The impact of social media influencers on the consumers' purchase intention and decision

The aim of this study is to reveal how consumers who use social media channels have an attitude towards Social Media Influencer (SMI), the effect of their attitudes and behaviors towards SMI on the consumers' purchase intention and decision and the role of the purchase intention variable in the effect of their attitudes towards SMI on their purchasing decisions. In this direction, the population of the research consisted of at least one social media user. Questionnaire method was used as data collection tool in the research. Within the scope of the research, 821 questionnaires were accepted as valid and evaluated. Necessary tests and analyzes of the relevant hypotheses were carried out using the SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) and the AMOS (Analysis of Moment Structures) package programs. In the research, scale development studies were carried out for the attitude scale towards SMI, the scale of the effect of SMI on purchase intention and the scales of the effect of SMI on purchasing decision. As a result of the SMI applied, it was revealed that general attitudes towards SMI have a significant effect on the purchasing decision effect of SMI. It has been determined that general attitudes towards SMI have a significant effect on the effect of SMI on purchase intention. In addition, it has been revealed that the effect of SMI on purchase intention has a significant effect on the purchase decision of SMI. It has been found that general attitudes towards SMI have a full mediating effect on SMI purchase intention on purchase decision impact of SMIs. T-Test was used in paired groups and one-way ANOVA was used for more than two groups to determine whether social media users attitudes towards SMIs' purchase intention and purchase decision attitudes differ according to demographic characteristics. According to the results of the analysis, attitudes towards SMI show statistically significant differences according to gender, age, income status and working seniority. On the other hand, it has been determined that the effect of SMIs on the consumer's product purchase intention differs statistically according to gender, education level, age and working seniority. It has been determined that there is a statistically significant difference in the effect of SMI on the consumer's product purchase decision according to gender, education level, age and working seniority. Keywords: Social media, social media influencer, influencer marketing, purchase intention and decision