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Entrepreneurship and social networks: the rise of influencer marketing

Paola Garatti

Università degli Studi di Bergamo

Via Salvecchio 19, 24129 Bergamo, Italy

e-mail: p.garatti@studenti.unibg.it

Silvia Brillo

Università degli Studi di Bergamo

Via Salvecchio 19, 24129 Bergamo, Italy

e-mail: s.brillo@studenti.unibg.it

Ida Antonietta Villani

Università degli Studi di Salerno

Via Giovanni Paolo II 132,

84084 Fisciano (SA), Italy

e-mail: i.villani2@studenti.unisa.it

Iñaki Gil Elizari

Universidad de Valladolid, Escuela de Ingenierías Industriales

Paseo del Cauce, 59, 47011 Valladolid, Spain

e-mail: inaki.gil@alumnos.uva.es

Nina Szczygiel

5 GOVCOPP, DEGEIT, University of Aveiro

Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal

e-mail: nina.szczygiel@ua.pt

ORCID: 0000-0001-5026-1629

Keywords:
social networks, influencer, influencer marketing, entrepreneurship, generation Z.

Abstract

Technological development has paved the way for the growth of social networks over the last years. In this context, influencer marketing has arisen as a strategy to reach a wider and more engaged public when promoting a  product, a  service or a  brand. This marketing strategy implies a  link between brands and influencers who, thanks to their consolidated reputation and trust from their audience, facilitate companies to sell their products and services. This awareness has led to the birth of new types of agencies and businesses, which work as intermediaries between content creators and brands. The paper examines the relationship between entrepreneurship and social networks, with a focus on the application of influencer marketing strategies in a concrete digital company. Findings suggest that with numerous advantages and challenges the sector is seen as currently thriving and the level of confidence about the future is high, and are in line with previous studies.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56652/ejmss2021.1.5
received:   17.05.2021
corrected:  03.06.2021
accepted: 14.06.2021

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