"Detta inlägg är sponsrat av ..." : Svenska konsumenters köpbeteende - hur och om det påverkas av sponsrade inlägg på Instagram

Sammanfattning: It is a fact that the phenomenon of Influencer Marketing and sponsored posts on Instagram is one of the most effective marketing methods today (Tafesse and Wood 2021). What has contributed to this, among other things, is the great impact that these influencers have on consumers' buying behavior (ibid.). This study examines the factors that contribute to influencing consumers' buying behavior and whether such factors exist at all. This study consists of a triangulation, it is a combination of a quantitative and a qualitative research method. The quantitative method was applied in the form of a questionnaire survey and the qualitative method applied was semi-structured interviews. In addition to these research methods, other credible sources were also applied, such as expert-reviewed scientific articles and literature. The four theories applied are Influencer Marketing, electronic Word-of-Mouth, the Purchase Decision Process and The Two Step Flow of Communication. The main conclusions presented are that consumers believe that trust and genuineness towards influencers is a major factor in influencing. It also showed that sponsored posts are considered by consumers to be less credible than a recommendation from another consumer, due to the fact that influencers receive compensation. It also appears that consumers adapt the purchase decision process to the various purchases they make. Furthermore, the survey showed that one third of all participants have made a purchase via a sponsored post without a need as a basis. Based on the conclusions presented, a model has been constructed in order to describe the relationship between consumers' buying behavior and its impact by influencers’ sponsored posts.