Abstract:
"The study aims to understand the role of trust in mediating the influence of TikTok-based influencer marketing, and brand awareness on consumer purchase intentions in the cosmetic industry in the Colombo district. This paper assists the research gap between utilizing TikTok-based influencer marketing and brand awareness, and the impact of TikTok-based influencer marketing, brand awareness, and trust on consumer purchase intentions in the cosmetic industry in the Colombo district. This analysis discovers the importance of utilizing TikTok-based influencer marketing, brand awareness, and trust to influence consumers' purchase intentions. The theory of persuasion, source credibility theory, AIDA model, social exchange theory, Heuristic-systematic model, reference group theory, communication-persuasion matrix, and theory of Planned Behaviour models were used to understand the influence of each variable.
Positivism philosophy and deductive approach are utilized to test the hypothesis. An online survey was used to collect data. The questionnaire was distributed using the convenience sampling strategy, and 323 valid responses were collected. SPSS software was used to test normality, correlation, regression, and hypothesis tests. Sobel’s test was used to analyse the mediation effect. Trust significantly mediates TikTok-based influencer marketing and consumer purchase intentions. It also significantly mediates brand awareness and consumer purchase intentions in the cosmetic industry. The results can assist brands to increase their purchase rates by developing their influencer marketing strategies on TikTok and engaging consumers.
Keywords; TikTok-based influencer marketing, brand awareness, trust, consumer purchase intentions, cosmetic industry. "
