A STUDY OF SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS ON CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR IN TRINCOMALEE DISTRICT

Abstract

The aim is to identify the level and impact of social media influencers on consumer decisions. The research utilizes a sample size of 385 respondents, selected using the convenience sampling method to ensure a representative demographic of socialmedia users within the Trincomalee District. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire andanalyzed using correlation and regression techniques to examine the relationship between various attributes of social media influencers and consumer buying behavior' The results indicate a significant correlation between the expertise, trustworthiness, likability, attitude, social attractiveness, and information quality of social media influencers and the buying behavior of consumers. Specifically, attributes such as trustworthiness and attitucle exhibit the highest correlation values, emphasizing their critical role in shaping consumer decisions. Regression analysis further confirms the substantial impact of these attributes on consumer buying behavior, with the model explaining a significant portion of the variance in consumer decisions. The findings conclude that social media influencers play a pivotal role in influencing consumer behavior, and businesses should strategically leverage these influencers to enhance their marketing efforts. Recommendations include focusing on building the expertise and trustworthiness of influencers, as well as enhancing the quality of information shared to foster better consumer:ingagement and drive sales. Keywords: Social media Attractiveness. Trust. influencers, Customer buying behaviour. Social