Social media influencers - shaping consumption culture among Malaysian youth

Abstract

This study reveals the significance of social networking sites (SNS) that created vast opportunities for cultural awareness and consumption among youth SNS users in Malaysia. Simplicity and user-friendly features on Instagram had heightened interest and growth of its users where the ability to “hashtag” on Instagram identifies current trends based on user-generated images and videos that enable users to generate search results instantaneously. Researchers have argued that SNS users at present trust peer recommendations more than search engines and this phenomenon is evident from their resonance with “social media influencers” (SMIs) who are capable of influencing massive followers through reviews of products, services and social trends on their social media accounts; particularly on dining out and “cafehopping” as a social experience. This study examined the curation of Instagram posts by SMIs and found that their visibility of content created shared voices and reinforced cultural identities among their followers. The content analysis deployed in this study also investigated feedback on the selected SMI’s curation of posts and established that peer engagement is a tangible socialization process that would contribute to the youths’ future use of Instagram as a social, cultural and educational tool.