Social Media Influencers on Consumer Behaviour: An exploratory study in the food industry in the Kingdom of Bahrain

Social media has become a defining feature of contemporary consumer culture where individuals frequently share videos, reviews, and recommendations across platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube. These practices illustrate the growing significance of social commerce in which everyday interactions and word-of-mouth behaviours directly influence brand perceptions, purchasing decisions, and wider market outcomes. Businesses increasingly leverage social media influencers (SMIs) as strategic mediators to attract and engage consumers but there remains limited research concerning their role in non-Western contexts. This gap is particularly pronounced in Bahrain’s food tourism sector, where cultural and religious dynamics strongly shape consumer attitudes and behaviours.<br/><br/>This thesis investigates the influence of SMIs on consumer behaviour within Bahrain, addressing an underexplored area of research. It draws upon an integrated theoretical framework that combines parasocial relationships, the theory of planned behaviour, the persuasion knowledge model, and consumer culture theory to explain how trust, persuasion, and cultural and religious contexts interact in shaping consumer decision-making. Employing a qualitative methodology, the study combines netnographic (ethnographic video-based) analysis with 19 semi-structured interviews conducted virtually with Bahraini social media users. This approach provides a deep understanding of the participants’ narratives, beliefs, and behaviours, while also enabling the study to capture both individual experiences and broader cultural and religious influences.<br/><br/>The findings reveal that Bahraini consumers form parasocial bonds with influencers that foster trust and affect dining intentions, while persuasion knowledge generates scepticism towards explicitly commercial content. Short-form video content emerges as a particularly powerful tool, with influencer credibility and content authenticity driving consumer engagement. At the same time, cultural and religious values, such as collectivist family dining practices and adherence to Islamic principles, moderate these dynamics, influencing how consumers interpret and act upon influencer recommendations. Novelty-driven food trends create short-term excitement yet sustained influence depends on cultural alignment and the perceived trustworthiness of the influencer.<br/><br/>The study makes several contributions to knowledge. Theoretically, it advances an integrated framework that demonstrates how parasocial trust, persuasion awareness, and cultural factors collectively shape consumer attitudes, norms, and behavioural intentions. Methodologically, it illustrates the value of combining netnography with in-depth interviews in revealing subtle forms of persuasion and scepticism in digital environments. Empirically, it offers one of the first in-depth investigations of SMIs within Bahrain’s food tourism sector, highlighting how cultural and religious contexts uniquely shape influencer-consumer dynamics. Practically, the findings provide actionable insights for businesses, policymakers, and influencers seeking to develop culturally sensitive and sustainable marketing strategies in the region.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Doctoral Thesis

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Student thesis

Year dc:date.issued

2026

Author dc:creator

• Jamsheer, Noor Isa

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Thomas, Lauren Josie
• Harris, Jacqueline
• Deacon, Jonathan

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

oai:pure.atira.dk:studenttheses/d8da582f-618d-4cc4-b4df-7b87ad61aae9

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:pure.atira.dk:studenttheses/d8da582f-618d-4cc4-b4df-7b87ad61aae9