This study aims to examine the factors influencing consumers' purchase intention
in the context of influencer marketing on social media platforms. Specifically, it
investigates the impact of influencer–product fit and parasocial interaction on
purchase intention, while exploring the mediating role of influencer credibility and
the moderating role of inferences of manipulative intent. A comprehensive
theoretical framework was developed, outlining the core concepts and proposed
relationships among the study variables. Based on this framework, five main
hypotheses were formulated. Data were collected through an online questionnaire
distributed to ( 314 ) followers of influencers on Facebook, Instagram and
Youtube. The data were analyzed using three statistical software programs were
used for data analysis: Microsoft Excel (2019), IPM SPSS (Version 25), and IPM
AMOS (Version 25) to test the research hypotheses. The findings revealed a
significant positive effect of both influencer–product fit and parasocial interaction
on followers’ perception of influencer credibility. Furthermore, influencer
credibility was found to have a direct positive impact on consumers’ purchase
intention and served as a mediating variable in the relationship between the
independent variables (fit and parasocial interaction) and purchase intention.
Additionally, inferences of manipulative intent moderated the relationship between
influencer credibility and purchase intention, influencing the strength and direction
of this relationship.