Sharing content: Investigating The Factors That Drive Content Sharing Among Women Fashion Consumers

Abstract: Background: Social media has changed the way marketers need to act. With 76% of the population visiting social media every day and 47% of users spending more than three hours daily on the medium, advertising on social media has become the new cost-effective and efficient way of reaching target audiences. A great benefit for advertising on social media is that consumers can share your content forward, 60% of social media users were likely to do so. This study aims to investigate the driving factors that make women fashion consumers share content among friends. Purpose: The purpose of this research is to identify the driving factors that make women fashion consumers want to share fashion-related content on social media. By identifying these factors, we aim to provide insightful information that can help fashion marketers to create more effective social media campaigns and to gain a deeper understanding of their target customers. Method: This study uses semi-structured interviews to explore the phenomenon of fashion content sharing on social media through a qualitative research approach. A relativist approach to ontology and interpretivism as the research philosophy has been adopted, acknowledging potential limitations and bias. A sample of 10 female participants who self-identify as active fashion consumers were selected, with open-ended questions used for data collection. The study aims to understand the complex factors influencing consumers' sharing of fashion content on social media, allowing for insights beyond surface-level observations. Conclusion: This study identified key factors driving women's fashion-related content sharing on social media. Influential elements included platform choice (notably Instagram), fashion influencers' credibility, validation needs, informed purchasing, and friends' preferences. Shared content often had unique, current, and entertaining features. Social justice, personal engagement, and trend alignment also motivated sharing.