Business Commons^™

Financial Influencers And Social Media: The Role Of Valuable And Trusted Content In Creating A New Form Of Authenticity, Imene Chikhi

Student Theses and Dissertations

Prior research shows that social media influencers often use their social networks for constant exposure and self-promotion, similar to the way celebrities do. However, little is known about the potential social media offers for the search of educational content and thought leaders in specific social eds. This research aims at exploring the opportunities social media or as a medium for financial literacy. We examine the content of personal finance influencers who use social as a way to create, share, and promote valuable content of financial knowledge and provide advice to their audiences.

We found that helping individuals to increase their …

The Importance Of A Checkmark: An Investigation Into The Perceptions Of Social Media Verification And Its Effects On Consumer Trust, Jazlyn Dumas

Honors College

Media giants, among them Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, support verified accounts. Verification, denoted by a blue checkmark badge visible in search and on one’s profile, is ostensibly a way of confirming one’s identity, yet only accounts with large followings are awarded verification status by the platform. This research investigates the perception of verification in the context of paid partnerships with social media influencers, a topic relatively absent from the literature despite the billions of dollars spent on influencer partnerships. Verified influencers cost more, therefore, this research could allow brands to capitalize their ad return if they are made aware of …