Social media influence on tourists’ destination choice: importance of context

Understanding GI Twitter and Its Major Contributors

In order to gain a clear understanding of factors that affect destination choice, this paper sought to explore the influence of social media on Omani outbound pleasure travellers' destination choices. The main data collection method involved 35 in-depth interviews with actual Omani outbound travellers. The analysis process led to the development of five themes regarding the influence of social media on their destination choice. These themes have been labelled as the credibility of social media information; the influence of age on the use of social media; the advancement of technology has a huge impact on using social media; the effectiveness of social media as a marketing tool and social media and traditional media complement each other. Hence, based on these themes, it could be concluded that the majority of participants interviewed believe that social media has an effect on their destination choice. Finally, the contribution of the current study would result from aiding the tourism and marketing industries to understand the use and influence of social media on destination choice of Omani travellers (as representing Arab and Muslim tourists).

Purpose – This paper aims to: (1) examine the effect of social media advertisement and influencers on Compulsive buying, (2) investigate the role of materialism as a mediator and narcissism as a moderator on the relationship between social media advertisement and influencers on Compulsive Buying. Design/methodology/approach – The study is based on 300 responses. Data of the responses was used for statistical analysis and hypothesis testing. The study uses Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to test all hypotheses. Findings – The study revealed insignificant relationships between social media advertisements and influencers, and compulsive buying. The findings provided evidence that materialism mediates the relationship between social media advertisements and compulsive buying. In contrast, materialism does not mediate the relationship between social media influencers and compulsive buying. The study failed to reveal a moderating role of narcissism on the relationship between materialism and compulsive buying. Research implications – Recommendations for marketing managers, scholars, and policymakers have been given adopting the marketing orientation that puts the consumers’ satisfaction of needs and wants first, based on the researchers’ faith that compulsive buying is not a virtue for consumers by all means. Originality/value – This paper investigates one of the most pressing issues regarding consumer behaviour in social media, consumer traits, and compulsive buying.

Consumptive behavior is characterized by an individual's tendency to spend money on shopping, both offline and online, without considering the priority scale. In this case, financial literacy has a role to play in avoiding consumer behavior and encouraging wiser use of social media. The objectives of this research: 1) The influence of financial literacy on adolescent consumer behavior in Kubu Village, Kubu Raya Regency. 2) The Influence of Social Media on Teenage Consumer Behavior in Kubu Village, Kubu Raya Regency. 3) The Simultaneous Influence of Financial Literacy and Social Media on Teenage Consumptive Behavior in Kubu Village, Kubu Raya Regency. The research method is quantitative. The sample consisted of 200 teenagers. Data collection techniques used questionnaires. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression. The research results show: 1) The influence of financial literacy on adolescent consumer behavior in Kubu Village, Kubu Raya Regency with a sig value of 0.000 < 0.05. 2) The influence of social media on adolescent consumer behavior in Kubu Village, Kubu Raya Regency with a sig value of 0.000 < 0.05. 3) Simultaneous Influence of Financial Literacy and Social Media on Adolescent Consumptive Behavior in Kubu Village, Kubu Raya Regency with a sig value of 0.000 < 0.05.

Objective:The aim of this study was to determine whether nutrition knowledge differs between male and female Kuwaiti health influencers in social media (Instagram).Design:A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the nutrition knowledge of male and female Kuwaiti health influencers in social media (Instagram) utilizing a multiple-choice questionnaire with sixteen questions.Setting:Kuwaiti health influencers in social media (Instagram).Subjects:One hundred Kuwaiti health influencers (fifty males; fifty females) in social media (Instagram).Results:A response rate of 70% was accomplished (thirty-two males; thirty-eight females). The correctly answered questions had a mean percentage of 60% with averages of 65% and 60% for correct responses by males and females, respectively (P=0.039). Only, two questions demonstrated significantly different scores for male and female groups (P<0.05). The two age groups (<30 years; ≥30 years) displayed mean percentage scores of 61% and 63%, respectively (P=0.081).Conclusions:Kuwaiti health influencers in social media were unable to provide accurate information concerning common health problems including obesity, hypertension, and osteoporosis. (www.actabiomedica.it)

This chapter discusses conceptually with some anecdotal evidence how social media engagement by business firms can influence their strategic decision making. It suggests a model of influence and proposes a knowledge integration mechanism through which such influence materializes. Social media engagement by business firms has been steadily on the rise, with its application extending to a range of corporate functions beyond marketing and customer engagement, many of which can be construed as strategic. However, the potential influence of social media on strategy process or strategic decision making has not been fully explored. In addressing this gap, this chapter conceptually explores the likely influence of social media on the issue of strategic decision making and the mechanism of such influence. Embellished by some illustrative anecdotes from practice, this chapter suggests a plausible model whereby corporate social media engagement influences the strategy process in firms through the three key dimensions – environmental factors, strategic characteristics, and decision issue characteristics. In particular, social media engagement is conceived as ingraining knowledge creation and integration through socialization within an extended value network.

This chapter discusses conceptually with some anecdotal evidence how social media engagement by business firms can influence their strategic decision making. It suggests a model of influence and proposes a knowledge integration mechanism through which such influence materializes. Social media engagement by business firms has been steadily on the rise, with its application extending to a range of corporate functions beyond marketing and customer engagement, many of which can be construed as strategic. However, the potential influence of social media on strategy process or strategic decision making has not been fully explored. In addressing this gap, this chapter conceptually explores the likely influence of social media on the issue of strategic decision making and the mechanism of such influence. Embellished by some illustrative anecdotes from practice, this chapter suggests a plausible model whereby corporate social media engagement influences the strategy process in firms through the three key dimensions – environmental factors, strategic characteristics, and decision issue characteristics. In particular, social media engagement is conceived as ingraining knowledge creation and integration through socialization within an extended value network.

Social media engagement by business firms has been steadily on the rise, with its application extending to a range of corporate functions, beyond marketing and customer engagement, many of which can be construed as strategic. However, the potential influence of social media on strategy process or strategic decision making has scarcely been explored in strategic management literature. In addressing this gap, this paper conceptually explores the likely influence of social media on issue of strategic decision making and the mechanism of such influence, and also uses an assortment of anecdotes from practice for illustrative purposes. The authors suggest a plausible model whereby corporate social media engagement is seen to exert its influence through the three key dimensions of strategy process - environmental factors, strategists characteristics and decision issue characteristics. In particular social media engagement is conceived as ingraining knowledge creation and integration through socialization within an extended value network.

Social media has gradually transformed into a tool for tourism marketing because of its widespread use and its sales-oriented reflections on purchasing decisions. Hence, almost all tourism businesses and destination management organizations (DMOs) have initiated to attract potential tourists via social media or social media influencers (SMIs). Though more and more publications have emerged to draw attention to the significance of SMI on purchase decisions, the number of research focusing on SMIs effect on destination choice still needs to be furthered. From this point of view, this study aims to evaluate how social media influencers affect travellers’ preference for destinations across generations. The data was gathered from 137 followers who follow social media influencers and are over 18. In the study, percentage, frequency, mean, and standard deviation values were employed in the descriptive data analysis, while correlation analysis was used in the relationship measurement tests, and regression analysis was conducted in the hypothesis tests. As a result, it has been inferred that the perception levels of participants towards social media influencers vary across generations and that social media influencers are an essential determinant for destination preference. It has also been concluded that the effect of social media influencers on destination preference differs in the context of X, Y, and Z generations. Thus, this study makes considerably advances the literature by revealing the importance of generation-based social media marketing and emphasizing how SMIs could impact destination preferences.

Recent studies suggest that adolescents are spending significant amounts of time on social media. Brands are taking advantage of this fact and actively using social media to reach adolescent consumers, primarily via social media influencers. Adolescents consider the sponsored brand posts by social media influencers to be trustworthy and honest, thus reducing their critical evaluation of the ads. While several researchers have pointed to the critical role that parents play in their adolescents becoming digitally literate and empowered, there is little understanding of parental views and drivers of parental views on social media influencers and means by which they mediate their adolescents’ exposure to social media influencers. Our specific research questions are the following: (a) How does parents’ use of social media relate to their attitudes toward and mediation of social media influencers? (b) What is the role of psychological empowerment in enabling the relationship? Through a survey of approximately 200 mothers of adolescents (between the ages of 11 and 17 years), we examine how parents’ social media usage (active or passive) is related to their views toward social media influencers and mediation of social media influencers. We find that active (vs. passive) use of social media by parents led them to significantly (vs. not significantly) mediate social media influencers’ impact. Passive (vs. active) use of social media led to parents having a significant (vs. not significant) positive view of social media influencers. We explain this direct relationship by the level and kind of psychological empowerment (intrapersonal or interactional) that a parent experiences. Intrapersonal empowerment is related to self-efficacy, perceived competence, and desire for control, whereas interactional empowerment is related to an individual’s engagement in collective action and interactions with others. We find that active use of parental mediation increases intrapersonal empowerment resulting in parental mediation of social media influencers but has no effect on their positive or negative views on social media influencers. Moreover, passive use of social media results in interactional empowerment but has no significant impact on parental mediation but is related to positive views of social media influencers. Implications for regulators, practitioners, and parents are then discussed.

Background:There is a paucity of information regarding the use of social media by both orthopaedic residents and applicants. Therefore, this investigation aimed to (1) characterize the use of social media by current orthopaedic surgery residents and applicants to an orthopaedic surgery residency and (2) evaluate the influence of social media on applicants to an orthopaedic surgery residency.Methods:An anonymous, nationwide survey was conducted among current orthopaedic surgery residents and fourth-year medical students applying to the authors' orthopaedic surgery. Survey data included demographics, social media usage preferences, social media engagement, and the influence of social media on applicants' perception of and decision to apply to residency programs.Results:Three hundred twelve surveys were completed, which included 170 resident surveys and 142 applicant surveys. Two hundred thirty-seven of the respondents (76%) use social media daily. Two hundred fourteen respondents (72%) have listened to orthopaedic surgery podcasts. Regarding educational social media posts, 81% of the residents and 57% of the applicants preferred case presentations with corresponding imaging; for noneducational posts, 89% of the applicants preferred content involving resident life outside the hospital. When asked how much an orthopaedic residency program's social media presence influenced application decision (on a scale of 0-10, 0 being no influence and 10 being the most influence), the mean response was 3.47 among all respondents.Conclusions:Most survey respondents use social media daily, have listened to orthopaedic podcasts, find case presentations with corresponding imaging the most useful format for educational posts, and prefer to see residency programs post about resident life outside of the hospital. A residency program's social media presence did not significantly influence applicants' decision to apply to a specific program; however, there was a trend toward increasing influence with more recent applicants. Future research should further investigate social media's impact on the residency application process and the influence of social media on orthopaedic applicants and residents.

Social media users can be influenced directly by their close relationships, such as their friends, family, and colleagues. They can also be influenced by those who follow them through shared information, goals, news, and opinions. Generally, an influencer is someone who entices an influence to do the same action, make the same decision, or change their behavior. He can also communicate information, ideas, and thoughts to multiple users. There are many tools to identify influencers. It can not be found simply through their big follower number or their shared media number. Thus, influencer identification is one of the essential tasks in social media research. Several approaches and metrics have been proposed in the literature to identify influencers. In this article, we explored the issue of identifying social media influencers while providing a generic view of social media influence. First, we presented a literature synthesis on the influence of social media. Then, we categorized the works and illustrated the leading solutions in literature to identify influencers in social media. A discussion and suggestions for potential future directions in this area accompanied this presentation. We believe these briefings are critical to resolving the issue discussed in this article.

Introduction Where children’s television once ruled supreme as a vehicle for sales of kids’ brands, the marketing of children’s toys now often hinges on having the right social media influencer, many of them children themselves (Verdon). As Forbes reported in 2021, the pandemic saw an increase in children spending more time online, many following their favourite influencers on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. The importance of tapping into partnering with the right influencer grew, as did sales in toys for children isolated at home. We detail, through a case study approach and visual narrative analysis of two Australian influencer siblings’ Instagram accounts, the nature of toy marketing to children in 2023. Findings point to the continued gendered nature of toys and the concurrent promotion of aspirational adult ‘toys’ (for example, cars, high-end cosmetics) and leisure pursuits that blur the line between what we considered to be children’s playthings and adult objects of desire. To Market, to Market Toys are a huge business worldwide. In 2021, the global toys market was projected to grow from $141.08 billion to $230.64 billion by 2028. During COVID-19, toy sales increased (Fortune Business Insights). The rise of the Internet alongside media and digital technologies has given toy marketers new opportunities to reach children directly, as well as producing new forms of digitally enabled play, with marketers potentially having access to children 24/7, way beyond the previous limits of children’s programming on television (Hains and Jennings). Children’s digital content has also extended to digital games alongside digital devices and Internet-connected toys. Children’s personal tablet ownership rose from less than 1 per cent in 2011 to 42 per cent in 2017 (Rideout), and continues to grow. Children’s value for brands and marketers has increased over time (Cunningham). The nexus between physical toys and the entertainment industry has grown stronger, first with the Disney company and then with the stand-out success of the Star Wars franchise (now owned by Disney) from the late 1970s (Hains and Jennings). The concept of transmedia storytelling and selling, with toys as the vehicle for children to play out the stories they saw on television, in comics, books, movies, and online, proved to be a lucrative one for the entertainment company franchises and the toy manufacturers (Bainbridge). All major toy brands now recognise the power of linking toy brands and entertaining transmedia children’s texts, including online content, with Disney, LEGO and Barbie being obvious examples. Gender and Toys: Boys and Girls Come Out to Play Alongside the growth of the children’s market, the gendering of children’s toys has also continued and increased, with concerns that traditional gender roles are still strongly promoted via children’s toys (Fine and Rush). Research shows that girls’ toys are socialising them for caring roles, shopping, and concern with beauty, while toys aimed at boys (including transportation and construction toys, action figures, and weapons) may promote physicality, aggression, construction, and action (Fine and Rush). As Blakemore and Center (632) suggested, then, if children learn from toy-play “by playing with strongly stereotyped toys, girls can be expected to learn that appearance and attractiveness are central to their worth, and that nurturance and domestic skills are important to be developed. Boys can be expected to learn that aggression, violence, and competition are fun, and that their toys are exciting and risky”. Recently there has been some pushback by consumers, and some toy brands have responded, with LEGO committing to less gendered toy marketing (Russell). YouTube: The World’s Most Popular Babysitter? One business executive has described YouTube as the most popular babysitter in the world (Capitalism.com). The use of children as influencers on YouTube to market toys through toy review videos is now a common practice (Feller and Burroughs; De Veirman et al.). These ‘reviews’ are not critical in the traditional sense of reviews in an institutional or legacy media context. Instead, the genre is a mash-up, which blurs the lines between three major genres: review, branded content, and entertainment (Jaakkola). Concerns have been raised about advertising disguised as entertainment for children, and calls have been made for nuanced regulatory approaches (Craig and Cunningham). The most popular toy review channels have millions of subscribers, and their hosts constitute some of YouTube’s top earners (Hunting). Toy review videos have become an important force in children’s media – in terms of economics, culture, and for brands (Hunting). Concurrently, surprise toys have risen as a popular type of toy, thanks in part to the popularity of the unboxing toy review genre (Nicoll and Nansen). Ryan’s World is probably the best-known in this genre, with conservative estimates putting 10-year-old Ryan Kanji’s family earnings at $25 million annually (Kang). Ryan’s World, formerly Ryan’s Toy Review, now has 10 YouTube channels and the star has his own show on Nic Junior as well as across other media, including books and video games (Capitalism.com). Marsh, through her case study of one child, showed the way children interact with online content, including unboxing videos, as ‘cyberflaneurs’. YouTube is the medium of choice for most children (now more so than television; Auxier et al.). However, Instagram is also a site where a significant number of children and teens spend time. Australian data from the e-Safety Commission in 2018 showed that while YouTube was the most popular platform, with 80 per cent of children 8-12 and 86 per cent of teens using the site, 24 per cent of children used Instagram, and 70 per cent of teens 13-17 (e-Safety Commissioner). Given the rise in social media, phone, and tablet use in the last five years, including among younger children, these statistics are now likely to be higher. A report from US-based Business Insider in 2021 stated that 40 per cent of children under 13 already use Instagram (Canales). This is despite the platform ostensibly only being for people aged 13 and over. Ofcom (the UK’s regulator for communications services) has discussed the rise of ‘Tik-Tots’ – young children defying age restrictions to be on social media – and the increase of young people consuming rather than sharing on social media (Ofcom). Insta-Kidfluencers on the Rise Marketers are now tapping into the selling power of children as social media influencers (or kidfluencers) to promote children’s toys, and in some cases, parents are happy to act as their children’s agents and managers for these pint-size prosumers. Abidin ("Micromicrocelebrity") was the first to discuss what she termed ‘micro-microcelebrities’, children of social media influencers (usually mothers) who have become, through their parents’ mediation, paid social media influencers themselves, often through Instagram. As Abidin noted: “their digital presence is deliberately commercial, framed and staged by Influencer mothers in order to maximize their advertorial potential, and are often postured to market even non-baby/parenting products such as fast food and vehicles”. Since that time, and with children now a growing audience on Instagram, some micro-microcelebrities have begun to promote toys alongside other brands which appeal to both children and adults. While initially these human ‘brand extensions’ of their mothers (Archer) appealed to adults, their sponsored content has evolved as they have aged, and their audience has grown and broadened to include children. Given the rise of Instagram as a site for the marketing of toys to children, through children themselves as social media influencers, and the lack of academic research on this phenomenon, our research looks at a case study of prominent child social media influencers on Instagram in Australia, who are managed by their mother, and who regularly promote toys. Within the case study, visual narrative analysis is used, to analyse the Instagram accounts of two high-profile child social media influencers, eleven-year-old Australian Pixie Curtis and her eight-year-old brother, Hunter Curtis, both of whom are managed by their entrepreneur and ‘PR queen’ mother, Roxy Jacenko. We analysed the posts from each child from March to July 2022 inclusive. Posts were recorded in a spreadsheet, with the content described, hashtags or handles recorded, and any brand or toy mentions noted. We used related media reports to supplement the analysis. We have considered ethical implications of our research and have made the decision to identify both children, as their accounts are public, with large follower numbers, promote commercial interests, and have the blue Instagram ‘tick’ that identifies their accounts as verified and ‘celebrity’ or brand accounts, and the children are regularly featured in mainstream media. The children’s mother, Jacenko, often discusses the children on television and has discussed using Pixie’s parties as events to gain publicity for the toy business. We have followed the lead of Abidin and Leaver, considered experts in the field, who have identified children and families in ethnographic research when the children or families have large numbers of followers (see Abidin, "#Familygoals"; Leaver and Abidin). We do acknowledge that other researchers have chosen not to identify influencer children (e.g., Ågren) with smaller numbers of followers. The research questions are as follows: RQ1: What are the toys featured on the two social media influencer children’s sites? RQ2: Are the toys traditionally gendered and if so, what are the main gender-based toys? RQ3: Do the children promote products that are traditionally aimed at adults? If so, how are these ‘toys’ presented, and what are they? Analysis The two child influencers and toy promoters, sister and brother Pixie (11) a

Prominent studies revealed that building the right relationship with the right social media influencer is one of the biggest challenges in influencer marketing. This study mainly aimed at exploring how Sri Lankan beauty and personal care brands opt social media influencers for their influencer marketing campaigns on Instagram. To fulfill the purpose of the study, the study adopted qualitative research approach based on semi-structured interviews to collect responses. The respondents were the personnel responsible for supervising influencer marketing campaigns of beauty and personal care brands in Sri Lanka. The study adopted thematic analysis to perform the analysis of the study and revealed that Sri Lankan beauty and personal care brands opt social media (Instagram) influencers based on top four “REAL” qualities, namely: Relatedness, Engagement, Authenticity and Loyalty. Moreover, researchers discovered the main reasons for choosing social media influencers by Sri Lankan beauty and personal care brands. In addition, study found that the same brands were not much interested in checking the demographic details when selecting social media influencers.

This exploratory study aimed to discern and comprehend the social media usage patterns and their perceived impact on mental health among Generation Z students at a Colombian university. Employing a mixed methods approach, data were collected from 361 Colombian Gen Z individuals. A focus group guide and a self-reported questionnaire, informed by focus group results, were utilized to evaluate diverse constructs. Qualitative data underwent iterative categorization (IC), while quantitative data underwent statistical analysis using SPSS software. Participants predominantly utilized social media for communication and entertainment, with indications of a link between social media use and anxiety. However, participants did not perceive social media as significantly influential in their decision-making processes or relationships. Notably, female participants reported higher anxiety levels. This study of Colombian Gen Z freshmen unveiled social media's notable influence on body image, mental health, and social rewards. It underscores the necessity for tailored interventions to foster positive online experiences, address gender-specific challenges, and reassess brand engagement strategies within this demographic. Additionally, it highlights the need for further research within the Colombian university context. Though the employed instrument exhibited acceptable validity and reliability levels, future research could benefit from enhancements. This paper represents the initial endeavor to analyze social media consumption among Generation Z in Colombia through a mixed methods approach. Examining social media consumption patterns and their impact on mental health contributes to academic discourse on this relationship, informing the design of appropriate pedagogic strategies while considering reported gender differences. This study contributes valuable insights into the intricate interplay between social media use and mental health among Colombian Gen Z students. Addressing these dynamics is pivotal in formulating targeted interventions and strategies to support the mental well-being of this demographic within university settings. Future investigations should focus on refining measurement tools and delving deeper into nuanced aspects of social media's influence on mental health within educational environments.