From Likes to Buy: The Impact of Instagram Influencers on Cosmetic Purchase Intentions

Abstract

 The popularity of social media has altered contemporary marketing practices in interacting with customers and brand success. The social media influencers (SMIs) are instrumental in creating successful brand stories and influencing consumer purchase decisions. Compared to other marketing activities the SMIs facilitate in developing more cordial relationships with customers that ultimately increase customer loyalty. SMIs role in the field of beauty and fashion is more significant in shaping consumer decisions and brand success. The present research investigates the effect of Instagram influencers on consumer intentions and attitudes while buying beauty and cosmetic products. It analyzes how popular social media influenced consumer purchasing choices. Social media acts as a pivotal driver in shaping contemporary marketing strategies and transforming consumer behavior. Study in hand used the Social Influence Theory (SIT) in determining how people conform to socially perceived norms and actions within their online communities. The social media influencer acts as social opinion leaders, influencing consumer choices and buying habits towards a preferred direction by creating feelings of belonging and trust. Instagram is the major social media platform to consider when examining the impact created by SMIs.This research focuses on female users of cosmetics in Islamabad and Rawalpindi using the quantitative survey approach. The study obtained responses from 350 females using nonprobability convenience sampling and Structural Equation Modelling done by using the software PLS-SEM and SPSS 23. The results confirm that homophily (perceived similarity with the influencer), product-matchup (alignment between the influencer and endorsed product), and content quality (relevance, creativity, and credibility of posts) demonstrate positive effect on purchase intention, mediated by consumer attitude.