The effect of influencer use in social media advertisemets on the purchasing behavior of generaions X,Y and Z: The Instagram example

Today, social media has become one of the primary virtual platforms where digital advertising is most heavily used. With this transformation, consumer behavior has also begun to be reevaluated under the influence of social media tools. With the acceleration of digitalization, advertising activities conducted through traditional media outlets like television and radio have been replaced by advertising campaigns conducted by influential users on social media platforms. In this context, the role of social media content creators, also known as influencers, is becoming increasingly important.The proliferation of influencer marketing has led businesses to allocate more resources to their digital marketing strategies. Businesses striving to gain a competitive advantage are effectively utilizing influencer marketing as a sub-branch of social media marketing. To increase brand awareness and convey specific messages to their target audiences, businesses are collaborating with content creators with large social media followings. With over 2 billion active users, Instagram has become one of the most popular social media platforms for advertising and product promotion. With this development, businesses are turning to influencer-based advertising strategies to reach consumers with their products and services. Social media influencers, specifically known as influencers, influence consumer decision-making processes and directly or indirectly shape purchasing behavior. This has made influencer marketing a crucial element within digital marketing strategies. The primary focus of this research is the impact of influencer ads on Instagram on consumer purchasing processes. The literature review conducted within the scope of the study examines the perceptions of Generations X, Y, and Z regarding Instagram ads and assesses the impact of these generational characteristics on purchasing behavior on the platform. Furthermore, factors such as the sensitivity of these generations to advertising, the strength of influencer influence, and their perceived trust in ads and posts are explored. In this context, the research analyzes the implications of generational differences for digital advertising and influencer marketing. The population of this study consists of individuals residing in the province of Trabzon, located in the Black Sea Region of Turkey, who actively use Instagram. To obtain meaningful results in terms of digital marketing and social media usage, the study targeted a broad age range, and analysis results were obtained from this population. The study sample consisted of 384 individuals between the ages of 15 and 60 who actively use Instagram. When creating the sample, we specifically considered the representation of users from Generations X, Y, and Z, and attempted to ensure a balanced distribution across age groups. Surveys, a quantitative research method, were used to collect data. Keywords: Social Media Marketing, Influencer, Influencer Marketing, Product Browsing and Purchase Intention