The power of the content of the influencers in inducing impulse buying: mediating role of trust

Purpose The present research examines an underlying mechanism outlining how features of the influencers’ content influence the consumers’ urge to buy impulsively through the mediation of trust. Moreover, the moderating role of persuasion knowledge is also investigated in this study. Design/methodology/approach By employing persuasion theory and social capital theory, this study develops a framework that is tested on 251 social media users. The PLS-SEM modeling technique is employed for data analysis. Findings Results indicate that vicarious expressions and informational value are the two main characteristics of the influencer’s content, which develop trust in influencers’ posts and instigate an UBI. In addition, trust in influencer posts serves as a mediator between content characteristics and UBI. However, no moderating role of persuasion knowledge was found. Originality/value The present study offers an inclusive understanding of how marketers can strategically use influencers by leveraging the influential power of their content.