The Role of Social Media Influencers in Offline Consumer Purchase Decision in Ghana

Abstract

In recent years, social media influencer marketing has become a critical marketing technique for many firms. As evidenced by the literature, social media influencer marketing has grown more effective than other strategic methods of marketing, such as celebrity endorsement marketing. As such, many organizations are employing this technique in attracting consumers. This study was interested in investigating social media influencers and the buying behaviors of consumers. The study employed the quantitative research approach while sampling 200 Masters students from the Ghana Institute of Journalism. The study employed the use of questionnaires to investigate respondents’ perceptions on how social media influencers relate to their buying decision making processes. The study found that, much as empirical literature suggests, social media influencers play an important role in how consumers perceive products. It also shows that behaviors of respondents towards products and brands become positively positioned through recommendations from social media influencers. Hence the study found that social media influencers are crucial in the consumer decision making process and play a role in attracting consumers to a product.