Influencer credibility and halal identity on purchase intention: The role of brand engagement and digital religious expression

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of influencer credibility on purchase intention, with brand engagement as a mediating variable and digital religious expression as a contextual factor. Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), this research seeks to explain how trust in social media influencers influences consumer behavior within religiously oriented digital communities. Data were collected through an online survey of Indonesian social media users who actively participate in online religious communities, particularly in the halal fashion sector. The analysis employed Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that influencer trustworthiness has a significant positive effect on brand engagement (p = 0.000) but does not directly affect purchase intention (p = 0.450). Brand engagement plays a crucial mediating role in the relationship between influencer credibility and purchase intention (p = 0.000) and is identified as a strong predictor of consumers’ buying intentions (p = 0.000). However, the moderating effect of digital religious expression is not supported (p = 0.164), suggesting that digital religiosity does not strengthen the influence of influencer credibility on purchase intention. These findings extend TPB by highlighting the indirect mechanism through which influencer credibility shapes consumer behavior via engagement. The study contributes to the literature by integrating influencer credibility, brand engagement, and digital religious expression into the TPB framework. Practically, the findings offer insights for marketers targeting Muslim consumers by emphasizing engagement-based influencer strategies. Limitations include the cross-sectional design and cultural specificity of the sample, indicating opportunities for future longitudinal and cross-cultural research.