Product–Influencer Congruence and Purchase Intention: Extending the Source Credibility Model

Influencer marketing has emerged as a leading strategy in shaping consumer behavior, yet the mechanisms through which endorsements influence purchase intentions remain underexplored. This paper investigates how influencer endorsement affect consumer buying intention, with the intermediary role of product-influencer congruence. A structured online questionnaire was used to gather data from 350 respondents. Multiple regression with mediation analysis was conducted in SPSS. The findings revealed that all three source characteristics attractiveness, expertise, and trustworthiness positively and significantly affect consumer purchase intention. Attractiveness, and expertise, emerged as strongest direct effects, whereas trustworthiness had a moderate effect. Mediation analysis further showed that the association between each of the influencer attributes and purchase intention partially mediated by Product Congruence. When an influencer and product perceived as a good match, it strengthens the overall effect of these qualities on consumer decisions .The findings contribute theoretically by integrating congruence into the source credibility framework. It also offers practical guidance for marketers in aligning influencer attributes with brand identity. Limitations include the cross sectional design, geographic scope, and reliance on self-reported data. Future research should investigate different platforms, broader and more diverse samples, and longitudinal designs to provide a more comprehensive understanding of influencer marketing dynamics.