Understanding the role of social media influencers’ personal and content characteristics in affecting consumers’ intentions to purchase

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study attempts to determine factors influencing consumers’ purchase intentions for products endorsed by social media influencers (SMIs) using the theory of planned behaviour as the base theory. Specifically, it aims to examine how SMIs’ personal and content characteristics impact consumers’ attitudes towards purchasing these endorsed products. A total of 217 data were collected from social media users by means of a survey method. Partial least square structural equation modelling is employed to verify the proposed hypotheses. The study shows that attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control have a significant positive influence on purchase intentions. Furthermore, trustworthiness, creativity, and design quality have a significant influence on attitudes. However, attractiveness, expertise, and information quality have no significant influence on attitudes. This is one of the very few studies to examine consumers’ purchase intentions from two different perspectives based on SMIs’ personal and content characteristics integrating the theory of planned behaviour.