Examining the impact of influencer characteristics on adoption of wellness apps on Instagram across generations

This study delves into the complexities surrounding the adoption of wellness apps on Instagram, focusing on influencer characteristics, user perceptions, and generational dynamics. Drawing from the source credibility theory, we conducted regression and moderation analyses to investigate how influencer expertise, trustworthiness, perceived similarity with influencer, and perceived congruence of inluencer with the product influence user attitudes towards wellness app adoption, with age acting as a moderating factor. The online questionnaire was administered in Turkey (N=103). Our results indicate that influencer characteristics significantly impact wellness app adoption, with expertise, trustworthiness, similarity, and congruence showing positive effects. Moreover, age moderates these relationships, highlighting varying influences across age groups. Specifically, expertise, similarity and congruence consistently drive adoption, while trustworthiness plays a crucial role, necessitating further exploration of its interaction with age. These findings offer actionable insights for marketers and influencers to tailor their strategies for Instagram, emphasizing the importance of understanding generational nuances in digital marketing efforts. This research contributes to the theoretical discourse on influencer marketing dynamics and sheds light on consumer behavior within the digital landscape, paving the way for future studies to delve deeper into age-related influences on app adoption.