The Perceived Credibility of Fashion Bloggers and Sponsored Blog Posts

Abstract: This study examines the problem regarding editorial content in fashion blogs being increasingly sponsored by PR agencies and corporations. The research question will answer how this affects the credibility of fashion bloggers and the blog content. A qualitative approach has been used to measure this phenomenon, with quantitative features. Former blog credibility measurements were gathered to conduct a credibility model that provided a framework for the interviews. To be able to find out how fashion bloggers communicate that a blog post is sponsored, a content analysis was made. Four different trends in how sponsorship is communicated was found and analysed by the respondents in the interviews. The result of the study show that fashion bloggers and the blog content are believed to be credible; accept for the objectivity of the blog information, due to sponsored blog posts. The research also provided a picture of how sponsored blog posts can be done more credible. For example, advising PR agencies and companies to be more transparent about the collaboration with the blogger and it was also highlighted that a sponsored blog post becomes more credible if different brands that represent the blogger’s style is represented in the post, instead of just one.