Faça o que eu digo... e o que eu faço! A percepção dos consumidores quanto à recomendação indireta de influenciadores digitais

Abstract

The growing popularity of digital influencers as advertising vehicles on social media has been driven by increased engagement on social media. These individuals, with large follower bases and the ability to influence behavior, offer companies an effective way to reach specific audiences. The effectiveness of these campaigns lies in the emotional bond and trust that influencers establish with their followers, making their recommendations seen as personal and trustworthy. This marketing strategy is particularly effective for reaching younger, digitally connected demographics who may not be as impacted by traditional advertising. Thus, the general objective of this work was to analyze the perception of followers of the comedian @joaogakel's profile regarding product recommendations made directly and indirectly in videos on the social network Instagram. The study methodology addressed consumers' perception of recommendations from digital influencers, using descriptive research with quantitative and qualitative methods. The analyzes focused on comments on João Akel's Instagram, with data collected from two campaigns: a direct recommendation on September 24, 2021, and another indirect recommendation on August 9, 2023. Using Excel for processing, the comments were categorized as favorable or unfavorable, analyzing aspects such as the person of the influencer, the product and the message, as well as non-verbal elements such as emojis. Analysis of João Akel's campaigns shows that direct recommendation generated mostly positive reactions, with a focus on the personal connection with the influencer, but faced challenges in terms of mockery in unfavorable comments. In contrast, the indirect recommendation was better received, with an emphasis on the message and the person, reflecting the importance of narrative in audience engagement. Instagram metrics indicated that, despite a good reach in direct recommendations, engagement was more limited, especially in shares, while indirect recommendations were significantly more effective, with greater reach and engagement, suggesting greater effectiveness of this approach in influence consumer behavior.