International influencer marketing: how social media creates demand for international goods

Abstract

The topic of the thesis was influencer marketing on social media and its effects on consumer behaviour through increased demand for international goods. Influencer marketing is a fairly new phenomenon on social media and has been acknowledged to increase impulsive buying behaviour and overconsumption, but it has not been broadly studied from the perspective of international trade. The theoretical framework consists of theories of consumer behaviour, social media and marketing, influencer marketing and international business and the study itself was implemented as a mixed-method research. The methods used in the research were a questionnaire for quantitative data and a written interview for a qualitative perspective. Both methods were implemented online through a survey. The survey was shared on multiple social media platforms and was open to individuals with varied demographics. The aim of the survey was to assess whether influencer marketing creates demand for international goods. The results of the research prove that influencer marketing does not necessarily increase the need for international trade, although most individuals have indulged in purchasing something as a consequence of being influenced by a content creator. The results of the research can be utilized by businesses that plan to enter foreign markets and apply influencer marketing campaigns to raise awareness.