IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS ON THE BUYING BEHAVIOUR OF STUDENTS IN GUWAHATI CITY

Abstract

In todays digital age, social media influencers play a pivotal role in shaping students purchasing decisions. This study investigates the impact of social media influencers on the buying behaviour of students in Guwahati City, with a particular focus on influencer credibility, lifestyle alignment, content engagement, and perceived authenticity. Adopting a quantitative and descriptive research design, primary data was collected through a structured questionnaire from 91 students selected via non-probability sampling. The findings reveal that 91% of the respondents follow at least one social media influencer, with a notable preference for influencers in the beauty, fashion, fitness, and gaming sectors.Over half of the students reported a likelihood to purchase products promoted by influencers, with 77% engaging with influencer content weekly or daily. Multinomial logistic regression analysis demonstrated a statistically significant relationship between influencer engagement and students buying behaviour, indicating that higher engagement levels are associated with increased purchase intentions.Expertise in the product category emerged as the most influential factor, followed by lifestyle alignment and perceived authenticity. Despite some concerns about influencer credibility, the results highlight the growing influence of social media personalities on youth consumer behaviour. The study concludes that influencer marketing is a powerful tool for brands targeting student demographics, provided influencers maintain authenticity, expertise, and trust with their audience.