Impact of YouTube Influencers on Consumer Purchase Intention of Mobile Phone Brands in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Social media has fundamentally transformed the way individuals communicate, connect, and engage with one another. Influencer marketing is a relatively new form of digital marketing that has arisen in recent years. As a social media platform with the second-largest active user base, YouTube has turned into a leading marketing tool for businesses in recent years. Marketers use YouTube influencers to promote their products in exchange for the influencers sharing sponsored content with their audience. Using YouTube influencers has become a trend in the Sri Lankan context when delivering the marketing message relating to high-tech products such as mobile phones and laptops. This study is an attempt to identify the impact of various characteristics of YouTube influencers on consumer purchase intention of mobile phone brands in Sri Lanka. Source credibility and the source attractiveness model are key theoretical concepts used to conduct this study. This study was quantitative, and the researcher used the deductive research approach. The researcher used the convenience sampling method under non-probability sampling to select the sample. Three hundred fifty-six responses were collected through a structured questionnaire based on the western province, and the collected data were analyzed using SPSS 26 to test the hypothesis. The findings of the study demonstrate that purchase intention is positively influenced by trustworthiness, expertise, similarity and familiarity. Therefore, research findings will help future researchers and marketers understand how YouTube influencers impact consumers' purchase intention.