The effect of influencer marketing on consumers' purchasing intentions in the Capricorn District Municipality : the generational perspective

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the impact of influencer marketing on the purchasing intentions of consumers from Generations X, Y, and Z within the municipality of the Capricorn district. Specific objectives were: (1) to explore the purchasing behaviour of consumers across these generational cohorts, (2) to examine the extent to which influencer attributes influence the purchasing intentions of these consumers, and (3) to determine whether the generational cohort moderates the relationship between influencer marketing and consumer purchasing intentions. A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was used, using self-administered questionnaires to collect data from a sample of 300 participants within the Capricorn district. The sample included respondents from Generations X, Y, and Z, with quota sampling used to ensure representativeness. Descriptive statistics were calculated using SPSS, while SmartPLS version 4.0 was applied to analyse relationships among study variables. The reliability and validity of the questionnaire items assessed using the Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). According to the findings of the study, it was revealed that a significant positive relationship between influencer marketing and consumer purchasing intentions. Furthermore, generational cohorts were found to moderate this relationship, highlighting the varying effects of influencer marketing across different age groups. The study concluded by recommending that companies further explore factors related to influencer marketing to uncover distinctive insights into evolving strategies in generational cohorts. One important tactic to increase the efficacy of influencer marketing was to customize marketing initiatives to cater to the requirements and tastes of different consumer categories