The Impact of Social Media Marketing on High School Students’ Consumer Behavior

Abstract

With the rapid penetration of social media platforms into adolescents’ daily lives, the role of social media marketing has become increasingly significant in shaping consumer behaviors among high school students. This paper investigates the influence of social media marketing on high school students’ consumer decisions, focusing on three main dimensions: exposure to marketing messages, peer identification, and brand interaction. The article closely integrates relevant academic research findings and frontline market observation data from the past three years, and conducts an in-depth analysis of how three mainstream marketing formats—immersive advertisements on short-video platforms, personalized endorsements by internet celebrities in various fields, and online communities formed around shared interests—exert a subtle influence on fostering new consumption habits and attitudes among high school students through precise targeting and emotional connection. It also examines the emotional and psychological characteristics that make high school students particularly susceptible to marketing persuasion, while highlighting potential problems such as irrational consumption and privacy risks. The study concludes by emphasizing the importance of cultivating media literacy and responsible consumption among adolescents and suggests directions for future research on sustainable youth consumer culture in the digital era.