The Attention Economy: Deciphering the Power behind Influencer Marketing

As a society, we are more technologically advanced and globally interconnected than we have ever been before. The effects of the digital revolution have been translated through changes in consumer trends that undoubtedly disrupted the way business interact with consumers. The rise of social media platforms such as Instagram has challenged the effectiveness of traditional marketing tactics with the dominance of Influencer marketing. With the number of users growing every day, Influencer marketing has become the phenomena of our day as more brands are realizing the potential behind it. The purpose of this thesis is to decode the power behind nfluencer marketing by examining the factors that make it effective. To better understand this, this thesis starts off by looking into the way the different eras of marketing and the way it affected the customer relationship. Then, it takes a deep dive into the definition of an influencer, the different spectrums of influence, and the way to leverage each type. To find the root of its power, primary research is conducted on hundreds of people that study their perception of influencers and the level of trust they have with them.