Instagram influencers as new opinion leaders and their role in the life of teenage girls in the Czech republic

This thesis discusses the role of Instagram influencers in the lives of Czech teenage girls aged 15-18. The aim of the thesis is to understand how girls perceive these online creators, what kind of relationship they have with them and what role they play in their lives. Emphasis is placed on real experience girls have with Instagram and with the creation of influencers. The theoretical part of the thesis summarizes relevant theories, literature and research on selected issues. The practical part of the thesis focuses on the evaluation of the research, which was carried out with the help of a qualitative research method. In total, seven semi-structured in- depth interviews were carried out with teenage girls actively using Instagram. The main finding is that Instagram influencers are a natural part of these girls' lives. Relationships between followers and online creators can be described as parasocial. In order to succeed on Instagram, an influencer must be authentic, while the degree of proximity in the influencer-follower relationship is also important. The research pointed to a possible online platform migration of both influencers and followers, where Instagram is the target platform for users to operate. Instagram influencers play a social role in girls' relationships with their peers. The..