but the everyday fitness creators that I follow—my good friend Ronnie of
@inspiredtobefit, for example—are people whose recommendation that I can
trust. They’re much more approachable and realistic for the general public to
draw inspiration and take action on.
Targeted audience—Celebrities with massive followings generally have a much
broader appeal to audiences, but with broad appeal brings broad audiences.
Well-designed marketing campaigns have a well-targeted audience and
messaging that speaks directly to them.
Cost-effective—While a collaboration with Selena Gomez may cost you well
over $500,000, your budgets would go much further with a roster of mid-level
influencers (i.e. 50k-250k). More reach, better targeted audience, and more
content.

How do you stay updated on the latest innovations and new platforms in
social media?

I generally follow a number of industry blogs and websites to update myself

about the new platforms and latest innovations. I learn and practice new
techniques regularly and try to learn from my peers through their projects.
Describe your working style?

My style of working combines sincerity, promptness, and flexibility. I make

sure that my activities for the day are planned in advance to the smallest detail.
This helps me to respond to tasks immediately in a time-bound manner.
However, I also keep some buffer time to allow for contingencies

Where do you see influencer marketing going in 10 years?

I think influencer marketing will continue to scale and grow in the next 10
years, with more marketers and brands including this as an integral part of the
marketing mix in every brand plan. Apps like Instagram will start rolling out
features that will help measure ROI effectively, so users can get better insight
into their metrics. New social networks will also pop up, creating new
opportunities for brands and creators to amplify their content and messaging.

How Do I Measure the ROI of Influencer Marketing?

Before determining the ROI, you should first determine the Cost of investment
(COI). This will vary depending on the scope of your campaign, but you will
need to include the cost of researching influencers, setting up influencer
programs, providing free product samples to target influencers and your end
target audience, as well as resource time spent on content creation and social
media outreach. The cost of networking opportunities such as roundtable
influencer events should also be factored in.

The ROI of influencer marketing can be measured in the following ways:

o Increase in Earned Media Value and Reach

o Increase in Influencer Engagement
o Improved Sentiment and Perception
o Increase in Brand / Product Advocates
o Increase in Site Traffic
o Brand Awareness
o Increase in enquiries and sales

Customer Age (16-25)

Do you consider yourself an active Instagram user? How often do you use?

Yes, 3-5 hrs a day

Have you ever purchased something under the influence of any Social
media influencer?

Yes, I have purchased food products and jewellery products by getting

influenced by the Instagram post

Which Attribute do you prefer to see at the very first instance?

I prefer hashtag trends, number of followers, content and personality having

sense/knowledge

Do you think you are more influenced by an Instagram fashion influencer’s

account than a fashion brand’s Instagram account?

I follow fashion account more than the fashion brands Instagram account

Does social influencers content make your interest in a product you were
not interested in before?

Yes, it has changed my views on various brands and also purchasing new
brands after getting influenced by them.

Customer Age (30-50)

Do you consider yourself an active Instagram user? How often do you use?
Yes, 1-2 hrs a day

Have you ever purchased something under the influence of any Social
media influencer?

Yes, I have purchased fashion apparels and home decor by getting influenced
by the Instagram post.

Which Attribute do you prefer to see at the very first instance?

I prefer number of followers, content and personality having sense/knowledge, I

don’t follow hashtag trends.

Do you think you are more influenced by an Instagram fashion influencer’s

account than a fashion brand’s Instagram account?

I follow fashion brand account more than the Instagram influencers account.
First I check out the new post or products posted by brand and later I look for
the influencer’s whether they have tried or not, their review regarding the
product.

Does social influencers content make your interest in a product you were
not interested in before?

Yes, it has changed my views on various brands and also purchasing new
brands after getting influenced by them and perception of mine has changed for
few brands which I usually dont

Fashion Designer / Tailor

Define fashion?
This question will directly give the leaders an insight of how much knowledge
you have about fashion designing. Also, it will give them the idea of your
personal views about the word fashion and all about the fashion industry.

What is the qualification required for a fashion designer career?

Such type of queries is judged on the basis of the degree the candidate has
acquired. This will include qualifications like fine arts with fashion and design.
One can also describe the work experience, show work portfolio and so on.

What skills according to you are necessary for a successful fashion

designer?

This question would be judged on points like marketing intelligence, artistic

vision, focus on the art, demand in the market, supply in the market, and so on.

How do you stay up to date regarding fashion?

The candidate must answer this question by keeping points like magazines,
browsing the internet, attending fashion shows and so on. Studying the history
of fashion greatly helps to know the ins and outs of fashion.

In which area of fashion design jobs, do you wish to work?

The areas are divided into 3 groups like street fashion wear, ready to wear
and haute couture. Never try and impress employees what you are not. If you
are an expert in one field, stick to that only and speak flawlessly.
Being a fashion designer? What kind of clothes will you prefer during an
interview?

This question is likely to bewilder you, as you will be giving an interview. This
question is asked to check the presence of mind of a candidate. The candidate
before going for an interview must check the attire properly and should be well
dressed. Otherwise, the interviewers will not take much time to find out the
fault in the candidate.

Why did you decide to choose fashion designing as a career?

This question is asked to know the interest behind this field. Fashion designing
is a type of field where a person has to have in-depth knowledge of the field.
The candidate while answering this question must explain the reason clearly so
as no doubt is left in the mind of the listener.

How would you describe your personal style?

Personal style means what one personally likes to wear and what kind of style
you follow. This will show your personal skills in styling and designing. The
candidate must answer the questions confidently because of any flaw while
answering will create a doubt in other’s minds.

What according to you is a favourite part of being a fashion designer?

The interviewer asks the queries to the interviewee to know the interest of an
individual. This is because if an individual has more interest in a particular part,
then there will be more chances of getting a job in an area of interest and
specialization.

What are your favourite trends in the fashion industry, past or present?

Some of my favourite trends are from the 1920s, a time when you see clean
designs and simple symmetry in clothes. This usually reflects in my own
designs, although I add some innovative elements and keep today's current
trends in mind. I believe that our fashion sense is a result of the legacy trends
and our unique personalities."