With the rapid growth and popularity of social media, the number of people who identify as influencers has been on an upward trend. Influencers can be categorized as people who have large fan bases, and post content to engage their audiences. Micro-influencers are categorized as influencers who have a relatively lower follower count, but still have influence in a specific niche domain, or among certain interest groups. Micro-influencers are said to be able to more successfully engage with their audiences because they come off as more authentic than their influencer counterparts who have a higher reach, like macro-influencers. This new generation of entrepreneurial influencers uses social media to build their personal brands and engage with target audiences in their domains of influence. They have also been making waves in the beauty and fashion industry due to their ability to create rich content, and their capacity to connect with their audiences. This group reports higher engagement and dedication from followers, thereby increasingly becoming the preferred channel for brands to connect with audiences. The beauty/fashion industry has a strong presence on social media, and members of this group are particularly active on Instagram. This paper aims to study how micro-influencers position themselves as entrepreneurs through their accounts on Instagram. A total of 10 in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with micro-influencers, and their responses were studied through thematic analysis. During the data collection and analysis phase, various themes related to the research questions emerged. The findings indicate that micro-influencers position as entrepreneurs on Instagram through creating close connections with their followers, and through successfully partnering with brands in their niche. They also alter perceptions through the type of content that is shared on Instagram, and the ways they utilize the opportunities and functions presented on the platform to position themselves as entrepreneurs.

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Dr. Izabela Derda
hdl.handle.net/2105/64995
Media & Business
Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication

Yasmin Kassem. (2022, June 27). How Micro-influencers Position as Entrepreneurs on Instagram A qualitative study on how micro-influencers in the beauty & fashion industry position themselves as entrepreneurs on Instagram. Media & Business. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/2105/64995