Exploring the Impact of Influencer Credibility on Consumer Purchase Intentions: The Mediating Role of Perceived Value and the Moderating Effect of Product Involvement

Abstract

In the social media era, influencers play a very important role in how consumers interact with brands, particularly in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) category, where consumers make frequent purchases based on trust and similarity. The current research investigates the influence of influencer credibility on consumer purchase intentions, where perceived value is considered a mediator and product involvement a moderator. Data were gathered from 380 Pakistani social media users and analyzed based on PLS-SEM and Hayes' PROCESS macro. The findings show that when consumers perceive an influencer as knowledgeable and trustworthy, they will tend to perceive the endorsed product as valuable, which will increase their buying intention significantly. The mediation analysis established that the perceived value plays a central role in this relationship. It indicates that credibility of influencers increases buying intention by enhancing the consumers' assessment of the product. Moreover, the moderation analysis also proved that involvement of the product enhances this effect. More involved consumers of the product category react more favorably to credible influencers. These conclusions provide priceless information about how and why influencer marketing is effective, particularly in an emerging digital marketplace such as Pakistan. The research extends prior work by applying sound theory such as Source Credibility Theory, the Elaboration Likelihood Model, and the Value-Based Adoption Model to offer greater insight into consumer decision-making. It also provides guidelines for marketers seeking to design more effective influencer campaigns based on consumer psychology.

Keywords: Influencer Credibility, Perceived Value, Product Involvement, Purchase Intentions