Understanding Influencer Followership on Social Media: A Case Study of Students at a South African University

Abstract

The influence of social media personalities has grown significantly, especially among youth audiences who spend substantial time on platforms like TikTok. The emergence and popularity of different types of social media influencers accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic in many countries, including South Africa. In turn, this period also saw a surge in youth audiences following these influencers. This rapid growth of influencer followings among young people is largely driven by specific types of content that resonate with them, thus encouraging continued engagement. However, the benefits that these young followers gain from engaging with various influencers and the factors driving their preferences for specific influencers remain underexplored, particularly within the context of South African students within higher education. Therefore, this study explores the types of social media influencers most followed by university students at a South African University and investigates the key factors that drive their preferences. A structured online questionnaire was distributed, gathering both multiple-choice and open-ended responses from students. The data were analyzed using categorical frequency counts and thematic analysis. The data highlight how students actively turn to influencers as emotional anchors, role models, and sources of practical guidance. Their engagement reflects a deep need for connection, inspiration, and identity formation in a challenging academic and social environment. These patterns show that influencer content is not just entertainment but plays a critical developmental role. Understanding these motivations helps educators, policymakers, and brands to align better with youth values. The significance of these results lies in how influencer content is now coming in to fill the emotional, cultural, and educational gaps left by traditional systems among the young South African university students in this modern era.

1. Introduction

Social media has transformed how individuals communicate, interact, and consume content, and it has also emerged as a valuable platform for collecting data to study human behavior through quality contextual data collection (Chani et al., 2023). Defined as online platforms that enable users to create, share, and exchange information and ideas (Bosch, 2020), social media has evolved into a space with various types of users. Among these users are social media influencers, that is, individuals who have gained popularity on these platforms and have the ability to shape opinions and trends (Bu et al., 2022). Influencers cater to different content categories such as comedy, entertainment, and motivation, attracting large followings in the process (De Veirman et al., 2017). While previous studies have identified the most popular influencers based on follower count, much of the existing research has primarily centered on influencer marketing (Thakur et al., 2023; Vrontis et al., 2021). The resulting body of scholarly work remains divergent, partial, and fragmented (Vrontis et al., 2021), with a predominant focus on understanding the motivations behind influencer content creation. Consequently, the motivations of followers, particularly who they follow and why they choose to follow specific influencers, remain underexplored (Morton, 2020). Given the increasing use of social media among youth worldwide (Bozzola et al., 2022; Winstone et al., 2021), more work is needed to build a localized and contextual understanding of social media use and adolescent well-being (Ghai et al., 2022).

The rise of social media in South Africa gained significant momentum in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, as lockdowns forced people to rely on digital platforms for communication (Vrontis et al., 2021; Bozzola et al., 2022). This period saw an increase in social media interactions, leading to the emergence of various influencers who gained popularity among South African users (Djafarova & Bowes, 2021; Schouten et al., n.d.). However, beyond the pandemic, the rise of modern social media features, which cater particularly to younger users, also contributed to the platform’s growing influence (Bhandari & Bimo, 2022). Additionally, with the transition to online learning in 2020, South African government allocated data budgets for university students, providing them with increased access to social media platforms on their free time (Baloyi et al., 2022). As a result, a significant number of students began engaging with influencers, further solidifying the platform’s role in their daily lives (Judijanto et al., 2024; Ren et al., 2025).

Despite the observed increase in student engagement with social media influencers, there remains a lack of research identifying the specific types of influencers mostly followed by South African university students. Furthermore, limited studies have examined the factors that drive these students’ preferences in selecting these influencers. Understanding these factors is crucial, as it offers insights into audience targeting for businesses, universities, and political organizations. Marketers can leverage this knowledge to promote products effectively, while political entities can use it to engage with student communities. Additionally, social media influencers can refine their content strategies to align with student preferences, thereby increasing their reach and engagement.

South Africa represents its own unique context, as it is characterized by extraordinary diversity such as having 11 official languages, a broad spectrum of cultural traditions, and social and economic inequalities rooted in its apartheid history. These factors continue to influence behaviors and characteristics of youth today in terms of issues of their identity, aspirations, access to technology, and more. South African University students represent a small subset of this broader societal complexity. In addition to academic challenges, these students often face uncertainties about how to navigate an upward social progression within a society where economic inequality, racial dynamics, and strong cultural heritage remain deeply salient. Furthermore, access to relatable role models is often inconsistent. In a country like South Africa, youth are often at the forefront of social movements such as the widely known #FeesMustFall protests (Griffiths, 2019), where university students demanded more affordable higher education, or the Dudula Movement (Tarisayi, 2024), which has been marked by xenophobic sentiments. In this context, social media influencers play a significant role for students not only as sources of entertainment or information, but as figures who provide aspirational content, cultural and political representation, and in some cases, pathways for navigating personal and social identity.

Given these dynamics, it is reasonable to expect that the types of influencers followed by South African university students, as well as the motivations driving these preferences, may differ in significant ways from patterns observed in other global contexts. Understanding these distinctions is not only academically relevant but also has practical implications for marketers, educators, and policymakers seeking to engage meaningfully with this diverse and influential demographic.

In light of the above, this study seeks to address the following research question: what type of social media influencers are mostly followed by South African university students, and what factors drive their preferences? By doing so, it aims to generate contextually grounded insights that contribute to the broader literature on social media influencers while also reflecting the unique cultural, social, and political realities of South African higher education.

To answer the research question, this study conducted a comprehensive literature review on existing frameworks used to design questionnaires for identifying the types of influencers followed by students and subsequently selected an appropriate framework that aligned with this study’s objectives. Following this, research was implemented by determining an adequate sample size, conducting a pilot test, and administering the final survey to selected student participants. The collected responses were analyzed using qualitative thematic clustering to group influencer types and interpret student motivations. The results were organized to reveal both the most followed influencer category types and the motivations behind these preferences. Finally, the study findings were interpreted and presented by comparing them with the existing literature, highlighting patterns, and drawing conclusions on student–influencer interactions. By achieving these objectives, this research provides valuable insights into the dynamics of influencer engagement among South African university students, contributing to the broader understanding of social media influence within this demographic.

The following section presents the literature review, where we discuss findings from previous studies related to our research. This will be followed by the methodology section, which outlines how we collected and analyzed data from students. Next, the findings section will highlight the key results of our research. Finally, the conclusion will summarize the overall outcomes and implications of this study.

2. Literature Review

Social media refers to online platforms that enable users to create, share, and exchange information and ideas (Bosch, 2020). Within these platforms, users can generally be categorized into two groups: normal users and influencers (Ren et al., 2025). Influencers are those who have gained significant popularity on these platforms, largely due to the attention and engagement they receive from regular users (Ao et al., 2023). These influencers often operate in various content categories such as comedy, entertainment, motivation, lifestyle, etc. (Lou & Zhou, 2024). Consequently, some individuals emerge as major influencers within these categories, especially in countries with a large and active influencer community, often more expansive than that of South Africa (Singh et al., 2024).

The usage of social media among South African university students saw a significant transformation during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, the sudden shift from face-to-face to online learning, mandated by global lockdowns, disrupted traditional educational frameworks (Czerniewicz et al., 2020; Tadesse & Muluye, 2020). In response, the South African government distributed data packages to students to support online learning, inadvertently expanding their access to various social media platforms during their leisure time (Reddy Moonasamy & Naidoo, 2022). During this period, digital spaces became essential for communication, learning, and social interaction, further embedding social media into students’ daily routines. This led to a significant increase in both platform usage and the visibility of influencers in South Africa, during this period onward (Bosch, 2020; Vrontis et al., 2021; Dlamini, 2024).

Despite this expansion, little is known about the specific types of influencers followed by South African university students or the motivations driving their preferences. Most existing research emphasizes influencer popularity, often measured by follower metrics or generalized marketing appeal, leaving a gap in understanding the unique behaviors and preferences of students in distinct local contexts. As noted by (Ghai et al., 2022), there is a pressing need for more inclusive and context-sensitive research, especially across underrepresented regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa. Such research will aid in building a localized understanding of social media use and adolescent well-being.

A study by (Morton, 2020) explores 29 Mexican young adults’ motivations for following social media influencers. Among motivations such as information, communication, entertainment, and surveillance, this study also revealed inspiration as one of the motivations that had not yet been discovered in the previous literature on uses and gratification. While the authors acknowledge that their sampling approach limits the generalizability of the findings, their work offers a valuable foundation for further exploratory research aimed at deepening understanding of how these motivations may be shaped by context-specific factors. As such, in this study, we consider how these motivations may differ for students in an underexplored context such as African higher education institutions, who may be driven by context-specific needs such as cultural diversity, pressures, and expectations, identity exploration, political, or academic inspiration. In addition to informing commercial marketing strategies within that context, such a study contributes to broader societal insights, including cultural beliefs, social dynamics, and political engagement, all of which play a role in shaping the development of well-rounded young individuals.

A study (Croes & Bartels, 2021) revealed that information sharing, cool and new trends, relaxing entertainment, companionship, boredom/habitual pass time, and information seeking, are key motivators for following influencers, which in turn influence purchasing decisions. Similarly, (Lee et al., 2022) found that authenticity, consumerism, creative inspiration, and even envy significantly contribute to why young adults follow Instagram influencers. Research by (Tao, 2024) explored the motivations for following influencers among members of the broader Bangkok community, with most of the 93 participants falling within the 21 to 40-year age range. This study identified influencer characteristics, follower characteristics, video style, and engagement strategy as key factors driving follower behavior. These observations were echoed by (Tafesse & Wood, 2021), who also emphasized the importance of influencer’s content quality and engagement strategy in maintaining follower interest. Additionally, studies such as (Sokolova & Perez, 2021) demonstrate that motivations for following influencers can sometimes stem from followers’ pre-existing behaviors and interests. For example, they found that for followers of fitness influencers, interaction and engagement were particularly motivating for those who were already physically active. Moreover, research on health information-seeking behaviors on platforms like YouTube (Myung, 2022) identifies utility factors such as health consciousness and internet self-efficacy as motivations for following a health and fitness influencer but does not consider broader categories of influencer content or the cultural relevance. This study’s applicability to South African students remains limited in scope. (Galleguillos et al., 2023) investigated the impact of influencers on purchasing behavior among Chilean university students, illustrating how influencers influence not only consumption but also lifestyle preferences. (Alhothali & Aljefree, 2023) echoed these findings in their qualitative research on food influencers, demonstrating the functional role of influencers beyond entertainment.

Similarly (Angeles et al., 2024), in a study conducted in the Philippines, explores the emotional attachment Generation Z audiences may develop toward influencers, particularly in relation to the perceived interestingness and reliability of branded content. This study provides valuable insights into how emotional resonance can shape online engagement, especially within a marketing context. However, the research operates on the assumption that following behavior is primarily driven by emotional attachment. This perspective, while important, may overlook other significant motivational factors such as aspirational identification, informational utility, entertainment value, or even peer influence. Not all followings are rooted in emotional connection. Some may stem from pragmatic or strategic considerations, such as seeking academic tips, lifestyle inspirations, or professional development content.

One relevant study that examined influencer followership among university students is that of (Alhothali & Aljefree, 2023). This study, which involved 17 participants from two public higher education institutions in Saudi Arabia, aimed to explore students’ motivations for following food influencers. This study identified ten key themes: seven gratifications—broadening knowledge, perceived usefulness, self-improvement, boosting positivity, fostering morale, reinforcing inspiration, and passing time/enjoyment—and three perceptions related to food advertising, namely, repetition, authenticity, and unhealthiness. While this study offers valuable insights into how students engage with food-related content, it presents some limitations. The exclusive focus on food influencers assumes their relevance without first establishing whether this category is among the most followed by students. This focused lens, however, helps uncover rich, food influencer-specific understandings rather than yielding a broader representative understanding of different influencer types. In this current work, however, we acknowledge that other influencer types such as entertainment, education, lifestyle, or mental health, may hold greater significance for the student population. An additional limitation, the small sample size, although useful for generating in-depth thematic insights, restricts the generalizability of the findings. Despite these limitations, this study provides a useful entry point into understanding influencer-driven motivations within a specific influencer type and highlights the need for additional research to adopt a broader and more representative approach. Such an approach can first identify the most commonly followed types of influencers among students, and then explore the deeper, diverse motivations underlying their preferences.

Recent Studies across Africa have examined the role of social media in young adults’ within higher educational institutions. For instance, (Odoom et al., 2025) explored social media usage among Ghanaian tertiary students, finding that influencers significantly shape trends and behaviors, though their study did not focus explicitly on influencer types or motivations. Similarly, (Richter-Addo, 2024) investigated how perceived authority influences online purchasing behavior among Ghanaian university students, highlighting that influencer credibility directly impacts student preferences. In East Africa, (Obino Mulenga & Nyangoya, 2025) examined the link between social media and eating disorders among Kenyan university students, highlighting the potential psychological impact of influencer-driven body image views. While informative, this work focuses more on risks than motivations for following influencers.

In South Africa, research has begun to unpack how social media influences student behaviors, yet few studies directly address the intersection of influencer preferences and the motivations behind following them. For example, (Ifedayo, 2018) identified peer pressure, keeping in touch with friends, meeting new people, low cost of access, and social surveillance as key motivations for undergraduate students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) to adopt Facebook as a social media platform. While this study was conducted within the South African context, its focus differs from that of the current study, as it explored the general motivations for using Facebook. In contrast, the current study seeks to investigate the types of social media influencers most followed by university students at a university of technology in South Africa and the factors that drive their preferences. Research by (Lues, 2024) on brand loyalty among South African students demonstrated that influencers play a significant role in shaping student preferences, particularly in the areas of fashion and higher education. This study revealed that brand awareness and perceived quality are key motivators for students to follow and remain loyal to fashion brands, often promoted by influencers. Similarly, (Johannes et al., 2024) explored the role of social media engagement in promoting physical activity among South African university students, suggesting that influencers can drive positive behavioral change. However, while these studies highlight the growing influence of social media and influencers on young adults in higher educational institutions, they do not specifically examine the intersection between the types of influencers students follow with the motivations behind their preferences.

In light of these gaps, it becomes evident that current research does not sufficiently address the following question: what type of social media influencers are mostly followed by South African university students and what factors drive their preferences? Answering this question is critical to developing a contextually grounded understanding of social media influence among youth in higher education, particularly within the distinct sociocultural landscape of South Africa. This study addresses this gap by investigating the types of social media influencers mostly followed by students at a university of technology in South Africa and identifying the key factors that drive their preferences.

3. Methodology

3.1. Research Design

This study utilized a qualitative, exploratory design, complemented by descriptive quantitative elements. The main focus was on qualitative analysis, specifically thematic analysis of open-ended responses. However, frequency counts and percentages were also calculated to illustrate how commonly themes appeared among participants. These quantitative measures were intended to support and contextualize the qualitative findings, rather than to test hypotheses, thereby preserving this study’s core qualitative nature while offering clarity on the distribution of themes within the sample. This qualitative approach was chosen because this research seeks to understand why students at a university of technology in South Africa follow certain types of social media influencers, exploring their motivations, preferences, and psychological factors. This design was supported by similar studies such as (Cronje, 2024), which used qualitative methods to explore the role of social media in shaping career discovery aspirations and choices of South African students. Additionally, (Morton, 2020; Croes & Bartels, 2021; Lee et al., 2022) used qualitative methods in their studies exploring how students use social media tools, reinforcing the appropriateness of this design for our study.

3.2. Population and Sample

The population for this study comprised undergraduate students enrolled at a South African university of technology. This demographic was selected due to their active engagement with social media platforms and their relevance to this study’s focus on influencer followership among youth audiences in higher education. University students represent a critical demographic for understanding social media influence patterns, as they are digital natives who have grown up alongside the evolution of these platforms and are at a formative stage in their personal and professional development.

A total of 257 students participated in this study by completing an online questionnaire. The recruitment process targeted students across multiple faculties to ensure diverse academic perspectives and experiences.

Table 1. Participant demographics and characteristics.

Characteristic	Category	Frequency (n)	Percentage (%)
Gender	Male	111	43.2
	Female	146	56.8
Faculty	Applied and Health Sciences	89	34.6
	Management Sciences	97	37.7
	Engineering	71	27.6
Academic Year	Second year	134	52.1
	Third year	123	47.9
Daily TikTok Usage	Less than 1 h	67	26.1
	1–3 h	128	49.8
	More than 3 h	62	24.1
Number of TikTok Influencers Followed	3–5 influencers	98	38.1
	6–10 influencers	87	33.9
	11–20 influencers	52	20.2
	More than 20 influencers	20	7.8
Years Using TikTok	Less than 1 year	23	8.9
	1–2 years	89	34.6
	3–4 years	97	37.7
	More than 4 years	48	18.7

provides a comprehensive overview of participant demographics and characteristics, revealing a well-distributed sample across key variables relevant to this study’s objectives.

The sample achieved a balanced gender distribution, with a slight female majority (56.8%), which reflects the general enrollment patterns at many South African universities of technology. The faculty distribution shows good representation across the three major academic divisions: Management Sciences (37.7%), Applied and Health Sciences (34.6%), and Engineering (27.6%). This distribution ensures that perspectives from diverse academic disciplines are captured, potentially revealing different influencer preferences based on field of study.

The academic year distribution shows a fairly even split between second-year (52.1%) and third-year students (47.9%). This balance is important for understanding how university experience and academic maturity might influence social media engagement patterns. The exclusion of first-year students was deliberate, as they may not yet be fully integrated into university culture, while fourth-year students were excluded due to their transitional focus toward graduation and career entry.

Experience with TikTok shows that most participants (72.3%) have been using the platform for 1–4 years, indicating familiarity with its features and influencer ecosystem. Evening usage (51.4%) dominates, suggesting that TikTok consumption often serves as relaxation or entertainment after academic activities.

3.3. Data Collection Tools and Process

A structured questionnaire was employed as the primary data collection instrument. Developed using Google Forms, it was carefully designed to capture both quantitative and qualitative data through a combination of closed-ended and open-ended questions. This mixed-format approach enabled the researchers to categorize students’ responses and simultaneously delve into their personal motivations and thought processes.

3.3.1. Questionnaire Structure

The questionnaire was divided into four key sections:

• Demographic Information: Captured gender, faculty, year of study, and patterns of TikTok usage to contextualize followership behavior.
• Influencer Following Patterns: Comprised multiple-choice questions to quantify the number and categories of influencers followed.
• Influencer Identification: Asked students to list their top three most-followed TikTok influencers.
• Motivation Exploration: Included open-ended questions prompting students to explain why they followed each influencer, uncovering the emotional, aspirational, or practical value derived from their content.

3.3.2. Key Data Collection Components

The core section of the survey required participants to name up to three TikTok influencers they currently follow. For each influencer, participants were asked the following:

• Select the influencer’s content category (e.g., entertainment, lifestyle, music, education, politics, motivational, or other);
• Provide a short description of the influencer’s typical content;
• Elaborate on their reasons for following the influencer, using open-ended responses to capture nuanced motivations.

3.3.3. Data Collection Process

To ensure instrument validity, a pilot study was conducted with 20 randomly selected students. Feedback from the pilot led to minor adjustments in the wording of questions and refinement of influencer category options to improve clarity and relevance. The finalized questionnaire was disseminated digitally, primarily via WhatsApp groups and institutional online platforms. Class representatives and student leaders assisted in circulating the form to maximize reach across faculties and year levels. This distribution method allowed broad participation from the target population while preserving anonymity and reducing response pressure. The use of a self-administered online questionnaire ensured that students could reflect and respond thoughtfully at their convenience. The combination of closed-ended questions facilitated statistical analysis, while open-ended responses offered depth, revealing the social, emotional, and aspirational dimensions of influencer followership.

3.4. Data Analysis

Data analysis followed a two-phase process. First, we counted and grouped the responses from the closed-ended questions in our questionnaire to identify the most followed influencer category type. These categories included entertainment and comedy, music and dance, lifestyle, travel and relationship, and motivational, inspirational, and spiritual influencers. These categories were developed based on the types of content produced by influencers, as reported by the students. Although the questionnaire initially included a wide range of influencer types, we were able to consolidate similar categories to streamline and simplify the list.

Next, responses to the open-ended questions were analyzed using thematic analysis. This process involved identifying and grouping the reasons students provided for following specific influencers into common themes that emerged from their engagement with social media content. Themes such as entertainment, inspiration, information seeking, relatability, and emotional support were identified to better understand the underlying motivations behind their choices. This analysis provided valuable insights into the various benefits students sought from social media use, as well as the types of content they consumed from different influencers.

4. Findings

4.1. Quantitative Analysis of Influencer Categories

The quantitative analysis of close-ended responses revealed the distribution of influencer preferences among the 257 participants. Students were asked to identify their top three most-followed TikTok influencers and categorize each by type. The consolidation of similar categories resulted in five primary influencer types, generating a total of 771 influencer mentions (257 participants × 3 influencers each).

4.1.1. Overall Distribution of Influencer Preferences

Table 2. Distribution of influencer categories followed by students.

Influencer Category	Total Mentions *	Percentage of Total Mentions	Students Following (n = 257)	Percentage of Students
Entertainment and Comedy	285	37.0%	231	89.9%
Music and Dance	198	25.7%	187	72.8%
Lifestyle, Travel, and Relationship	156	20.2%	142	55.3%
Motivational, Inspirational, and Spiritual	89	11.5%	78	30.4%
Educational, Tech, and Fitness	43	5.6%	39	15.2%
Total	771	100.0%	-	-

* Total mentions = 771 (257 participants × 3 influencers each).

presents the frequency and percentage distribution of influencer categories based on students’ selections. The analysis reveals a clear hierarchy in student preferences, with entertainment-focused content dominating the landscape.

Entertainment and comedy influencers emerged as the most dominant category, accounting for 37.0% of all mentions and followed by 89.9% of participants. This was followed by music and dance influencers (25.7% of mentions, 72.8% of students), indicating that performance-based entertainment constitutes the majority of student engagement. Lifestyle, travel, and relationship content represented 20.2% of mentions, followed by 55.3% of students, suggesting strong aspirational motivations. Motivational and educational content, while followed by smaller percentages of students (30.4% and 15.2% respectively), still represented significant engagement patterns among specific student subgroups.

4.1.2. Faculty-Based Analysis

Academic discipline significantly influenced certain influencer preferences, particularly in educational and lifestyle content (

Table 3. Faculty-based distribution of influencer preferences.

Influencer Category	Applied and Health Sciences (n = 89)	Management Sciences (n = 97)	Engineering (n = 71)	F-Statistic	p-Value
Entertainment and Comedy	81 (91.0%)	88 (90.7%)	62 (87.3%)	0.523	0.593
Music and Dance	68 (76.4%)	73 (75.3%)	46 (64.8%)	2.145	0.120
Lifestyle, Travel, and Relationship	52 (58.4%)	59 (60.8%)	31 (43.7%)	4.231 *	0.016
Motivational, Inspirational, and Spiritual	29 (32.6%)	32 (33.0%)	17 (23.9%)	1.523	0.221
Educational, Tech, and Fitness	8 (9.0%)	11 (11.3%)	20 (28.2%)	12.456 ***	<0.001

Note: * p < 0.05, *** p < 0.001.

).

Engineering students demonstrated significantly higher engagement, with educational, tech, and fitness influencers (28.2%) compared to Management Sciences (11.3%) and Applied and Health Sciences students (9.0%) (F = 12.456, p < 0.001). This pattern aligns with the technical nature of engineering disciplines and suggests that students seek supplemental learning resources relevant to their field of study.

Lifestyle, travel, and relationship content showed moderate but significant variation across faculties (F = 4.231, p = 0.016), with Management Sciences students showing the highest engagement (60.8%) and Engineering students showing the lowest engagement (43.7%). This may reflect different career aspirations and lifestyle orientations across academic disciplines.

Entertainment and music categories showed consistent appeal across all faculties, with no significant differences, reinforcing their universal appeal among university students regardless of academic focus.

4.1.3. Academic Year Comparison

The comparison between second and third-year students revealed relatively stable preferences across academic progression (

Table 4. Academic year comparison of influencer following patterns.

Influencer Category	Second Year Students (n = 134)	Third Year Students (n = 123)	Difference	Chi-Square (χ2)	p-Value
Entertainment and Comedy	122 (91.0%)	109 (88.6%)	−2.4%	0.423	0.515
Music and Dance	94 (70.1%)	93 (75.6%)	+5.5%	1.023	0.312
Lifestyle, Travel, and Relationship	69 (51.5%)	73 (59.3%)	+7.8%	1.567	0.211
Motivational, Inspirational, and Spiritual	37 (27.6%)	41 (33.3%)	+5.7%	0.987	0.321
Educational, Tech, and Fitness	18 (13.4%)	21 (17.1%)	+3.7%	0.654	0.419

).

No statistically significant differences emerged between second and third-year students across any influencer category. However, modest trends suggest that third-year students show slightly higher engagement with aspirational (lifestyle, travel, and relationship) and growth-oriented content (motivational, educational), potentially reflecting increased focus on post-graduation planning and career development. The consistency in entertainment preferences across academic years suggests that the stress-relief and social connection functions of these influencers remain constant throughout university experience.

This pattern suggests that while entertainment and lifestyle content maintains strong local preferences, educational content consumption is more globally oriented.

4.1.4. Gender-Based Analysis

Significant gender differences emerged in influencer preferences, particularly in lifestyle and educational content categories (

Table 5. Influencer category preferences by gender.

Influencer Category	Male Students (n = 111)	Female Students (n = 146)	Difference	Chi-Square (χ2)	p-Value
Entertainment and Comedy	98 (88.3%)	133 (91.1%)	+2.8%	0.521	0.471
Music and Dance	76 (68.5%)	111 (76.0%)	+7.5%	1.842	0.175
Lifestyle, Travel, and Relationship	45 (40.5%)	97 (66.4%)	+25.9%	17.234 ***	<0.001
Motivational, Inspirational, and Spiritual	38 (34.2%)	40 (27.4%)	−6.8%	1.421	0.233
Educational, Tech, and Fitness	25 (22.5%)	14 (9.6%)	−12.9%	8.954 **	0.003

Note: ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001.

).

The most pronounced gender difference occurred in lifestyle, travel, and relationship content, with 66.4% of female students following these influencers compared to only 40.5% of male students (χ² = 17.234, p < 0.001). This 25.9 percentage point difference suggests that aspirational lifestyle content resonates more strongly with female students. Conversely, educational, tech, and fitness influencers were followed significantly more by male students (22.5%) than female students (9.6%) (χ² = 8.954, p = 0.003), indicating gendered patterns in practical skill-seeking behavior.

Interestingly, entertainment and comedy and music and dance categories showed no significant gender differences, suggesting that entertainment and performance-based content appeals broadly across gender lines. The slight male preference for motivational content (34.2% vs. 27.4%) was not statistically significant, indicating similar levels of engagement with inspirational content across genders.

4.2. Qualitative Analysis of Influencer Categories

4.2.1. Entertainment and Comedy Influencers

This category includes comedy and entertainment influencers, storytime creators, lip-sync performers, ASMR artists, and other creators of lighthearted or recreational content. What unites these influencers is their primary purpose: to provide entertainment. Whether through skits, jokes, or daily relatable content, these influencers are a vital source of stress reduction and light-heartedness.

Many male students referenced creators like King Nuba, Lasizwe, and Mbeje as “stress relievers” and noted they “help me forget about academic pressure” (participant 200, male, 3rd year Engineering student), “I really like jokes, paying attention to them helps me to forget about my daily stressors, and obviously I like maskandi music” (participant 31, male, 2nd year Management Sciences student) and “Because if I have a stress he make me laugh too much” (participant 11, male, 3rd year Applied Health Sciences student).

Female students also echoed this, saying, “His video sometimes usually becomes a ticket to escape academic stress” (participant 68, female, 2nd year Management Sciences student), “Her jokes lift up my mood” (participant 55, female, 3rd year Applied Health Sciences student), and “I follow him because when you’re going through his page even if you’re stressed you tend to forget everything that is stressing you” (participant 102, female, 2nd year Engineering student). These responses confirm that humor-based content plays a strong emotional support role for students.

Storytime and lip-sync creators are particularly popular among students who seek drama, emotion, real-life narratives, and a deeper cultural understanding. For example, when commenting on Mavundla, a popular influencer who shares stories about the origins of African culture through storytelling, one young man stated, “To learn about how should I behave as a young man” (participant 27, male, 3rd year Applied Health Sciences student), reflecting the desire among young men to understand social expectations and norms in order to navigate society appropriately.

Similarly, students expressed their appreciation for such content, with one participant noting, “I like listening to what she has to say” (participant 21, female, 2nd year Management Sciences student), and another stating, “His stories are interesting and relatable” (participant 163, male, 3rd year Engineering student).

Lip-sync content was described as “entertaining and expressive,” indicating students enjoy the performance aspect, especially when it mirrors popular songs, trends, or social scenarios. For example, one male student states “@2berh primarily shares lip-sync videos, often featuring popular songs and trending audio clips. Her content showcases expressive performances and creative interpretations of various audio tracks, engaging her audience with relatable and entertaining clips” (participant 15, male, 2nd year Engineering student).

ASMR, although minimally followed, reflects an interest in calming, immersive content, especially among female students. One ASMR student follower noted, “I like the experience she give us on her videos and lives” (participant 51, female, 3rd year Management Sciences student).

Overall, the motivation behind following this influencer group is deeply emotional and personal. Students follow entertainment-focused influencers to manage stress, connect with relatable experiences, and affirm their cultural identity. While male students leaned slightly more toward slapstick or visual comedy, females included emotional storytelling and reaction-based humor. As a result, gender does not drastically change the type of influencers followed in this category. This highlights the versatile impact entertainment has in student life as both a coping tool and a way to bond with culture and community.

4.2.2. Music and Dance Influencers

This category brings together musicians, vocalists, songwriters, and dance influencers. These creators are focused on performance-based content, creativity, and expression through rhythm and sound. While music influencers often inspire through lyrical storytelling or beats, dance influencers extend the engagement through movement, challenges, and choreography.

One male student said, “Music heals my soul,” (participant 243, male, 2nd year Engineering student), “Her music heals, her music are a kind of prayer that motivates” (participant 72, female, 3rd year Applied Health Sciences student), while another wrote, “His songs are motivating and spiritual” (participant 108, female, 2nd year Management Sciences student). These responses show that music provides both entertainment and depth. Students relate to lyrics, beats, and cultural references.

Dance influencers like Kamo Mphela and Uncle Waffles are praised for their choreography, style, and participation in trends. “I also love dancing so I pick up some skills from her” (participant 83, female, 3rd year Management Sciences student), one female student shared, revealing the learning component embedded in the entertainment. Dance influencers were followed evenly by both genders, but females emphasized style and self-confidence, while males focused more on challenge participation and rhythm.

Males tend to follow music influencers who align with hip-hop, rap, traditional maskandi music, or Afrobeat—often naming male artists and citing admiration for their success and hustle. One states, “I’m into music and I get to see a lot of hip hop music related content” (participant 10, male, 2nd year Engineering student) and another says, “He proudly represents South African culture through music and storytelling. His unique blend of traditional maskandi sound with modern TikTok trends makes his content both entertaining and culturally meaningful. He brings a strong sense of identity, creativity, and passion that resonates with fans who value authenticity and heritage” (participant 9, male, 3rd year Applied Health Sciences student).

Female students followed a balance of female and male artists, with a stronger emotional attachment: “She inspires me through her music” (participant 213, female, 2nd year Management Sciences student), or “She posts her videos promoting maskandi songs. She also shares her life with her friends and shares encouraging words to do good things” (participant 57, female, 3rd year Applied Health Sciences student), and “Her songs are like a prayer that keeps us going in life” (participant 73, female, 2nd year Management Sciences student).

Music and dance serve as both a creative expression and emotional outlet. They build confidence, help with mood regulation, and offer cultural identity. Several students follow creators to discover new music or “see behind-the-scenes in the studio,” blending interest in the craft with entertainment. This shows students are not just passive viewers—they engage, participate, and grow through these influencers.

4.2.3. Lifestyle, Travel, and Relationship Influencers

This broad group merges travel and lifestyle influencers, relationship/dating influencers, fashion and beauty creators, and food influencers. All these creators showcase aspects of aspirational or relatable daily life.

This group had high female engagement, with many students citing these influencers as “motivating,” “aesthetic,” or “a role model.” Influencers like Grace Mondlana, Lerato Nxumalo, and Ofentse Mphuthi were admired for their independence, balance of family and career, and authenticity. “She motivates me to live my life to the fullest without fear” (participant 87, female, 2nd year Applied Health Sciences student) and “She shows that it’s possible to start from nothing and make it” (participant 171, female, 3rd year Management Sciences student) were common sentiments. These influencers represent aspirational living, often triggering self-reflection and ambition in students.

Male students were slightly less present in this category, but those who followed lifestyle or relationship influencers often focused on love, image, and success. One male student explained, “I like his fashion, it inspires me” (participant 123, male, 2nd year Engineering student). Another elaborated, “I follow Wisdom Kaye because his fashion sense is creative, bold, and inspiring. He doesn’t just follow trends—he sets them. I enjoy seeing how he puts together unique outfits and explains his thought process. His confidence and originality motivate me to be more expressive with my own style. Plus, his content is always high-quality and fun to watch.” (participant 37, male, 3rd year Engineering student).

In terms of relationships, one student shared, “Their relationship shows how to treat women with respect.” (participant 181, male, 2nd year Management Sciences student) while another elaborately explained, “I admire Maverick Muji’s content because it showcases a beautiful example of how to treat women with love and respect. His relationship inspires me, especially since I didn’t have the opportunity to experience a traditional family dynamic with both parents, and it’s motivating to see a healthy partnership in action.” (participant 19, male, 3rd year Applied Health Sciences student).

Such role models hold particular significance in the South African context, where high levels of gender-based violence (Enaifoghe et al., 2021) remain a critical social issue (Buqa, 2022). For many young men, following these influencers provides guidance on respectful relationship dynamics and challenges harmful gender norms that perpetuate male superiority and violence against women. In the absence of widespread, accessible role models who promote gender equality, these influencers fill an important gap by modeling positive behaviors and attitudes towards women.

Travel influencers were popular across genders, especially those who showed daily vlogs, international trips, or “how to make money while living freely.” One female says, “She motivates me to start my own content. Since she is getting paid from the brands” (participant 6, female, 2nd year Applied Health Sciences student), another student states, “She is living her life freely and has learned to accept her body as it is” (participant 89, female, 3rd year Management Sciences student). One male student boldly states, “They portray the life I want” (participant 77, male, 2nd year Engineering student). Students enjoy exploring the idea of a balanced and visually pleasing life—even if it is out of reach for now.

The motivation for this category revolves around hope, independence, and identity. Whether it is through outfits, home aesthetics, partner dynamics, or global experiences, students look to these influencers as living examples of the kind of life they want. For many, it is not just about watching content but rather, it is about mentally practicing for the lifestyle they want to manifest. That is why even subtypes like fashion and food were tightly interwoven into their idea of a “good life.”

4.2.4. Motivational, Inspirational, and Spiritual Influencers

This category includes motivational speakers, spiritual/religious leaders, and social justice/activism influencers. These creators provide content focused on self-improvement, mindset, moral guidance, and societal awareness. This appealed to students who want to grow personally, academically, or emotionally.

Motivational speakers like Vusi Thembekwayo, Penny Ntuli, and Mndy Carswa were often quoted for their life-changing words. “He motivates me to be independent” (participant 126, male, 3rd year Engineering student) and “She taught me to start a business and never give up” (participant 48, female, 2nd year Applied Health Sciences student) were common reflections. These influencers help students frame their struggles, giving them practical hope and the confidence to keep pushing forward in school and life.

Spiritual and activist influencers added a deeper dimension to this group. For example, students followed figures like Mufti Menk or Thembeka (a feminist activist) because they offered moral clarity and social awareness. One female student said, “She’s raising awareness for women to be independent” (participant 244, female, 3rd year Management Sciences student), while another said, “His Islamic videos ground me spiritually” (participant 17, male, 2nd year Applied Health Sciences student). Students mentioned how these influencers help with healing, emotional regulation, and faith, especially during personal or academic challenges.

While males were more drawn to business mentors and practical motivation (“He gives me strategy and mindset advice”—participant 3, male, 3rd year Engineering student), females gravitated toward emotional strength and social values. In both cases, students seek meaning, guidance, and growth. These influencers act as virtual mentors, helping them believe that their future can be better than their present and that they have control over their path.

4.2.5. Educational, Tech, and Fitness Influencers

Educational influencers, technology/gadget reviewers, and fitness coaches all fit under this functional, growth-oriented category. These creators provide practical knowledge, skill-building, and personal improvement advice.

Influencers like Mr. J Laptops, Hank Green, Chloe Ting, and Zachary were followed for helping students “understand coding,” “learn maths,” or “study better.” Many students used these influencers as supplemental educators. One said, “He makes studying easier than my teacher” (participant 189, male, 2nd year Engineering student). This group represents self-initiated academic support and interest-driven learning.

Male students dominated in the tech space, naming influencers who teach programming, product reviews, and gadget tips. “He inspires me as an aspiring software developer” (participant 163, male, 3rd year Engineering student) was a common sentiment. Female students followed fitness influencers for self-care and confidence: “She motivates me to live healthy” (participant 178, female, 2nd year Applied Health Sciences student) and “Her accessible workout plans make fitness achievable at home without the need for expensive equipment” (participant 47, female, 3rd year Management Sciences student).

This category empowers students to take control of their minds, bodies, and future skills—especially when traditional systems fall short.

This group may be the least “entertaining” of the five, but it is arguably the most empowering. Students here are proactive, goal-oriented, and often balancing multiple ambitions (e.g., fitness + coding, or education + self-improvement). These influencers help bridge the gap between where students are and where they want to be by offering the tools, habits, and information to make that possible.

5. Discussion

The findings of this study show the role that social media influencers play in the lives of South African university students. Students’ followership is driven by emotional, aspirational, cultural, and practical motivations, with each influencer category fulfilling specific developmental and psychosocial needs. These findings substantiate and extend earlier research suggesting that influencers function not merely as entertainers but as significant actors in identity formation (Croes & Bartels, 2021; Alhothali & Aljefree, 2023), emotional regulation, and informal education (Morton, 2020; Yang, 2024).

The prominence of entertainment and comedy influencers among students strongly supports claims that individuals actively choose media to satisfy specific needs and desires (Croes & Bartels, 2021). As such, according to (Whiting & Williams, 2013), individuals seek out media that meet their needs and result in ultimate gratification, which directly explains why students turn to comedy influencers for stress relief and emotional regulation. Recent research has identified six primary motivating factors for following social influencers, including entertainment, information seeking, and social interaction (Lee et al., 2022), which aligns with our findings showing entertainment as a main driver for student engagement.

In (Bandura, 1986), the authors highlighted that people often acquire new behaviors by observing others rather than through direct experience alone. The students’ engagement with motivational and educational influencers clearly supports observational learning (Luszczynska & Schwarzer, 2015), emphasizing the importance of role models in conveying knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. This is also apparent in our findings, where students follow fitness influencers to learn workout routines, tech influencers for programming skills, and motivational speakers for business strategies. Research has shown that at least three principles influence modeling: people are most likely to model high-status individuals, those who lack skill or status are more likely to emulate others, and people tend to copy behaviors they perceive as being rewarding to the model (Ki & Kim, 2019). This explains why students tend to gravitate towards successful influencers demonstrating desired outcomes, whether in business, fitness, or personal development.

The deep emotional bonds students develop with influencers can be understood through the perspective of parasocial relationships. Parasocial relationships (PSRs) are one-sided socio-emotional ties with media figures such as celebrities or influencers that can positively affect various aspects of well-being among media users (Hoffner & Bond, 2022). Recent research views psychological well-being as a key factor in social media users’ loyalty to their favorite influencers, focusing on core motivations for consuming digital content such as enjoyment, pleasure, happiness, and friendship (Aw et al., 2023). This aligns with our findings, where students described influencers as offering emotional support, stress relief, and a sense of connection during difficult academic times.

Our findings show that influencers are increasingly acting as digital mentors, filling gaps left by traditional support systems. From a broader perspective, the findings suggest a growing disconnect between the needs of today’s university students and the capacities of traditional institutions such as educational systems, religious organizations, and family structures to meet those needs. As a result of the persistence of these gaps, students are increasingly drawn to social media influencers, whose content functions as an informal but influential substitute for the support and direction traditionally offered by families, religious bodies, and educational systems. Social media influencers hold significant influence over youth, and research indicates they can play vital roles in shaping young people’s mental health through their communication (Younis, 2024). The students in our study explicitly described influencers as sources of guidance, inspiration, and emotional support during academic and personal challenges. This aligns with our finding that students actively seek guidance from motivational and educational influencers, considering them as informal mentors in their personal and academic growth.

The gender differences observed in our study mirror broader trends in social media engagement and parasocial relationships. Our findings indicated that males gravitate towards tech, business, and practical content, while females demonstrate stronger emotional connections and follow lifestyle content more often. These differences suggest the need for more intersectional studies that account for how gender, socio-economic background, and academic discipline influence content preferences and digital engagement styles. Recent research has identified multiple motivational factors for following influencers, including authenticity, learning, entertainment, and similarity (Lee et al., 2022), with distinct patterns emerging across demographic groups (Mawad & Freiha, 2024). Particularly relevant in the South African context is how male students follow relationship influencers to learn respectful treatment of women. Given South Africa’s struggles with gender-based violence (Buqa, 2022; Enaifoghe et al., 2021), these positive male role models play a vital social role in encouraging healthier relationship dynamics where traditional mentorship may be limited or inaccessible.

Influencers appear to fill these gaps by offering accessibility, relatability, and on-demand support. Therefore, this phenomenon highlights the urgent need for South African institutions to rethink how they engage with youth. Co-creating content with influencers or embedding influencer-led initiatives into formal learning, religious, cultural, or wellness programs could enhance institutional relevance.

For educational institutions, the influential role of social media personalities presents an opportunity to collaborate with credible and motivational influencers to promote positive academic, mental health, and personal development messages. Universities can also integrate influencer-led content into student support programs, workshops, and campaigns to better resonate with students’ lived experiences and media consumption patterns.

For marketing firms, understanding the complex emotional, aspirational, and cultural motivations that drive students’ engagement with influencers provides valuable insights for designing more authentic and relatable campaigns targeting young adults. Brands and organizations aiming to engage university students should prioritize partnerships with influencers who align with students’ values and interests.

Digital platforms themselves could also apply these insights by improving content recommendation algorithms to promote more educational and positive influencer content, especially among student users. Additionally, platforms could work in collaboration with universities and mental health organizations to highlight influencers who promote respectful relationships, mental health awareness, and academic motivation, helping to address broader social challenges, such as gender-based violence and academic stress.

Collectively, these findings highlight the potential for the influencer culture to be used as a strategic tool to support students’ academic success, emotional well-being, and positive social development.

6. Conclusions

We investigated the types of social media influencers mostly followed by university students at a university of technology in South Africa and the key factors driving their preferences. Our findings reveal that students engage with a diverse range of influencers, categorized into entertainment and comedy, music and dance, lifestyle, travel, and relationship, motivational, inspirational, and spiritual, and educational, tech, and fitness.

Our analysis showed that students seek various benefits from these influencers, including stress reduction and light-heartedness from entertainment content, emotional connection and cultural identity from music and dance, aspiration and identity formation from lifestyle and travel content, and personal growth and guidance from motivational and spiritual influencers. We also found that educational, tech, and fitness influencers empower students with practical knowledge and skill-building.

Overall, this study highlights that influencer content plays a critical developmental role in students’ lives, extending beyond mere entertainment. Their engagement reflects a deep need for connection, inspiration, and identity formation within their academic and social environments. Understanding these motivations is crucial for educators, policymakers, and brands to align better with youth values. The significance of these findings lies in how influencer content bridges gaps left by traditional systems emotionally, culturally, and educationally.

While this study provides valuable insights into the types of influencers followed by South African university students and the motivations driving these preferences, one limitation is that it did not collect data on participants’ age. Additionally, this study was conducted at a single university of technology, which may limit the generalizability of the findings. Future research could broaden the scope by including students from various universities across South Africa. Such studies would help determine whether the patterns observed are consistent across different institutional and cultural contexts or reflect unique localized factors. Furthermore, the role of influencer gender in shaping university students’ followership patterns could be explored to better understand how gendered content preferences influence engagement with different types of influencers.