INFLUENCERS AND THEIR IMPORTANCE FOR DIGITAL MARKETING IN CLOTHING STORES IN THE CITY OF ILHÉUS

Abstract

Digital influencers have been widely used by companies as an effective marketing strategy. By applying this tool, companies can reap several benefits and positive impacts on their target audience, especially in the clothing sector. From this perspective, the general objective of the article is to analyze the importance of influencers in the context of digital marketing for clothing stores in Ilhéus, with the following specific objectives: identifying the purchasing process through social media; describe digital influencers and their importance on social media; know the actions/factors that influence conversion into sales on social media. To this end, the methodology used in this research was a bibliographical review, with information regarding digital marketing and the use of digital influencers contained in articles, books and theses, followed by field research with the application of a questionnaire to managers who work in companies that use social networks as a marketing strategy as well as questionnaires for consumers of these companies. After analyzing the results obtained, it was identified that digital influencers play an important role in the contemporary marketing scenario, especially by largely reaching a female audience. Familiarity with influencers is correlated with their integration into marketing strategies, with Instagram being the most prominent platform for this purpose, with the highest sales conversion. Trust in influencers' recommendations influences consumers' purchasing decisions, even though many customers conduct additional research before making a purchase.