The Impact of Influencer Credibility on Library Visit Intentions: An Experiment-Based Study of University Students

Abstract

Social Media Influencers (SMIs) have evolved as a valuable marketing tool for promoting products, services and even destinations. The collaboration with SMIs is surging in a commercial context as credible SMIs substantially influence the buying/visit intention of their followers. The study investigates the impact of influencer credibility (IC) on the visit intention of students to the library. The study adopted a preand post-experimental design using the Source Credibility Model as the foundation. The sample consists of 30 MBA (Master of Business Administration) students studying at the Central University of Kashmir, India. Data analysis was done using SPSS 27 software with statistical techniques such as linear regression and t-tests. The findings reveal that IC has a significant and positive impact on the library visit intention of the students to the library. Further, the study also finds that library visit intentions significantly improve post-exposure to influencers’ content. The study adds to the influencer marketing literature in an academic context and provides some noteworthy implications for various stakeholders.