The Role of Personal Branding in Social Media Marketing : Facebook and Instagram as Marketing Tools for health and beauty products to middle-aged females in Vietnam

Abstract

This thesis examines how aspiring entrepreneurs can build a personal brand to market beauty and healthcare products, with a focus on Nu Skin’s Collagen and Retinol, using Facebook and Instagram as marketing tools. It investigates the impact of personal branding on middle-aged Vietnamese women, who are active on social media but cautious about purchasing health-related products online. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research combined a 16-question survey with 61 participants and in-depth interviews with three successful online sellers who shared their strategies and experiences in building authentic brands. The findings highlight that trustworthiness, emotional connection, and educational content are the key factors influencing consumer behavior. Middle-aged women preferred brands that demonstrated personal stories, transparency, and genuine care for their audience’s needs, rather than traditional promotional tactics. Facebook was identified as the preferred platform, valued for its sense of community, while Instagram played a role in visual credibility. The study emphasizes the importance of fostering long-term relationships and offering relatable, authentic, and educational content to build trust and loyalty. Grounded in emotional branding, personal branding, and digital marketing theories, the research strengthens that effective personal branding is not just a marketing strategy but a process of building meaningful connections with the audience. The insights offer valuable guidance for entrepreneurs in the beauty and wellness sector, emphasizing that engagement, rather than mere visibility, drives long-term success in social media marketing. However, the limitations of the study include a small, homogeneous sample size and possible bias in self-reported data, which may not fully represent broader consumer behavior or apply to other product types. For this reason, future research could address these by expanding the demographic range, incorporating quantitative methods, and exploring different industries or cultural contexts to gain a deeper understanding of branding strategies and their effect on consumer behavior.