Analysis of the Influence of Social Media Marketing Features on Consumer Purchase Decisions with Brand Trust as a Mediating Variable in the Electric Vehicle Industry

The growth of the electric vehicle (EV) industry in Indonesia presents opportunities and challenges, especially for new market entrants like PT Neta Auto Indonesia. One of the primary obstacles is low consumer trust, which impedes purchase decisions despite favorable government policies. This study investigates the influence of social media marketing features—interactivity, informativeness, entertainment, and perceived relevance—on consumer purchasing decisions, mediated by brand trust. Employing a quantitative approach, data were collected from 389 verified Neta electric vehicle consumers using an online questionnaire. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with AMOS 22 was utilized to analyze direct and indirect effects among the variables. Findings reveal that interactivity and informativeness significantly and positively affect purchase decisions both directly and through brand trust, while entertainment shows a significant indirect effect via trust. Conversely, perceived relevance does not significantly influence trust or decisions. These results emphasize the critical role of trust-building content in social media strategies, underscoring that high-quality, interactive, and informative digital content strengthens brand trust and facilitates consumer decision-making. The study provides actionable insights for automotive marketers in emerging markets and offers a foundation for future research to examine longitudinal and cross-cultural dynamics or integrate technological innovations such as AI-driven personalization and AR content. This research highlights the strategic importance of optimizing social media marketing features to support sustainable market growth in the EV sector.