METHODOLOGY

This study took a qualitative approach of research to get a rich understanding of how influencer marketing impacts consumer purchase behavior and brand image on both the TikTok and Instagram apps. Qualitative research allows for ideas to be examined in detail and depth to understand naturalistic behaviors. The adopted qualitative method of research consisted of one-on-one, in person semi-structured interviews. The aim of this research was to identify the strengths and weaknesses of influencer marketing in women's fashion, and understand how this form of marketing might effect brand image, consumer preferences and purchase intentions. Since influencer marketing is still a fresh and contemporary idea, a qualitative methodology was a good fit for this subject given that researchers are trying to understand what constructs [of influencer marketing] can be tested (Chopra et al., 2020). A semi-structured interview approach was most fitting because it allowed for free flow of conversation, with some pre determined follow-up questions to keep on track and allow for lengthy responses. This approach was necessary for complex ideas to be collected on a the new topic of influencer marketing, and benefit future explorations within this topic (Lindlof & Taylor, 2019, p. 221). Despite qualitative studies being known to lack scientific generalizability, this form of interview assisted researchers in understanding the phenomenon of influencer marketing rather than generalizing to a larger population (Chopra et al., 2020). This qualitative approach allows for a deep analysis relating to each open-ended research question that this study aims to measure.

PARTICIPANTS

To ensure this study could apply to women's fashion consumers and brands, the sample consisted of 10 women between the ages of 18-24 who considered themselves to be consistent consumers of fashion media on both TikTok and Instagram.

Each participant claimed to be actively following multiple influencers on social media. Education and employment were not variables in sample selection, as this study wanted multiple perspectives of influencer consumption including perspectives of visuals, emotions and purchase intentions.

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Knowing that this generation (Generation Z) is the next generation to take over the consumer market, is important for this study to have multiple perspectives from different types of young adult women to find connections amongst different personalities and find key themes amid responses to strengthen influencer marketing research.

RECRUITMENT

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Participants were recruited via text and social media pages, with a message stating what this study aims to measure, and a disclaimer highlighting the specific definitions required to be a part of the sample. Text messages were sent to acquaintances of the researcher’s closest friends. The message emphasized that to partake in an interview, the individual must be an avid fashion consumer and feel that they are exposed to a lot of fashion influencer content on social media.

Social media pages for local hometowns around the North Shore, MA area were the secondary form of recruitment, with a similar message with contact information posted on each page for individuals to reach out if they were interested.

INTERVIEWS

Interviews were conducted and recorded upon participants consent in both public and private spaces. All interviews were in a face-to-face environment, majority of the interviews took place in a private space (in their home or office), with two taking place in public cafes that were quiet enough to record the session. After being recorded, interviews were then transcribed manually by the primary researcher. The key instrument for this study was the interview guide, which was used for each semi-structured interview. The overall structure of the interview guide was not in any particular order in relation to each research question, however, each key question was highlighted for researchers to know which interview questions were created to apply to each respective research questions. Mixing themes appointed in research questions with each other was effective so that one topic was not discussed for too long, and if said topic got brought up again participants would have had time to think more about it and potentially give more information and opinions on it. Despite the order not relating to the order of research questions, each topic was drafted in a sensible order which allowed for discussion of experiences and opinions.

Examples of key questions:

Researchers imply that influencers are used as a middle voice between the brand and the consumer. As a fashion consumer, do you find this statement to be truthful and relatable - and better connected to brands that utilize influencers?
How do you view fashion brands that collaborate with a lot of influencers on social media? (Urban Outfitters, Nike, LuluLemon, Fashion Nova, Express)
What are your perceptions of fashion influencer content on social media? (Are they positive, negative?)

ANALYZATION

To properly analyze and create connections from each interview, researchers took the approach of the grounded theory method of analysis. The grounded theory approach is a systematic method to analyze and organize data using inductive reasoning. This allowed for researchers to discover common themes when comparing answers given by participants. The grounded theory in this study began with the initial interview, when participants gave consent to being recorded. The recorded interviews allowed for each individual interview to be transcribed into a word document for visual analysis. Next, researchers thoroughly analyzed each interview and created memos to concretely define what participants were stating or implying during their interviews. Variables such as body language, tone, word choice, and more were noted during memo creation. These memos allowed for the third step to take place, which was coding. The coding methods used were open and axial coding, which allowed researchers to examine common themes and draw new conclusions pertaining to the research question during the analyzation process (Lindlof & Taylor, 2019, p. 221). The process of open coding allowed for categorization amongst themes, while axial coding allowed for connections to be made between different appointed categories.

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