Companies are increasingly investing in influencer marketing because social media influencers (SMIs) are popular content producers who share self-generated content extensively and frequently about their areas of expertise. This study examines the impact of SMIs’ characteristics (attractiveness, expertise and trustworthiness) with the inclusion of perceived similarity on the purchase intention of skincare products and also the mediating role of brand image between the characteristics of an SMI and purchase intention.
The researcher employed purposive sampling and collected data from 170 Generation Z respondents via the online survey questionnaire.
All the characteristics of an SMI, which are attractiveness, expertise, trustworthiness and perceived similarity, do not have a significant relationship with purchase intention. However, brand image mediates the relationship between attractiveness and purchase intention as well as perceived similarity and purchase intention. Marketers should choose influencers who are attractive and demonstrate higher levels of similarity with their prospective consumers to represent their skincare brands. Marketers should also find out about the psychographic characteristics of their target audience in addition to their demographic profiles.
This study includes perceived similarity as one of the characteristics of SMIs, as individuals tend to compare themselves with influencers and the mediating variable brand image in discussing the impact of social media advertising content shared by SMIs for skincare products.
