The Impact of Social Media Influencers on the Purchase Intentions of Working Adults in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Abstract

Aim of the Study: The paper aims to explore the impact of social media influencers on purchase intention among working adults in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. More precisely, it analyzes the influence of exposure to social media influencers, parasocial interaction, influencer credibility, and trust in forming consumers’ intention to purchase influencer-endorsed products.

Methodology: Quantitative method was used for this study and a total of 351 respondents were surveyed through a structured questionnaire. The analysis showed that the variables of the research were all positively related to purchase intention. In addition, multiple regression analysis indicated that exposure; parasocial interaction, influencer credibility, and trust had a substantial influence on the purchase intention with the trust factor being the strongest one.

Findings: Besides, mediation analysis uncovered that the effect of exposure on purchase intention was mostly played out through trust, credibility, and parasocial interaction. The research findings suggest that influencer marketing works better when the influencer is considered trustworthy, credible, and relatable. The results offer significant insights to marketers, brands, and researchers for understanding consumer behavior in digital marketing environments.

Conclusion: The study concluded that social media influencers play a vital role in influencing the purchase intention of working adults in Kuala Lumpur. However, the authors emphasize that it is not the exposure to the influencer only that drives the effect. They claim that exposure becomes effective only when it leads to the feeling of trust, the perception of credibility and to a lesser extent, parasocial interaction. Out of all factors, trust in the influencer was the strongest determinant of purchase intention.