The impact of social media influencers' characteristics on generation Z's purchase intention

With the rapid acceleration of digitalization, traditional marketing strategies have been replaced by digital platforms and social media influencers who reach large audiences through these platforms. Particularly, Generation Z represents a consumer segment that positions social media at the center of their daily lives, engages intensively with content creators, and shapes their purchasing decisions through these interactions. Accordingly, the primary aim of this study is to examine the effects of social media influencers' characteristics—credibility, attractiveness, interaction, and expertise—on the purchase intention of Generation Z individuals. The sample of the study consists of 697 Generation Z participants across Türkiye who actively use social media platforms and regularly follow influencer content. Data were collected through an online questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS Statistics 25.0 software. Descriptive statistics, factor analysis, reliability tests, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analyses were conducted to test the research model. The results indicate that all four influencer characteristics—credibility, attractiveness, interaction, and expertise—have a significant and positive effect on Generation Z's purchase intention. Among these variables, expertise demonstrated the strongest influence, followed by attractiveness, credibility, and interaction. These findings suggest that Generation Z places greater value on content that is based on knowledge, experience, and authenticity, emphasizing that such factors play a decisive role in shaping purchase intentions. This study contributes to the existing literature on social media marketing, purchase intention, and influencer-based brand communication. Additionally, it provides practical implications for marketers and brand managers regarding effective influencer selection, campaign management, and audience segmentation strategies.