Background and Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of influencer message characteristics, including information quality, design quality, technology quality, and creativity, on audiences’ perceptions of influencer characteristics, namely competence and friendliness. The study further investigates the role of these perceptions in shaping influencer attractiveness and audience interactive behavior, including engagement and loyalty.
Research Method: This study is applied in terms of purpose and survey-based with a quantitative approach in terms of method. The statistical population consisted of social media users who had experience following influencers and viewing their content. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. A total of 392 usable questionnaires were analyzed. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze the data.
Findings: The results showed information quality had a positive and significant effect on perceived competence and friendliness of the influencer. Design quality significantly affected perceived competence, but its effect on friendliness was not significant. Technology quality had a positive and significant effect on friendliness, while its effect on competence was not confirmed. Message creativity also had a positive and significant effect on both competence and friendliness. Furthermore, influencer competence and friendliness significantly increased perceived influencer attractiveness, and influencer attractiveness had a positive and significant effect on audience engagement and loyalty.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that influencer effectiveness does not depend solely on influencers’ personal characteristics; rather, the quality and design of their messages also play an important role in shaping audiences’ perceptions of influencer competence, warmth, and attractiveness.