How Trust Bridges the Gap: Influencer Credibility and Purchase Intention in Egypt’s Social Media Landscape

This study aims to examine how the credibility of social media influencers; measured through their expertise, trustworthiness, social attractiveness, and physical attractiveness affects consumers’ intention to purchase in Egypt, while also considering the mediating role of consumer trust. Data were gathered using a self-administered questionnaire distributed to a random sample of 384 participants. The collected data were analyzed using JASP version 19.3. The research findings revealed that there is a statistically significant positive direct effect of the dimensions of social media influencers’ credibility on purchase intention, except for one dimension (expertise), which has an indirect effect on purchase intention. In addition, it was found that social media influencers’ credibility dimensions have a statistically significant positive direct effect on consumer trust. Moreover, it was found that consumer trust mediates the relationship between the credibility of social media influencers and purchase intention.This research provides a new perspective on how social media influencers’ credibility affects purchase intention, highlighting the role of consumer trust.