The Influence of Social Media Influencers and E-WOM on Purchase Intention: The Mediating Role of Brand Trust

Lidwina A. Aba and Berno B. Mitang

Goliterati Management Review (GMR), 2026, vol. 1, issue 1, 117-143

Abstract: Purpose: This study examines brand trust as a mediating mechanism linking social media influencers and electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM) to purchase intention for cosmetics products among Indonesian Gen Z consumers, addressing theoretical gaps in process-oriented digital marketing research. Method/Approach: Survey data from 75 business students at Universitas Timor were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4.0. Direct and indirect effects were tested through bias-corrected bootstrapping procedures with 5,000 resamples following contemporary mediation analysis best practices. Findings: Influencers (β = 0.445, p 200) across diverse product categories and regions. Implications: Cosmetics brands should prioritize trust-building through authentic influencer partnerships and genuine e-WOM cultivation rather than direct sales promotions. Trust-first strategies prove more effective than sales-first tactics in emerging digital markets. Contribution: First study quantifying full mediation mechanism in Indonesian Gen Z cosmetics context, extending social cognitive theory and trust-based mediation frameworks to emerging market digital marketing, demonstrating trust as prerequisite for behavioral outcomes.

Keywords: Influencer Marketing; Electronic Word of Mouth; Brand Trust; Purchase Intention; Indonesian Cosmetics Market; Mediation Analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D91 L82 M31 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:lgn:lgngmr:702785

DOI: 10.66452/702785

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