The purpose of this research is to create a model that will benefit this industry and the many changes to come. As of now, there are limited FTC guidelines which limit the protection of content creators, agencies, and brands. That is when I came up with the idea to develop a model to further improve efficiency of the influencer marketing industry, and to help the entrepreneurs who are leading it. This model provides the framework for a strong start in the influencer marketing industry. Through informational interviews, literary research, field studies, and surveys, the model was developed through the data analysis of each of these tools, based on common themes found within each. This research was conducted from a variety of perspectives, including consumers, brands, agencies, and content creators.

The purpose of this research is to create a model that will benefit this industry and the many changes to come. As of now, there are limited FTC guidelines which limit the protection of content creators, agencies, and brands. That is when I came up with the idea to develop a model to further improve efficiency of the influencer marketing industry, and to help the entrepreneurs who are leading it. This model provides the framework for a strong start in the influencer marketing industry. Through informational interviews, literary research, field studies, and surveys, the model was developed through the data analysis of each of these tools, based on common themes found within each. This research was conducted from a variety of perspectives, including consumers, brands, agencies, and content creators.

The purpose of this thesis was to analyze the social media marketing strategies of Goldvana, a recently launched startup who provides a nanotech-enhanced CBD brand, analyze the survey data from over 930 respondents, and make recommendations for Goldvana to improve its social media marketing strategy going forward. After overviewing the science and efficacy of CBD, its legal background, industry trends, and best practices, this thesis will review Goldvana’s offerings, differentiation, and previous social media strategies. Then, this thesis analyzes the data of a qualtrics survey sent to 933 respondents. Among the most interesting trends found were consumers’ heavy prioritization of the credibility of CBD brands, the suggested benefits that consumers were most strongly influenced by (stress relief, pain relief, headache relief), the strong preference of Instagram as a platform to engage with brands on, and significant correlations between CBD use and which benefits of CBD (as well as unique benefits of Goldvana) that consumers consider in their purchasing decision. After analyzing the primary data, industry trends, and best practices, I make three categories of recommendations for Goldvana to revamp its current social media marketing strategy. These recommendations include new tactics for our content strategy, insight on how rebranding may benefit Goldvana, and ideas to install advertisement campaigns that are compliant with the guidelines of both social media platforms and the FDA.

The purpose of this thesis was to analyze the social media marketing strategies of Goldvana, a recently launched startup who provides a nanotech-enhanced CBD brand, analyze the survey data from over 930 respondents, and make recommendations for Goldvana to improve its social media marketing strategy going forward. After overviewing the science and efficacy of CBD, its legal background, industry trends, and best practices, this thesis will review Goldvana’s offerings, differentiation, and previous social media strategies. Then, this thesis analyzes the data of a qualtrics survey sent to 933 respondents. Among the most interesting trends found were consumers’ heavy prioritization of the credibility of CBD brands, the suggested benefits that consumers were most strongly influenced by (stress relief, pain relief, headache relief), the strong preference of Instagram as a platform to engage with brands on, and significant correlations between CBD use and which benefits of CBD (as well as unique benefits of Goldvana) that consumers consider in their purchasing decision. After analyzing the primary data, industry trends, and best practices, I make three categories of recommendations for Goldvana to revamp its current social media marketing strategy. These recommendations include new tactics for our content strategy, insight on how rebranding may benefit Goldvana, and ideas to install advertisement campaigns that are compliant with the guidelines of both social media platforms and the FDA.