THE IMPACT OF INFLUENCER ADVERTISING ON CONSUMER PURCHASE BEHAVIOR TOWARDS PRODUCTS

Abstract

The rise of social media has revolutionized the advertising landscape, positioning influencer marketing as a dominant strategy for shaping consumer perceptions and purchase decisions. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of influencer advertising on consumer buying behavior, with particular attention to the mediating role of psychological response and the moderating effect of consumer characteristics. While prior research has explored the direct impact of influencer marketing, there is a notable gap in understanding how psychological mechanisms and audience traits jointly shape consumer behavior. To address this gap, a quantitative research design was employed, collecting data from a representative sample of social media users and analyzing the relationships using structural equation modeling. The findings indicate that influencer advertising has a direct and significant positive effect on consumer buying behavior, whereas psychological response does not mediate this relationship as initially hypothesized. In contrast, consumer characteristics were found to significantly moderate the effect, amplifying the influence of marketing messages when the influencer aligns with audience traits and preferences. These= results refine the understanding of digital marketing dynamics, suggesting that strategic alignment between influencers and target audiences is more critical than psychological mediation. The study contributes to theory by highlighting the conditional role of consumer characteristics in influencer marketing and offers practical implications for marketers, policymakers, and researchers seeking to optimize digital marketing strategies.

Keywords: influencer marketing, consumer buying behavior, psychological response, consumer characteristics, social media advertising, Cognitive Appraisal Theory, Elaboration Likelihood Model