THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS’ CREDIBILITY AND FOLLOWERS’ MOTIVATIONS IN SHAPING SAUDI CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

Abstract

The current study investigated the role of social media influencers’ credibility and followers’ motivations in shaping consumer behavior among Saudi consumers, focusing on key aspects of influencers’ credibility (expertise, trustworthiness, and attractiveness) and followers’ (consumers) motivations (information, socialization, and entertainment). The current study developed a framework to investigate how social media influencers’ credibility and followers’ motivations impact consumer purchase intention and consumer behavior, using the theory of reasoned action (TRA). The study employed quantitative research methodology, utilizing the Qualtrics platform to distribute online surveys to collect data. The study sample was 416 Saudi consumers. The study proposed a framework to describe the phenomena. The relationships were tested using liner multiple regression. SPSS software was employed for analysis of data including the demographic characteristics of participants. The study’s findings showed that in relation to the influencer’s credibility, the factors of trustworthiness and attractiveness had a statically significant and positive direct impact on purchase intention. However, expertise had a statistically insignificant negative impact on purchase intention. The findings showed that all the investigated factors of follower motivations, which include information, socialization, and entertainment, were statically significant and had a direct positive impact on purchase intention. The study offers significant insights into the connection between social media marketing influencers and consumer behavior, insights ultimately beneficial in the areas of both academic research and practical implications. These findings will enable marketers to optimize their strategies and improve their effectiveness within the Saudi market.