Effect of Social Media Micro Influencer Marketing Activities on Consumers’ Purchase Intention: Evidence from Smart Phone Industry in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Influencer marketing is becoming increasingly popular around the world, prompting marketers to consider it an essential component of their marketing strategy. Smart phones are gaining popularity as they have become an integral part of people's daily lives. It is used not only to contact others, but also to indicate current marketing activities. The online world is both a place to sell and a platform for reaching out to a specific audience. Using influencers in a marketing campaign is one of the most effective ways to accomplish this. Influencers in technology range from tech bloggers to social media celebrities. Similarly, they all wield considerable power over their followers. As a result, this study identifies the personal factors of social micro media influencers that contribute to influencing purchase intentions toward smart phones. The source credibility and source attractiveness models are used. Trustworthiness, expertise, similarity, familiarity, and likability are among the constructed variables. The quantitative method is used, with survey questionnaires distributed to 150 social media users to collect data. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse the data collected, and the results showed that trustworthiness, similarity, familiarity, and likability have a positive influence on purchase intention. As a result, the findings of the study will be used to provide future researchers and marketers with a better understanding of micro influencer marketing.