Date of Award

Spring 2023

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science (BS)

Advisor(s)

Ronen Shay

Abstract

The rise of social media has created a new channel of digital marketing in the form of social media influencers. As endorsers of brands, products, and services, social media influencers wield a unique power to sway social media users in their purchasing behavior. However, the financial impact of influencers has not yet been fully established in previous studies. Efficiency and cost of marketing activities will influence which channels marketers choose to employ. So, establishing that there is a possible return on investment of social influencer marketing is crucial as today’s marketplace and economy trend towards the digital world. This paper, therefore, undertakes this task to assess the financial impact of a company’s social influencer marketing on their dollar-value brand equity. This study also looks at the difference between company and influencer engagement levels, the relationship between sponsored content and the degree of engagement, and impact follower count has on influencer engagement. Using a sample of 25 social media influencers and their combined 36 sponsor companies, this study tested the hypothesis and research questions using linear regressions and multivariate general linear models. In terms of a financial impact, the results indicated that there was a relationship between brand equity and the level of engagement achieved by a social media influencer. Based on the results of this study, companies are encouraged to continue partnerships with best-fit influencers who match their brand and can connect them with their audience.

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