The role of social media influencers on consumers' product preferences and purchase intentions

The primary objective of this research endeavor is to ascertain the extent to which social media influencers exert an influence on consumers' preferences for products and their subsequent decision-making processes when exposed to promotional and marketing campaigns. In today's world, characterized by the ever-increasing use of technology, one of the most prominently favored mediums in almost every aspect of our lives is social media. The prevalence of social media is due to its ease of access and the growing importance of speed in all recent transactions, leading to changes and developments in the concepts that shape our lives. One of these evolving concepts is that of the social media influencer. The concept of a "Social Media Phenomenon" has emerged as a result of the widespread use of social media. This phenomenon has caught the attention of marketing organizations as a means of reaching consumers. The idea of being a social media influencer, often measured by the number of followers, has made these individuals an appealing tool for marketing firms. At this stage, influencers are perceived by marketing organizations as a means of conveying information. To achieve the objectives of this study, an online survey was conducted, and the necessary statistical procedures were employed to arrive at the most unequivocal conclusions. Initially, demographic information, including age, gender, and occupation, was collected from 201 participants. Subsequently, the study sought to determine whether there exists a relationship between the characteristics of social media influencers and consumers' purchase decisions. After collecting the data, essential analyses, such as reliability analysis, factor analysis, and correlation analysis, were performed. Following this, regression analysis was employed to test whether there is a predictive effect between the dependent variable, consumers' purchase intention, and the independent variables representing the characteristics of social media influencers (reliability, attractiveness, expertise, and communication power). According to the analysis results, it was observed that the credibility, attractiveness, and communication power of social media influencers have an impact on consumers' purchase intentions. However, the expertise of social media influencers was found to have no significant effect.