Exploring Textual and Visual Persuasive Techniques in Macro and Micro Beauty Influencers’ Product Placements on Instagram
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Date
2025-07
Authors
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Publisher
Université Mouloud Mammeri Tizi Ouzou
Abstract
The current study investigates the persuasive techniques employed by Macro and Micro beauty
influencers in their product placement strategies on Instagram. The main aim is to identify and
compare the verbal and visual persuasive techniques these influencers use to promote beauty
products. More specifically, the study has four main objectives: (1) to identify the principles of
persuasion used by Macro and Micro beauty influencers, (2) to determine which routes of
persuasion, central or peripheral, are taken, (3) to examine the semiotic elements embedded
within their content, and (4) to compare the two influencer categories across these three aspects.
To achieve these objectives, a qualitative research design was adopted, based on a corpus of 48
product placements (captions and videos) collected from the official Instagram accounts of six
beauty influencers (three Macro and three Micro) with eight product placements selected per
influencer. The qualitative content analysis was grounded in three theoretical frameworks:
Cialdini’s Six Principles of Persuasion (1983), the Elaboration Likelihood Model by Petty and
Cacioppo (1986), and Barthes’ Semiotic Theory (1957/1972, 1964/1977). The findings revealed
that all six principles of persuasion appeared across the content of both influencer groups, with
liking, commitment, and authority being the most dominant. However, the ways in which these
principles were used varied between the two groups. In addition, both central and peripheral
routes of persuasion were identified, though Macro influencers tended to balance the two, while
Micro influencers leaned more heavily on the peripheral route. Moreover, the semiotic analysis
showed that both groups used denotations, connotations, and myths to construct meaning.
However, Macro influencers often conveyed themes of perfection and aspiration, while Micro
influencers emphasized authenticity, empowerment, and relatable beauty ideals.
Description
100p. : Ill. en coul. ; (+CD-Rom)
Keywords
Beauty influencers, Cialdini’s Principles, Elaboration Likelihood Model, Instagram Product Placement, Macro and Micro Influencers, Persuasion Techniques, Semiotic Analysis
Citation
Language and Communication