Lifestyle micro-influencers and the practice of product endorsement on Instagram through the eyes of young female users

Nowadays, the emergence of influencer marketing has resulted in the ever-growing demand on behalf of brands to collaborate with influential individuals on social media, who can assist in the promotion of various products and services. On Instagram specifically, aside from using celebrities for endorsements related to fashion, beauty, travel and lifestyle in general, brands are increasingly relying on influential individuals such as micro-influencers, who may have fewer followers but are considered to be more relatable and accessible. With the help of the word-of mouth theory, the source credibility model and the match-up hypothesis, the purpose of this research is to investigate the practice of product endorsement by lifestyle micro-influencers, as it is perceived by their young female followers, their main audience on Instagram. More specifically, the study explores the motives for following and interacting with these micro-influencers on this application, as well as the different ways their credibility is interpreted according to the young women who follow them. In addition, the congruence between the lifestyle micro-influencers and their endorsements and how their young female followers understand it, is also examined. This research was based on twelve in-depth interviews, either face-to-face or through Skype, with women between 21 and 25 years old, followers of five lifestyle micro-influencers. By implementing thematic analysis, the main themes emerged from the collected data, related to the posed research questions. In particular, it was indicated that inspiration, opinion seeking, attractiveness and relatability are what motivate the young female Instagram users to follow lifestyle micro-influencers. Furthermore, according to these users, attractiveness is the most important indicator for the credibility of lifestyle micro-influencers, a finding also connected with the match of these micro-influencers with the products and brands they endorse. Finally, the limitations of the study were critically assessed, together with suggestions for future research.