The Effect of Influencer Credibility on Purchase Intention of Beauty Products among TikTok Users in the Special Region of Yogyakarta through Trust as a Mediator

This study aims to analyze the effect of influencer credibility on the purchase intention of beauty products among TikTok users in the Special Region of Yogyakarta, with trust as a mediating variable. In the current digital era, influencer marketing has become an effective strategy to shape consumer decision-making, particularly in the beauty sector. A quantitative approach was employed in this research, using a non-probability sampling method, specifically purposive sampling. A total of 240 respondents, who are active TikTok users and have viewed promotional content related to beauty products by influencers in the region, were selected as participants. The data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares (PLS) through the SmartPLS software. The findings indicate that influencer expertise and physical attractiveness have a direct influence on purchase intention, while reliability does not demonstrate a direct effect. However, trust was found to significantly mediate the relationship between both reliability and expertise with purchase intention. In contrast, physical attractiveness does not influence trust, resulting in an insignificant mediation effect. These results emphasize the importance of establishing trust through credibility elements such as reliability and expertise, rather than relying solely on visual appeal. This study offers strategic implications for marketers in selecting and managing influencer collaborations to enhance the effectiveness of beauty product promotions on digital platforms like TikTok.