| Abstract [eng] |
The master's thesis analyzes the structure of trust in micro- influencers. The growth of social networks and their influence on consumer behavior encourages a deeper understanding of this trust. Micro- influencers, operating in smaller and specialized audiences, are valued for their ability to establish authentic and personalized relationships with followers. However, in this area, the problematic of trust has emerged, which is determined by the impact of commercialization and consumer skepticism about the authenticity of the content. One of the most important aspects of the work is that there is currently no existing, universal, and validated instrument to measure trust in micro-influencers. This highlights the relevance and contribution of the study to science and marketing. The aim of the study is to develop and validate an instrument designed to measure trust in micro- influencers, and to empirically verify the structure of trust. The study is based on literature analysis and quantitative methods, including an online survey (n=308). Trust dimensions such as honesty, benevolence, attractiveness, authenticity and competence were empirically assessed. The results of the analysis revealed that higher trust and the likelihood of recommendations are observed among influencers with a smaller number of followers. Competence, authenticity and benevolence are the main factors determining trust in influencers, and competence and honesty are the most important factors in recommending their services. Men and women have different opinions when assessing the characteristics of influencers, but trust and recommendations are not significantly different between genders. Men rated male influencer as more honest, attractive, competent and authentic than female influencer. Women rated female influencer as more honest than male influencer, but there were no significant differences in other aspects (competence, authenticity, attractiveness). The structure of the work includes a theoretical analysis of the concept of trust, a discussion of the research methodology and interpretation of the results. The theoretical part analyzes in detail the dimensional models of trust in social networks, such as honesty, authenticity, competence, benevolence and transparency, and also examines the psychological aspects of user behavior that determine the formation of trust in micro- influencers. The methodological part examines in detail the design of the quantitative study, including data collection, analysis methods, the instrument and the justification of its validity. The research part presents the results of the quantitative study analyzing the activities of influencers and users' perceptions of their reliability. |
