Digital Persuasion: How Social Media Shapes What We Buy

This study examines the mechanisms through which social media platforms influence consumer purchasing decisions in the digital age.Through a comprehensive literature review and theoretical analysis, we investigate how social media persuasion techniques, influencer credibility, and algorithmic personalization collectively shape consumer behavior.The primary objective focuses on understanding the mediating role of trust in the relationship between social media exposure and purchase intention.Five hypotheses explore the relationships between social media engagement, influencer credibility, algorithmic targeting, parasocial relationships, and consumer decision-making processes.Our analysis reveals that social media persuasion operates through multiple psychological pathways, with trust serving as a critical mediating factor.The findings suggest that consumers' purchasing decisions are significantly influenced by perceived authenticity, social proof mechanisms, and personalized content delivery.These insights have important implications for consumer protection policies, digital literacy education, and ethical marketing practices in the social media ecosystem.