THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS ON CONSUMER PURCHASE BEHAVIOUR

This study examined the influence of social media influencers on consumer purchasing behaviour in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. Specifically, it explored how influencer characteristics: influence credibility (trustworthiness, expertise, attractiveness), selfdisclosure, content quality (aesthetic coherence, visual appeal, and message clarity), and endorsement consistency impact the purchasing decisions of social media users. The research adopted a quantitative survey design, and data were collected from 385 valid respondents using structured questionnaires. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed with SPSS version 22, using regression analysis to test the hypotheses. The findings revealed that trustworthiness, expertise, and attractiveness significantly influence consumer purchasing behaviour, with trustworthiness having the strongest effect. Self-disclosure emerged as a moderately strong predictor, highlighting the role of personal and authentic communication in enhancing consumer engagement. Content quality dimensions also significantly impacted consumer decisions, with aesthetic coherence being the most influential. Endorsement consistency had a statistically significant, though modest, effect on purchasing behaviour. The study concludes that social media influencers significantly shape consumer purchasing patterns through personal attributes and content strategies.