The role of influencer marketing in consumer behavior

The wave of change and development triggered by digitalization leads the marketing sector to different strategies every year. This transformation has led to a search for new methods to reach target audiences and increase brand awareness by intensifying competition among businesses. Influencers, which emerged as a result of this search, play an important role in marketing with their power to influence the emotions, thoughts and behaviors of the society. Businesses that cooperate with influencers, who shape society just like opinion leaders, have the opportunity to promote their products and services to large masses. Product promotion through influencers, which is faster, more effective and can reach much wider audiences compared to traditional marketing, forms the basis of influencer marketing strategy. This study examines the concept of influencer marketing, the context between influencer and consumer, and the impact of influencer marketing on consumer attitudes, trust and purchase process. Within the scope of the research, a quantitative survey was conducted on 316 respondents, followed by a qualitative in-depth interview with 10 respondents. The findings reveal consumers' distrust of influencers and concerns about being manipulated into consumer culture for commercial purposes. Despite this, it is clear that social media influencers have a significant impact on consumers' buying habits. Influencers' recommendations and product reviews can directly influence consumers' purchasing decisions. This influence is even more pronounced for micro-influencers who cater to a more niche audience and build closer relationships with their followers