Writing

題目

Your professor is teaching a class on marketing. Write a post responding to the professor’s question. In your response, you should:

• express and support your personal opinion
• make a contribution to the discussion in your own words An effective response will contain at least 100 words.

Professor: Hello class! Next week we will be discussing the impact of social media influencers on consumer behavior. With the rise of social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube, we’ve seen the emergence of a new type of celebrity: the social media influencer. These influencers have large followings and can sway consumer behavior by endorsing products or services. Here’s a question for the discussion board:

Do social media influencers have a major impact on consumers? Why or why not?

Jack: I think social media influencers have a significant impact. When young people start admiring these influencers and trust their recommendations, they are more likely to buy products or services that they endorse. However, I also think there are some concerns about the authenticity of these endorsements, as some influencers may promote products that they don’t actually use or believe in.

Emily: I’m not convinced that social media influencers have a significant impact on consumer behavior. While they may have large followings, most people are smart enough to make their own purchasing decisions based on their needs and preferences. Plus, there are so many influencers out there promoting different products that it can be hard to know who to trust.

開頭

JACK: I think social media influencers … endorse products.

試寫

I agree with Jack that social media influences younger generations to buy products solely because the influencers recommends it.

(1st)Hook

（主要是IELTS，但TOEFL想用也是可以的）

• Have you seen the most famous YouTuber, NAME?
• Have you wonder how influential YouTubers are?
• Have you bought something because your famous social media influencer also bought it?
• Do you believe what social media influencers say about products?
• Do you know any social media influencers?（最簡單最芭樂） (YES) I do! || (NO) I don’t

(2nd)

• (YES) Social media influencers have great impact(改字，前面有用過了) on consumer’s behavior when we consider cost and culture
• (NO) Social media influencers do not have great impact on consumer’s behavior when we consider cost and culture 寫第一句時，就可以把他看成模板

⇒ TOEFL有Hook也是可以的。

JACK: (1) 補面向

• add example ⇒ HOW?
• why admire social media?⇒
• admire so trust? why?==⇒ WHY?
• other reasons========⇒

(2) 反例 (3) How solve problem?

EMILY: (group brainstorming) SMART: how about stupid ppl?
REAL FAKE: How to distinguish real and fake?(listen to expert, or people who have experience)

以上綠字，可以把(2nd)的紫字改掉

Example (REASON SMART)

Social media influencers have great impact on consumer’s behavior when we consider cost and culture. (下一句TOEFL) Emily mentioned/ said/ indicated/ argued/ suggested/ people are smart enough to make their own decisions, but(yet, ;however), she failed to consider/ explain/ mentions … stupid people.

（下一句IELTS） In other words, if someone doesn’t know enough, they won’t be able to decide on their own. Or, they can be easily convinced. Or, they will follow other people’s lead.

橘字可以放example on how，如，今天要買藥，但你沒有醫療背景，你只能聽那些social media influencers講；你沒買過這個東西，你完全不知道怎麼開始，那你可能只會聽其他人講 等等等。

Example (REASON REAL/FAKE)

experience: why? ⇒ 用過的人可以看道化妝品的效果 In addition, it is easy to know who to trust. ⇒ Emily 的最後一句相反 The influencers already used the product so they have the experience. They can show me the product too. They can show how to use the product too. SO: Thus, (As a result, Therefore) I can trust them.

It depends的寫法（不建議）

第一個要看人，人聰不聰明？如果她夠聰明，就可以相信（因為他有知識），如果他很笨，那就不能全部相信 另外，這些人本身到底自己懂不懂，如果對產品有經驗，那當然可以自己做決定。如果他沒用過，那最好還是聽別人講，這時social media就很有說服力 最後，要看哪一個social media influencer，如有科學背景的人，講科學東西就可以trust

Sample Ans 1

This is a challenging topic, but I think that social media influencers aren’t as significant as some people suggest.  I strongly agree with Emily’s idea that people are too smart to be influenced by them.  I’d add that twenty year ago a charismatic person might have convinced us to buy something we didn’t really need, but I think that doesn’t happen so much nowadays.  That’s because we can thoroughly research whatever we are interested in using blogs, consumer magazines and social media. We can use these sources of information to find products that exactly suit our needs, so we aren’t swayed by the exaggerated claims of social media influencers. While Jack raised the relevant point that young people are especially vulnerable, he didn’t mention that parents these days take the time to educate their kids and monitor their internet use. As a result, young people aren’t likely to make rash decisions about what to buy.

Sample Answer 2

While I appreciate the points mentioned by Jack and Emily, I think that social media stars aren’t particularly influential nowadays.  Nowadays consumer behavior is affected by many different things, not just what we see on the Internet.  Twenty years ago a charismatic person might have convinced us to buy something we didn’t really need, but I don’t think that happens so often today.  Remember that the choices people make are also impacted by their peers, by their family members and even by traditional advertising, so the Internet isn’t a dominant force in their lives. Some people may feel that influencers are more powerful than ever, but I think their impact is actually declining.