Examining influencer-follower interaction through source credibility strategy within the framework of the theory of planned behavior

The main purpose of the research is to determine the effects of determining influencer-follower interaction with the resource use strategy within the scope of the Theory of Planned Behaviour. In the research, which the mixed research design that allows the use of quantitative and qualitative techniques within the same framework, was used. The qualitative data obtained from the user comments on the Instagram accounts, which are the social media channels of mother influencers, were analysed with the netnographic analysis technique. As a result of the netnographic analysis, it was determined that the female followers loved the influencers they followed who used the name "mother" as a suffix or a name, supported them using positive words, and intended to buy or purchased the products they shared. Quantitative data was collected from the women followers who followed mother influencers with the online survey technique. AMOS 22 and SPSS 18 package programs were used in the data analysis. Confirmatory Factor Analysis and multiple regression analysis were preferred in the data analysis to determine the direct-indirect effects. As a result of the analysis, it was determined that the influencer's physical attractiveness, reliability, compatibility with the product they share, and the influencer's transfer of values to the brand, in other words, the transfer of meaning positively affected consumer attitude and transformed it into purchase intention, and consumer attitude played the role of a full mediator variable in this effect. It was determined that the expert variable had no effect on consumer attitude and purchase intention. Consumer attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural control positively affected purchase intention. While positively affected purchase intention positively affected purchase behaviour, perceived behavioural control was found to negatively affect purchase behaviour. Another finding of the research is the positive effect of the comments made by female followers who follow the influencer on purchase intention. It was determined that the comments made by female followers positively affected consumer attitudes and transformed positive consumer attitudes into purchase intention, and electronic word-of-mouth marketing played the role of a partial mediator variable in this effect. Sobel Test was used to determine the statistical significance of the mediation models, and the result was statistically significant.