Instagram profile’s effect on influencer credibility : A qualitative study on how the influencer-follower relationship is affected by the influencers credibility in relation to their Instagram profile.

Abstract: Background: Through digitalization, it has now allowed people to be more linked through different social media platforms and has led to an increase in the use of these platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram. Compared to other social media, Instagram has the highest level of involvement through time spent on the app. Influencer marketing has increased with the numbers 325% in Google searches within the year 2017. Companies use influencer marketing as a tool where the firm is collaborating with influencers. Next year, approximately two-thirds of the marketing departments will increase their budget for influencer marketing, so the trend will probably continue in the future.   Purpose: The aim of this thesis is to increase knowledge and understanding about the relationship influencers and followers have with each other and the effects an influencers Instagram profile has on credibility. The authors in the introduction give an insight into the background of current research and information about social media, most specifically Instagram but also about influencers with regards to the credibility of their Instagram profiles. After a gap in the literature was identified, the authors then go on to formulate a research question which is used to guide the direction of the study.   Method: The research method used to answer this question was qualitative, as the authors deemed it to be most suitable for this type of study. After conducting semi-structured interviews with 17 individuals belonging to the millennial generation cohort, who had Instagram and more importantly followed influencers, interesting perspectives around the effect's sponsorship posts had on influencer credibility in the eyes of the followers, were discovered. The results gathered from the interviews were later compared with Ohanian's model of source credibility and Hovland’s model of attribution of credibility, gathered from the frame of reference. The findings from the data collection and analysis were later used to answer the research question.   Conclusion: The influencer-follower relationship has a greater impact on an influencer’s credibility, than what research had portrayed in the existing literature. The strength of the influencer-follower relationship has an impact on whether an influencers Instagram profile is seen as credible or not. The way in which an influencer presents a sponsorship or collaboration on their Instagram profile, had the greatest effect regarding the influencer’s credibility.