Factors Influencing Consumer Purchase Decisions Through Social Media Influencers: A Study with Special Reference to Kannur City

Abstract

In today’s digital landscape, social media has recently gained tremendous fame as a highly impactful channel of communication in these modern times of digitized living. Social media influencers have emerged as an influential marketing force, significantly shaping consumer attitudes and purchasing decisions in the digital era. This study examines the factors influencing consumers purchasing decisions through social media influencers with special reference to Kannur City, Kerala. The study adopts a descriptive research design and is based on primary data collected from 147 consumers using a structured questionnaire through convenience sampling. Secondary data were collected from books, journals, websites, and published reports. The collected data were analysed using percentage analysis, Cronbach's Alpha and factor analysis with the help of IBM SPSS. The results indicate that Instagram is the most preferred social media platform, and the majority of respondents spend two to four hours daily on social media and regularly follow influencer content. The findings reveal that credibility, authenticity, informative content, promotional strategies, and trust are the key determinants that influence consumers' purchasing behaviour through social media influencers. The study concludes that influencer marketing has become an effective promotional strategy capable of enhancing consumer confidence, increasing brand awareness, and stimulating purchase intentions. The findings provide useful insights for marketers and businesses in designing effective influencer marketing strategies.