Social networking has enhanced the process of mediatization. Through social networks the media have penetrated every pore of our society, providing brands with new opportunities for reaching their customers. As the fastest-growing social network, Instagram serves as a great tool for creating interaction between brands and users. Involving the users in content creation has been proven to build a relationship between the participants. The interaction between digital influencers and their followers appears very organic due to influencers’ personal approach, friendly advice, and personal qualities. In comparison with the user engagement in the content created by brands themselves, Instagram users seem to engage in influencers’ content on a more frequent scale. Hence the companies seek to include digital influencers in their communication strategy. This master's thesis analyses the collaboration process between brands and digital influencers. The case study of Company A, which has one of the largest databases on this network, examines user engagement in Instagram posts created by influencers and by other parties, including a research of relevant user engagement tactics. The analysis was performed with the help of Socialbakers, social media management and analytics tool. In comparison with the content created by other parties, the content created by influencers on their profiles does not achieve a higher level of user engagement. However, this is not a result of poorly created content, but rather unclear objectives in terms of user involvement strategy and insufficient use of tactics for greater user interaction.
|
