INFLUENCER ENDORSEMENTS: HOW BRAND AWARENESS AFFECTS FOLLOWERS’ PURCHASE INTENTION ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Abstract

Social media influencers are first explored in the advertising field, particularly to create buzz in the markets and further expand social media coverage in businesses. This study is designed to investigate whether influencers’ endorsement can mediate the relationship between brand awareness and purchase intention among social media followers in Selangor, Malaysia. This study was hinged on the Source Credibility Theory. Using a survey research method, a structured questionnaire was administered among 389 social media (such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok) followers in Selangor with experience in purchasing products/services after watching or browsing social medias endorsed by an influencer. The findings revealed that majority of followers’ purchase intention was moderately affected by the social media influencers. Furthermore, influencers’ endorsement has a stronger influence on purchase intention, and brand awareness does not have an influence on purchase intention. In addition, influencers’ endorsement has a mediation role on the relationship between brand awareness and purchase intention. It was concluded that influencers’ endorsement might be a more important construct than brand awareness and perhaps, followers develop a purchase intention when the social media post stated an '#sponsored' '#ad'. It was recommended that companies should ascertain the endorsement of social media influencers whose services would be employed in order to enhance positive perception about product promotion among the social media followers.