The Role of Digital Influencers as Opinion Leaders in Strategic Marketing Communication among Boutique Owners in Nairobi, CBD, Kenya

Authors

  • Lydia Nyabonyi Okong’o Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology
  • Prof. Hellen Mberia, PhD. Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology
  • Dr. Maureen Syallow Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47604/ijcpr.2842

Keywords:

Digital Influencers, Strategic Marketing Communications, Opinion Leaders

Abstract

Purpose: The objectives for the study was to establish the role of digital influencers as opinion leaders in strategic marketing communications.

Methodology: A descriptive research design was used. The population of study was boutique owners in Nairobi CBD, from which a sample were drawn. The sampling technique was purposive sampling based on the respondent’s special characteristics necessary for the study. Questionnaires containing both open and closed ended were used as the research instruments for the study. The data collected was then processed and analyzed using SPSS software or Advanced Excel. Data was presented inform of tables.

Findings: The results indicated that descriptive statistics were used to evaluate the relationship between the roles of digital influencers as opinion leaders in strategic marketing. Respondents indicated that digital influencers were extremely influential as opinion leaders in strategic marketing. The inferential results further indicate that there was a positive relationship between the role of digital influencers as opinion leaders and strategic marketing however the relationship was found not significant (β= 0.03, P-value 0,051> 0.005).

Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study was anchored on elaboration likelihood model theory. The study recommends formulation policies regulating social media platforms so as to ensure more accountability and credibility of the information shared in those platforms.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Bao, T. (2018). Timing effects of opinion leader’s electronic word of mouth. International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising, 69-90.

Borchers, N. (2019). Social Media Influencers in Strategic Communication. International journal of strategic communication, 255-260.

DavidJiménez-Castillo, & RaquelSánchez-Fernández. (2019). The role of digital influencers in brand recommendation: Examining their impact on engagement, expected value and purchase intention. International Journal of Information Management, 366-376.

Haron, H., Joha, E. H., & Ramli, Z. F. (2016). Online opinion leaders and their influence on purchase intentions. IEEE Symposium on E-Learning, E-Management and E-Services , 162-165.

Huete-Alcocer, N. (2017). A Literature Review of Word of Mouth and Electronic Word of Mouth: Implications for Consumer Behavior. Frontiers in Psychology.

Ismagilova, E., Dwivedi, Y. K., Slade, E., & Williams, M. D. (2017). Traditional Word-of-Mouth (WOM). Electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM) in the Marketing Context,, 5-15.

Littlejohn, S. W., & Foss, K. A. (2009). Encyclopedia of Communication Theory. London: Sage Publications.

Nafees, L., M.Cook, C., Nikolov, A. N., & E.Stoddard, J. (2021). Can social media influencer (SMI) power influence consumer brand attitudes? The mediating role of perceived SMI credibility. Digital Business, 1-10.

Owusu, F. A., & Alam, K. (2020). The impact of online marketing influencers on consumer purchase decisions:A case study of Ghana. Mälardalen University .

Petty, R. E., & Cacioppo, J. T. (1986). The Elaboration Likelihood Model of Persuasion. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 123-205. doi:10.1016/S0065-2601(08)60214-2

Schouten, A. P., Janssen, L., & Verspaget, M. (2020). Celebrity vs. Influencer endorsements in advertising: the role of identification, credibility, and Product-Endorser fit. International Journal of Advertising;The Review of Marketing Communications, 258-281.

Sette, G., & Brito, P. Q. (2020). To what extent are digital influencers creative? Creativity and Innovation Management, 1-13.

Sokolova, K., & Kefi, H. (2019). Instagram and YouTube bloggers promote it, why should I buy? How credibility and parasocial interaction influence purchase intentions. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 2-9.

Stoldt, R., Wellman, M., Ekdale, B., & Tully, M. (2019). Professionalizing and Profiting:The Rise of Intermediaries in the Social Media Influencer Industry. Social mdia+society, 1-11.

Suciu, P. (2019, 12 20). Can We Trust Social Media Influencers? Retrieved 10 20, 2020, from Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/petersuciu/2019/12/20/can-we-trust-social-media-influencers/#25426d4e63e8

Wielki, J. (2020). Analysis of the Role of Digital Influencers and Their Impact on the Functioning of the Contemporary On-Line Promotional System and Its Sustainable Development. Sustainability, 1-20. doi:doi:10.3390/su12177138

Winter, S., & Neubaum, G. (2016). Examining Characteristics of Opinion Leaders in Social Media: A Motivational Approach. Social media+Society.

Zhou, S., Mccormick, H., Blazquez, M. B., & Barnes, L. (2019). eWOM: The Rise of the Opinion Leaders: Consumer Behaviour in Online Environments. Social Commerce, 189-212.

Zou, Y., & Peng, F. (2019). Key Opinion Leaders’ Influences in the Chinese Fashion Market. Fashion Communication in the Digital Age, 118-132.

Downloads

Published

2024-08-07

How to Cite

Okong’o, L., Mberia, H., & Syallow, M. (2024). The Role of Digital Influencers as Opinion Leaders in Strategic Marketing Communication among Boutique Owners in Nairobi, CBD, Kenya. International Journal of Communication and Public Relation, 9(4), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.47604/ijcpr.2842

Issue

Section

Articles