Micro-Influencers and Behavioral Intentions: A Qualitative Study of Indian Instagram Users

Purpose – Micro-influencers, identified as social media users between a regular user and celebrities, have become key players in digital marketing. This paper studies the changing credibility of micro-influencers and the way they affect the behavioral intention of Instagram users from India. Design – The research employed a qualitative methodology. Distilled responses from 150 Instagram users, 20 micro-influencers, and 10 small business owners were tabulated. Participants were specifically sought out based on their extent of participation in the context of influencer-driven content, and their purchases of featured products. Findings – The research shows that micro-influencers are having a substantial impact (again) in niche areas including beauty, fashion and fitness. Influencer relatability, consistency and perceived authenticity impact purchase intentions and viral behaviors (liking, sharing, tagging). Implications – The concept of influencer marketing in India is evolving; thus, brands and especially SMEs are identifying micro-influencers with engagement rates, authenticity, and cost-effectiveness. The findings in this paper support investing in the micro-influencer element of influencer marketing given their perceived authenticity and still scalability and emotional relevance of campaign development. Originality/Value - This research offers new insight into measurable effects of Instagram micro-influencers on behavioral changes of Indian consumers in 2024 while many papers study celebrity endorsements or macro-influencers.