THE ANALYSIS OF INFLUENCER MARKETING APPLICATIONS IN THE CONTEXT OF POST-TRUTH

Abstract

The digital transformation has also changed the dynamics of the communication process between brands and consumers by moving consumers to the position of content producers. Influencer marketing, which emerged as a result of this process, represents a marketing strategy that facilitates the building of sincere and reliable relationships between brands and consumers. On the other hand, post-truth, another concept that entered our lives with digitalization and started to make its impact felt in almost every area of social life is defined as the situation in which personal beliefs, feelings and thoughts are more effective than objective facts in forming public opinion. When the literature on influencer marketing and post-truth is examined, it is perceived that the factors that pave the way for the emergence and rise of these concepts are similar. From this point of view, this study aims to analyze the post-truth phenomenon in terms of influencer marketing, and secondly, to discuss the effects of influencer marketing practices on the target audience in the context of post-truth. For these purposes, in the literature review part of the study, the concepts of influencer marketing and post-truth were discussed and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 participants in the application part and the data obtained were analyzed by descriptive analysis method. As a result of the research, it was determined that the participants acted with their personal beliefs, feelings and thoughts in the context of the influencers they accompanied, the influencers followed were accepted as a sincere and reliable source of information, and they were in the position of the initiator and distributor of WOM. In this respect, it has been concluded that the effects of post-truth are also reflected in the behavior of consumers through influencer marketing practices and that influencers can directly or indirectly pave the way for the legitimation and reinforcement of the post-truth phenomenon.