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Keywords: Social media engagement, Viral influencers, Generation Z, Beauty products, Influencers' credibility, Reliability, Purchasing behavior, Digital marketing
Introduction
In today’s technological era, social media has transformed the way businesses promote their products and how consumers, particularly Generation Z, make purchasing decisions. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube have become central to digital marketing, with influencers playing a key role in product endorsements. According to Merriam-Webster (n.d.), social media refers to electronic communication platforms where users interact, share content, and engage in discussions. Within the beauty industry, viral influencers significantly impact brand engagement by sharing personal experiences, reviews, and product demonstrations, which often shape consumer trust and behavior (Lim et al., 2023). Generation Z, known for its high social media engagement, tends to trust influencer recommendations more than traditional advertisements (Jin et al., 2019). Influencers provide relatable and authentic experiences that resonate with their audience, often driving purchasing decisions. However, while influencer marketing offers opportunities for brands, it also presents challenges. The rapid spread of beauty trends can lead to impulsive buying behavior influenced by the fear of missing out (FOMO) (Kahawandala et al., 2020). Additionally, the credibility of influencer endorsements is often questioned, as many influencers lack expertise in skincare and cosmetics, potentially leading to misinformation and unsatisfactory consumer experiences (Lu et al., 2021). This study aims to explore the relationship between viral influencer endorsements and Gen Z’s purchasing behavior in the beauty industry. It seeks to understand how authenticity, trust, and digital trends influence consumer decisions while identifying potential risks such as misinformation and impulsive purchasing. By analyzing these factors, this research provides insights that can help brands refine their influencer marketing strategies to foster credibility and long-term consumer trust.
This research utilized Expectation Confirmation Theory (ECT) that explains how consumer satisfaction arises when a product or service meets or exceeds initial expectations, while dissatisfaction occurs when experiences fall short. Expectations serve as a reference point based on individual needs, prior experiences, and available information. Perceived performance reflects the consumer’s subjective evaluation after use, influencing overall satisfaction through confirmation or disconfirmation. Positive disconfirmation leads to higher satisfaction, while negative disconfirmation results in dissatisfaction. This satisfaction impacts attitudes toward a brand, and unresolved gaps between expectation and reality can cause cognitive dissonance, prompting attitude adjustments. High satisfaction fosters consumer loyalty and repurchase intentions, whereas low satisfaction leads to re-evaluation of future purchases. In digital marketing, ECT helps analyze online feedback, reviews, and influencer endorsements to determine their impact on consumer attitudes and behavior, making it a valuable tool for businesses seeking to enhance customer experience and brand engagement in digital marketplaces.
The conceptual framework for this research follows the input-process-output model served as the basis for this study's conceptual framework. In this paper, the inputs included things like the digital marketing tactics used, the credibility of viral influencers and the relevance of their endorsements particularly in the context of beauty products. The process involves gathering and assessing information via surveys and statistical analysis in order to determine how these factors influence Gen Z's purchasing decisions. Insights on patterns in Gen Z consumer buying behavior, the identification of key endorsement variables, and suggestions for improving digital marketing tactics are among the anticipated results.
Statement of the Problem
The relationship between viral influencers and Gen Z's purchasing habits in the beauty sector involves several key elements that shape their choices. Social media influencers are crucial in digital marketing due to their perceived trustworthiness and relatability. While promotional content is abundant, there are concerns regarding its credibility and the effect on consumer trust. To refine influencer marketing strategies in cosmetics, it’s crucial to understand how these influencers influence Gen Z's trust, engagement, and buying behaviors. Investigating these factors reveals significant insights, leading to recommendations for enhancing Gen Z's purchasing patterns:
1. 1. What is the demographic information of the respondents?
1.1 age;
1.2 gender; and
1.3 grade level?
2. How may the influence of viral influencers' social media engagement be assessed in terms of:
2.1 number of followers;
2.2 frequency of post; and
2.3 interaction with followers?
3. How may the learners perceive the credibility of viral influencers in terms of;
3.1 expertise;
3.2 attractiveness; and
3.3 trustworthiness?
4. How does the relatability and influence of viral influencers affect Gen Z’s purchasing behavior for beauty products?
4.1 lifestyle impact;
4.2 reliable experience; and
4.3 connected engagement?
5. How does the perceived credibility of viral influencers impact Gen Z’s purchase intentions for beauty products in digital marketing.
5.1 expert knowledge;
5.2 personal appeal; and
5.3 authentic trust?
Methodology
Research Design
This study used a survey research design to understand how viral influencers affect the buying decisions of Gen Z when purchasing beauty products. According to Dillman et al. (2014), survey research helps improve data quality because clear and well-structured questions lead to more accurate and reliable results. Fink (2017) explains that survey design is a process of creating and organizing questions to ensure they match the research goals and provide trustworthy data. Saunders et al. (2019) also emphasize that a well-planned survey design is important because it affects the quality of the data collected and helps researchers make meaningful conclusions. In summary, survey research design is an essential method for collecting reliable data by making sure the survey is properly structured.
Locale
This research included subjects from grades 7-12 students and age of 15-23 years old from Siena College of San Jose, Inc. The total respondents used in this study is 180, wherein there is be 120 respondents coming from the junior high school department and another 60 respondents coming from the senior high school department. The participants were representative of a wide range students who actively engaged with social media platforms and had experience purchasing beauty products online through digital marketing influenced by viral influencers.
Data Analysis
This study analyzes statistical data to explore how viral influencers impact Gen Z's purchasing behavior, using descriptive statistics, including Frequencies, Percentages, and Mean. Descriptive statistics were used to outline and discuss the data's main parts.
These are the main metrics used in this analysis:
Percentage and Frequencies: The frequency (f) and percentage (%) of replies for categorical variables like gender, grade level, and favorite social media platforms. To find percentages, use this formula:
Results and Discussions
Conclusion
The findings indicated that 68.59% were female and 31.41% were male from grade 7 to 12 students. The most popular platforms for influencer engagement are Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. People follow influencers primarily for product recommendations and trend awareness. Though some respondents are still unsure about the truthfulness of influencer reviews, trust in influencers is influenced by their professional experience, number of followers and personal stories. Influencer marketing has been shown to improve brand credibility in spite of this and many respondents acknowledged that it influences their decisions to buy. To improve the business include prioritizing honesty, encouraging genuine and relatable content. Ensuring influencers align with brand values to maintain customer’s trust. By influencer marketing businesses can better connect with their Gen Z and to improve consumer confidence in their products.
Recommendation
The researchers found that viral influencers significantly impact Gen Z’s purchasing behaviors, especially on social media like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. It is recommended that brands choose influencers who match their target audience and make sure their promotions are honest and trustworthy. Some people in this study were unsure if influencer reviews were real, so businesses should work with influencers who have real experience with the products they promote. To improve trust, influencers can create interactive content like live Q&A sessions or behind the scenes videos. Also, schools and marketing experts should hold workshops to help students and buyers understand how influencer marketing affects their choices.
Ethical Consideration
The researchers have implemented guidelines to ensure the safety and confidentiality of all survey participants. Before participation, students will receive a consent form via Google Forms to confirm their understanding and agreement to the study’s terms. Participants have the right to decline participation without any repercussions, and there will be no coercion to complete the survey. All responses will remain confidential and will not be disclosed without consent. The data collected will only be used for research purposes by the researchers, and personal details such as name, age, and gender will be kept private. Furthermore, all survey questions will be pertinent to the research topic, ensuring the exclusion of unrelated content.
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