Eighth International Conference on Communication & Media Studies

Abstract

The main focus of this study is to holistically analyse the influence of social media influencers’ content on young people’s lives in Ireland. In order to address this main objective, this study aims to answer the following research question: What are the five preferred influencers that this young sample follows and their motives for following them? To achieve the objective and answer the research question, this study analysed two free-answer questions of a lengthy questionnaire. This analysis was done based on thematic analysis using NVivo. This study’s sample population comprised 81 participants between 16 to 26 years old, part of the Generation Z cohort and living in Ireland. The results of the analysis confirmed that there are five main motives that make this young sample follow their preferred social media influencers. Furthermore, the findings in this study confirm that the sample is susceptible to being influenced by SMIs in different contexts. In this regard, three drivers play a crucial role, parasocial relationship, trust and relatability. Finally, the insights discovered in this research can provide essential information for marketers in order to support the development of more effective marketing communication strategies.