The Influence of Social Media Influencers on Purchase Intention for Skincare Products with Brand Trust as a Mediating Variable Among Gen Z in the Special Region of Yogyakarta

Abstract

The rapid growth of the Indonesian skincare industry has been accompanied by a fundamental shift in consumer behavior, particularly among Generation Z, who increasingly rely on social media influencers (SMIs) as primary sources of product-related information. Despite extensive research on influencer marketing, empirical findings regarding the influence of SMIs on purchase intention remain inconsistent, particularly concerning the underlying psychological mechanisms involved. This study aims to examine the influence of social media influencers on purchase intention for skincare products, with brand trust serving as a mediating variable, among Generation Z consumers in the Special Region of Yogyakarta. A quantitative research design was employed using a survey method, with data collected from 280 Gen Z respondents through purposive sampling. The data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that social media influencers have a positive and significant direct effect on both purchase intention and brand trust. However, brand trust does not exhibit a significant direct effect on purchase intention. Notably, brand trust significantly mediates the relationship between social media influencers and purchase intention, indicating that influencer effectiveness is strengthened through the formation of brand trust. These findings contribute to the digital marketing and consumer behavior literature by clarifying the conditional role of brand trust in influencer-driven persuasion within an emerging market context. Practically, the study provides insights for skincare brands to design influencer marketing strategies that emphasize authenticity and trust-building to effectively stimulate purchase intention among Generation Z consumers.