The influence of Instagram sponsored posts

Abstract

In this age of digitization, social media have emerged as one of the main tools for marketers, with a considerable impact on consumer behavior. This study investigates the impact of social media marketing on consumer behavior, with a particular emphasis on Instagram sponsored posts. With the rise of sponsored content and other types of marketing (e.g., influencer marketing), companies are interested in understanding how these techniques influence consumers to engage and attract their target audiences. This research employs a quantitative methodology, using an online questionnaire as a tool to examine the impact of Instagram sponsored posts on consumer behavior. This research examines how consumers react to sponsored posts, specifically by evaluating their levels of engagement and examining their purchasing patterns. Key findings show that Instagram sponsored posts play an important role in influencing consumer behavior. Users engage with sponsored posts by visiting brand profiles, liking posts, and following brand pages. This study also highlights the contrasting impact on female users, showing that females are more influenced by sponsored posts on Instagram. Surprisingly, the study refutes the assumption that users who can recognize sponsored posts are less influenced. Furthermore, it researches the influence of sponsored posts on different age groups. Our study contributes to the academia and the market with insights showing the constantly evolving area of social media marketing, and by evaluating the efficacy of Instagram sponsored posts in the promotion of consumer engagement. The implications of this study hold relevance for brands, marketers, and scholars.

Date of Award	8 Mar 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Patrícia Dias (Supervisor)