INVESTIGATING THE MODERATING ROLE OF INFLUENCER CREDIBILITY IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING AND AUDIENCE TRUST
Description
The research objectives focus on the following constructs : 1. Social Media Marketing 2. Audience Trust 3. Influencer Credibility This study employs a quantitative, explanatory research design to investigate the effect of Social Media Marketing on Audience Trust and to examine the moderating role of Influencer Credibility in this relationship. The study aims to understand how social media marketing activities contribute to audience trust and whether influencer credibility influences the strength of this relationship. Data were collected through a structured online questionnaire distributed to active social media users who had previously been exposed to business promotions delivered by influencers. The questionnaire utilized a five-point likert scale ranging from 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree. The measurement items were adapted from previous studies to assess Social Media Marketing, Audience Trust, and Influencer Credibility. The unit of analysis consists of social media users aged 14 years and above who actively use platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, X/Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook. A total of 200 valid responses were collected and analyzed. The data were processed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with the assistance of SmartPLS 4 software. The analysis was conducted in two stages, measurement model evaluation and structural model evaluation. The measurement model assessed the validity and reliability of the constructs, while the structural model examined the proposed relationships among Social Media Marketing, Audience Trust, and Influencer Credibility. This approach provides a comprehensive understanding of consumer trust formation in social media marketing environments and the role of influencer characteristics in shaping audience perceptions.
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Institutions
- Binus UniversityJakarta, Jakarta