THE FUSION OF SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS AND BRAND ENGAGEMENT

Abstract

The social media presence nowadays has changed the perception of the buyers. As of 2024 the number of social media users worldwide has reached 5.35. billion that is 66.2 percent (Statista 2024) of the global population. Traditional marketing is losing its visibility due to the widespread use of ad blockers, marketers are turning to social media influencers (SMI)to convey their brand message. Social media influencer marketing has impacted a lot in the minds of the consumers. The main point that has been stated is that influencer marketing is to get a deeper understanding of the influencer marketing knowledge and get up to date with the trends and how the brand is going to position itself in future (Siti Liu 2021). The study showed that consumers’ gratification and motivations in seeking entertaining social interactions are key drivers of consumer influencers brand engagement. (Man Lai Cheung, Wilson K.S. Leung, Morgan X. Yang, Kian Yeik Koay, and Man Kit Chang 2021). Social media influencer marketing will be based on the behavioral responses i.e. social comparison and credibility factors i.e. attractiveness, expertise, and similarity. These responses were providing the positive attitude towards influencers, brands, social media posts and purchase intention of the buyers (Bandinee Pradhan Kaushal Kishore and Nilesh Gokhale 2023). The research has shown that there is a positive impact on the consumers’ brand engagement that includes brand awareness, trust, credibility and loyalty towards their brand (Laxmi P’ and Prof. Deepak Shyam2023).