Influencer or Human Billboard? : A study on defining influencer credibility on the Swedish market

Sammanfattning: The drastic growth of the influencer market has spiked an interest in defining the significance of influencer credibility (IC). This thesis primarily aims to identify which drivers of IC are important to Swedishconsumers and how these can impact purchase intention (PI). The data was collected through a questionnaire shared on social media resulting in a sample size of 201 (N=201). After analyzing the data in SPSS through a nonparametric one sample and independent sample Chi-square test the following characteristics were found as impacting IC and PI. Expertise, trustworthiness, Image quality, entertainment value, and product and endorser fit influence IC and subsequently PI. The personal connection was also found to influence PI and when comparing different influencer sizes a smaller influencer generated substantial IC through a personal connection compared to larger.