CONNECTION BETWEEN TRUST IN INFLUENCERS AND CUSTUMER PURCHASE DECISIONS

Abstract

V diplomskem delu preučujemo povezavo med zaupanjem v vplivneže in nakupnimi odločitvami odjemalcev. Družbena omrežja so postala ključna platforma za oglaševanje, vplivneži pa pomembni posredniki med blagovnimi znamkami in odjemalci. Njihova moč temelji na občutku avtentičnosti in bližine, pri čemer je zaupanje odločilen dejavnik uspešnosti priporočil. Diplomsko delo je sestavljeno iz teoretičnega in empiričnega dela. V teoretičnem delu smo opredelili odjemalce, predstavili izbrane teorije njihovega vedenja ter opisali vlogo družbenih omrežij pri oblikovanju potrošniškega vedenja. Poseben poudarek smo namenili vplivnežem in dejavnikom zaupanja, kot so iskrenost, zanesljivost, doslednost, strokovnost in transparentnost, ki bistveno vplivajo na sprejemanje njihovih priporočil. V empiričnem delu smo s spletnim anketnim vprašalnikom analizirali vpliv zaupanja na nakupne odločitve. Rezultati kažejo, da odjemalci, ki bolj zaupajo vplivnežem, pogosteje sledijo njihovim priporočilom in opravijo nakup. Najpomembnejši dejavniki zaupanja so se izkazali zanesljivost, iskrenost in odzivnost vplivnežev. Ugotovljeno je bilo tudi, da so mlajši odjemalci dovzetnejši za vpliv vplivnežev, medtem ko starejši izražajo večjo mero previdnosti. Ugotovitve potrjujejo, da je zaupanje ključni element uspešnega vplivnostnega marketinga, saj neposredno oblikuje odnos med sledilci in blagovno znamko ter vpliva na odjemalčeve odločitve.This thesis examines the relationship between trust in influencers and consumers’ purchasing decisions. Social media has become a key platform for advertising, while influencers serve as important intermediaries between brands and consumers. Their power is based on a sense of authenticity and closeness, with trust being a decisive factor in the effectiveness of their recommendations. The thesis consists of both theoretical and empirical parts. In the theoretical section, we defined consumers, presented selected theories of their behavior, and described the role of social media in shaping consumer behavior. Special attention was given to influencers and the trust factors—such as honesty, reliability, consistency, expertise, and transparency—that significantly affect the acceptance of their recommendations. In the empirical part, the influence of trust on purchasing decisions was analyzed through an online survey questionnaire. The results show that consumers who trust influencers are more likely to follow their recommendations and make purchases. The most important trust factors were found to be the influencers’ reliability, honesty, and responsiveness. It was also observed that younger consumers are more susceptible to influence of influencers, while older consumers tend to exercise greater caution. The findings confirm that trust is a key element of successful influencer marketing, as it directly shapes the relationship between followers and the brand and influences consumer decisions