”När jag går in på Instagram så är inte min tanke att jag ska köpa något […] men så dyker det upp en rabattkod […]” : En kvalitativ studie om Instagrams influencers påverkan på konsumtion

Sammanfattning: In today's digital society, social media has a major impact on consumers. A contributing factor to consumption via social media is the phenomenon of influencers. These social media accounts and the individuals behind them are associated with power and knowledge in a specific area that they choose to highlight in their platforms to influence individuals' purchasing decisions. The purpose of this study is to investigate how much and what type of influence the influencers on Instagram have on Swedish consumers' buying behavior. The study also describes the importance that influencers' credibility, purchase intention and relationship building have on active Instagram users. The theoretical models that have been applied in the study are Horton and Wohl's concepts of parasocial relationships that affect the relationship to influencers and Bauman's definition of consumer society that affects consumers. A qualitative research study with an abductive research approach and the empirical data was collected through semi-structured interviews. The study's primary target group is Swedish women and men between the age of 20–30. Based on the results of the study, the respondents use influencers as an inspiration and source of information when they buy things. The empirical data also shows that a long-term relationship with influencers has a direct impact on consumer buying behavior. The relationship is described as having been modernized and is similar to a physical relationship to which the Instagram application has contributed; an interplay between supporters and influencers. The results of the studyshed light on the impact of influencers on consumption and make visible which factors are decisive for the consumer.