Abstract

Social media influencers contribute to the makeup sector by promoting it as more visible and diversified, by practising societal acceptance and variety, and by sharing their lives publicly on social media. These 'beauty gurus' employ their makeup abilities to collaborate with cosmetics businesses, earning significant pay by increasing brand knowledge among social media viewers. This research looks at how influencers affect how millennials use social media knowledge to learn about brand items. The research also looks at the elements that influence credibility in that content. Using data from female millennials, the author discovered that trustworthiness influences followers' decision-making. A survey was undertaken to acquire data on the assessment of influencers' trustworthiness. 170 respondents provided information. Data was gathered through Google Forms and links were shared among female millennials. After that, the results were analyzed through SPSS. Factors such as trustworthiness, expertise, and attractiveness were dominant in shaping millennials' decisions.

Key Words

Credibility, Social Media Influencers, Make-up Influencers, Millennials, Trustworthiness

Introduction

Social Media Influencers benefit the beauty industry by increasing accessibility and diversity, promoting cultural consent and diversity, and exposing their personal entities on social media. The particular “beauty gurus” employ their make-up abilities to work for cosmetic companies and earn big bucks to increase brand recognition among social network users. 

The survey specifically focuses on beauty industry influencers and cosmetic choices. According to the marketing literature, credibility and credibility characteristics influence the effectiveness of influencer recognition and confirmation techniques. Therefore, this study's goal is to determine whether a millennial's desire to follow her SMI influences purchasing decisions. Using a secondary structure, we investigated the impact of influencer credit characteristics on trust in purchasing cosmetics. Additionally, influencer credibility was assessed by assessing the influencer's product expertise, affiliation, usefulness, confidence, and clarity. 




Background

The landscape has changed with the introduction of new technologies, methods of communication and marketing campaigns. Influence marketing is a social digital advertising technique that enables clients, marketers, and marketers to transform the conversation of digital brands (Chou S.-Y., et al., 2016). These influencers, along with celebrity corporate sponsors, are leveraged to incorporate and endorse a company's brand, product, or service in their social media messages. Influencers influence their internet audience and are chosen based on their ability to reach out and endorse a company or product (Abreu, R, 2019). Given these considerations, working with SMI on brand marketing and promotional initiatives becomes increasingly important. 

Advancements in e-commerce have made online marketplaces the primary trading venue, replacing traditional offline malls. Advances in digital media and technology have made social media advertising more popular, and businesses now have a variety of advertising channels to choose from (Abreu, R., 2019). Additionally, influencer marketing is a cost-effective marketing technique that can be used to reach your target audience directly. Moreover, these alternatives have expanded social networking influencer marketing, which is beneficial for both businesses and celebrities (Abreu, R., 2019). Additionally, the popularity of e-commerce has expedited the development of online influencers into brand ambassadors for companies looking to advertise online. As a result, digital media marketing has revealed new ways for businesses to communicate with people in a more intimate and natural way. 

Millennials grew up in a digital world, so they are used to the internet, mobile phones and social media. According to the survey, millennials are those born between the years 1980 and 2000, and younger millennials are those between the ages of 18 and 24. Young millennials are expressing themselves through cosmetics, demonstrating cultural openness and diversity, and exposing their entities through digital networks, helping to make the beauty business more accessible and diverse. (Britton, Ann Marie, 2012). As Jed Wolf said, today's youth value personal connections over celebrities. Approximately 73% of respondents thought persons on social media were far more inspirational than "traditional" celebrities, while more than 90% of young people are reported to observe innovators on digital media. I'm here.

Influencer assistance is a traditional and successful marketing approach that is still leveraged today through new marketing channels that have evolved through digital networking platforms. These influencers have become known for their professional skills as actresses, supermodels, and athletes. In response to the expansion of digital media, however, digital media influencers have emerged as new well-known goods endorsers for advertising techniques (Britton, Ann Marie, 2012). They have achieved recognition by successfully establishing themselves as professionals on these platforms. 

 In other terms, a micro-celebrity is "a self-representation strategy in which people consider themselves as a public persona to be devoured by others, employ strategic intimacy to appeal to followers, and regard their audience as fans." Senft has defined micro-celebrity as "a new kind of online performance that includes people "amping up" their fame over the Web utilising technologies and digital networking sites.

“Microstars are known as small groups whose behaviour feels 'real' to their readers, as opposed to influencers, who are high-profile figures with large followings. are viewed as trustworthy of their knowledge and insight into the industry and by their large following on social media, and as such, they influence the decisions of their audiences and peers (LubnaNafees, Christy M.Cook., 2021). 

The personal care and beautification sector is constantly evolving to provide its adherents with safe, sustainable, and creative products (Forbes K., 2016.) Beauty companies are also largely focused on small screens, and they relied primarily on traditional forms of advertising such as publications B. Grocery stores, super centres, chain stores, pharmaceuticals, distributors, and outlet stores. However, advances in technology have changed the way customers search for and purchase beauty items. 

Online influencers have been shown to have a positive impact on the elegance, appearance, and lifestyle of their online audience. According to a meta-analysis of source credibility, criteria such as competence, trustworthiness, relevance, credibility, beauty, ideological similarity, objectivity, credibility and impartiality, and integrity determine the credibility of a source. commonly used to quantify (Britton, Ann Marie, 2012).

Source credibility was assessed in additional surveys using attributes such as expertise, authenticity, attractiveness, knowledge, trustworthiness, credibility, confidence, and usefulness. The credibility of these sources does not measure traits of advocates such as expressiveness or likability. Forbes is the only one to measure the characteristics of online influencers in terms of expressiveness and likability, according to researchers. However, this study was exploratory (Forbes K., 2016). 




Research Gap/Rationale

Makeup Influencers began their journey as a hobby but have now evolved into a full-fledged business that benefits both influencers and followers. There has been little research to date on the impact of makeup influencers on the decision-making process. Especially in Pakistan (Islamabad), no research has been done yet and all the research so far has focused on different effects due to different factors. Our research focuses specifically on Generation Y, known as Millennials. 

We have read many papers and research papers dealing with influencers and their impact in general, which overlaps with our topic in some areas, but our focus is There are three dominant factors that shape the decision process. 

Problem Statement

The aim of this research is to determine the authenticity of makeup influencers influencing a young millennial female's choice of cosmetic brands. 




Hypothesis

? The credibility of social media influencers positively influences the trust of their followers. 

? Social Media Influencer Credibility Positively Affects Followers' Decision-Making Process.  




Research Objectives

? Analysis of the influence of the credibility of influencer recommendations on social media on consumer behaviour towards brands. 

? Understand the relationship between influencer recommendations in the digital world, especially social communities, and the impact these recommendations have on the opinions of their followers.




Significance of the Study

The goal of this study is to find out how these cosmetic influencers influence their followers and how they shape makeup product purchasing decisions. 

Literature Review

The increased connectivity of millennials enabled by Internet platforms has enabled them to perform and interact in increasingly similar ways and as a result, the limitations of multidimensional barriers in daily life have become unrecognized (Chou S. -Y., et al., 2016). Today's youth like companies and products that help them unify their social identities and become homogeneous groups. Social identity is an individual's sense of belonging to a particular social community with which they have emotional and cognitive ties. Social psychologists Henri Tajfel and John Turner established a theory of social identity that characterizes intergroup behaviour. Individual identity, the personal qualities of an individual, and social identity, the collective identification of group personalities, are her two components of social identification (Britton, Ann Marie, 2012). According to social identity theory, social influence shows how the idea of social identity can provide empirically reliable evidence for diverse predictions of attractive personality. Individuals who identify themselves as members of a particular social group often incorporate and integrate the key characteristics of that group into their preferences and attitudes.

Research shows that certain people have a natural tendency to influence other people's purchasing decisions. Influencers have become popular as reputable and insightful sources of information because they can engage with like-minded people. increase. Moreover, these independent social media personalities are integral to brand dialogue and more engaging than cosmetics company commercials. With most people living normal lives, social media influencers are expected to be more honest and connect more with their followers who view their material on a daily basis. A lot of research has been done to study the impact of influencer retail and the processes that influence brand responses. For example, Lee and Watkins showed that vloggers have a positive impact on customers' purchase motivation for the (luxury) items featured in the vlog. Consumers demonstrate a conscious acceptance of product recommendations from their lifestyle vloggers by purchasing or recommending products to others (Lubna Nafees, Christy M. Cook ., 2021). 

According to Zhang and Benyoucef, the

opinions and suggestions of influencers influence the purchase selection process. If you're unsure about what you're buying, we consider influencers to be experts, so you can get accurate product information. In other words, the information that influencers provide is important in making product purchase decisions. Followers seem to rely primarily on cross-reviews rather than other information. Followers often view influencers as equals and rely on their authentication and endorsement (Zhang K.Z. and Benyoucef M., 2016). 

Influencer credibility, such as perceived credibility, effectively reinforces marketing messages and may accompany the notion that social media influencers are more credible (Britton, Ann Marie, 2012). Additionally, influencer status elicits a more optimistic response from followers compared to influencers. According to research published by Djafarova and Rushworth, when it comes to leveraging brand discussions on social media channels, they are easier to reach and contact and thus more trustworthy. However, because influencers have the ability to influence consumer purchase intentions, their success depends on how their audience views them. 

Knowledge refers to information whose meaning is supported by evidence and certainty and thus can be separated from opinions, conjectures, assumptions, or other unverified facts. An individual's intellectual capital, engagement, and ability to develop commercial or economic value are all tied to knowledge. Product competencies have a significant positive impact on marketing etiquette, brand attitudes and purchase intent. The more product knowledge you have, the more impact your advertising will have. According to research by Yadav and De Valck, influencers' information is more likely to be accepted by their followers if they are considered experts or highly educated in their field. Additionally, influencers are typically educated specialists in various product areas such as makeup and fashion and are not limited to a single product (Britton, Ann Marie, 2012). Therefore, followers see influencers as more authentic and honest because they understand the products they are promoting. In this study, expertise relates to the deep insight influencers give their followers about their brand (LubnaNafees, Christy M.Cook., 2021).  

According to social identity theory, people are likely to interact with certain behaviours that are perceived by social criteria, and social identity should be consistent with self-identity. According to Glucksman, influencers who connect closely with their followers are considered authentic. The concept claims that customers are more relevant and likeable because they have a similar experience to the influencer and have more trust in the influencer's ideas and suggestions. Similarly, Forbes stresses that micro-influencers are more likely to be "relatable" and live normal lives than celebrities who seem to keep their distance because of their influence.  come from similar demographic backgrounds, their perspective is often readily accepted by young people, resulting in a more personal relationship and feeling between influencers and their followers (Glucksman M., 2017).  

Trust, an individual's willingness to be influenced by the actions of others, has become an essential aspect of driving sales and business in an online context. This concept is based on the premise that others can participate in certain behaviours that are important to them, regardless of their ability to control or dominate them. Trust often involves acts of trust such as providing personal information and making purchase decisions, reducing the customer's perception of insecurity and vulnerability (Ohanian R., 1990). Additionally, influencers need to build trust with their communities in order to influence their behaviour. For example, Bruns recognizes the value of trusted social media and her influencers for direction and advice in specific situations. Influencers are seen as trustworthy and trustworthy by their peers. Without this key attribute, influencers cannot influence or dominate their audience.

Hoeland et al. We have found that source credibility is related to the recipient's perceived goodness of the source, also known as the source's intentions toward McCroskey and  Young.  McCroskey and Young defined goodwill as a source's attitude toward the recipient's well-being. McCroskey and Teven argued that perceived compassion, also known as compassion, consists of three components: understanding, empathy, and response. According to McCroskey and Teven, understanding means knowing the thoughts, desires, and feelings of another person. Empathy is the ability to empathize with the feelings of another person. Finally, responsiveness is defined as a person's attention to other people's communications (McCormick K., 2016). Building on previous research, this study proposes that the perceived goodwill of social media influencers mediates the relationship between social media influencer power and consumer attitudes towards brands. as a result of their continued audience engagement. Second, as clients rely on social media influencers as providers of brand intelligence, they gradually demonstrate that they care about their audiences and have their best interests in mind, resulting in social media Increased favourability from influencers. Ultimately, as the power of social media influencers grows, so does the value of their marketing signals (McCormick K., 2016), possibly due to the accumulation of perceived favours of social media influencers.

Millennials were born between the year 1981 and 1996, said Michael Dimmock, president of the Pew Research Center. Millennials are considered confident and optimistic because they grew up in an era of economic prosperity and technological innovation, including the advent of the internet, social media and globalization. They are also called the "Internet Generation". Millennials are also known to have grown up in a more digital world than Generations X and Y, and the Millennials are so named because they are closer to the new millennium. Both millennials and Gen Z are known for their comfort and awareness of digital media. Millennials, often referred to as digital natives, are people born after the introduction of digital technology into the mainstream. Digital natives are said to have a better understanding of technology than those born later, as they were exposed to it at an early age. Generation Z is another group that can be classified as digital natives because they have never lived without access to the internet, computers, and mobile phones. Millennials and Generation Z are considered the age group that engages with social media influencers more than celebrities. According to Nouri, this age group is more likeable to influencers than superstars. According to the survey, more than 72% of him in millennials and Gen Z follow at least one trendsetter, her. These people attempt to imitate influencers, encouraging them to purchase the advertised items, services, and labels. She is seen as a role model with the skills and proven to have a positive impact on the online beauty business  (LubnaNafees, Christy M. Koch, 2021). 

According to  Freberg et al. Social media trendsetters are a new breed of independent, third-party high performers who influence audience opinion through magazines, tweets, and other forms of social media. They also have long followed the traditional and conventional methods of promoters in the advertising space in that influencers use online self-promotion strategies to build a brand image that their followers may be interested in. It is different from influencers such as popular singers and actors who have been around for a long time. and find the charm. The connections they form with their followers are one of the most important factors in developing their own successful personal brand. Abidin defines an influencer as a creator of digital content that develops and distributes content. Trendsetters have become an important topic in today's culture, not only in business but also in our daily lives. These thought leaders help marketers reach the right audience with the most relevant brand messages. Marketers soon began capitalizing on the influencer phenomenon as it proved to be such a powerful advertising tool as it could be used to distribute. Influencer marketing is an undeniable force today. However,  for it to be an active marketing tool, every business must select and use the right influencers for each message and affirmation it seeks to promote. If you want to reach consumers. Trendsetter marketing is the most relevant, cost-effective, and cost-effective marketing trend for marketers who want to attract young consumers (Forbes K., 2016). 

Influencers are micro-celebrities who can shape public opinion and are seen as relevant and accessible to their audience. This is the fundamental difference between influencers and celebrities. A marketer uses a social media trendsetter as part of his social media strategy to spread his cheap eWOM to his business because of his huge online presence and huge influence (Forbes K. 2016). Last but not least, its power to influence online attitudes makes it an important tool for brand advertising goals such as: B. Product recommendations on social networks such as  Instagram. Product recommendations by social media trendsetters are promoted as legitimate and trusted word of mouth, not sponsorships or advertising. Brands have abandoned traditional advertising methods in favour of thought leaders who believe they are more engaging, effective and engaging with their target audience. This is beneficial for businesses as customers tend to be wary of traditional advertising approaches. Consumers can skip online commercials or install ad-blocking software to avoid seeing ads, making it difficult for advertisers and marketers to reach their target audience. Finally, companies rely on influencers' marketing techniques in campaigns. This is because it is considered a reputable and reliable means of promoting items. 

Because this research study focuses on young women's opinions on the recommendations of luxury makeup products from beauty influencers, it is important to understand how high-end companies are incorporating influencers in their marketing and advertising in general. It's important to find out. This idea was also expressed in an interview. This stage requires the definition of high-end items. According to Buttaccio, high-end products are those that are more expensive and of higher quality. Because luxury goods are known all over the world, buyers can develop a deep and emotional relationship with such products (Myrto Georgaki Kondyli., 2019). They symbolize an icon or personality linked to the product, guaranteeing high consumer performance in exchange for the trust placed on them. We believe that it is more about our strong emotional connection to our company than to our company.

Superior items are characterized by high quality, fancy packaging, special store locations, larger retail margins, costly promotions, advertising campaigns, and brand names, all of which contribute to high costs. According to Tynan, McKechnie, and Chhuon, luxury brands “can offer non-essential items and services that are high quality and expensive. , provide a high level of symbolic and emotional/hedonistic benefits." Also, high-end companies and their products maintain a good brand image and identity and increase brand awareness to increase customer awareness. (Myrto Georgaki Kondyli., 2019).

This concept of flexible selves in applying cosmetics to buildings is also explored in Sarah Scott's article The Influence of  Cosmetics on the Confidence of  College  Women. Scott's research sought to uncover links between cosmetics,  suitability for different situations, and resulting anxiety. In this study, anxiety is used to assess trust. Participants were instructed to attend classes and go out with their girlfriends. They were asked to wear typical make-up in each situation during the previous part of the study. Although there is little evidence that cosmetics marketing directly impacts consumers, many of the studies outlined above are also relevant to the cosmetics sector. Girls are raised from an early age to use cosmetics to improve their appearance.  Cosmetics fascinate most women because they are a quick and easy way to temporarily fix beauty problems. A Backgrounds study found that many women reported using different makeup methods based on what they wanted to do during the day (Weiss R., 2014).

One of the characteristics that make an influencer's suggestion more appealing to their followers is authenticity. The credibility concept determines an influencer's credibility, competence, and attractiveness (Forbes K., 2016). As mentioned earlier, celebrity endorsements can have a negative impact on a brand's image, so digital trendsetters are considered more reputable than celebrities. Social media influencers are seen as relevant, relatable, and close to their audience, while celebrities may be associated with different brands, with the same person appearing in multiple ads for different items. is not recognized as a brand guru because, as a result, the credibility of celebrities can be tarnished. Because the concept of expertise is tied to credibility, influencers who are experts in a particular field such as beauty, fashion, travel,  food, etc., have established brand identities for their personal brands and thus are more likely to reach out to their audience. considered more trustworthy and benevolent. As a result, your product recommendations will be seen as more authoritative when promoting products and services related to your area of expertise. 

Attractiveness is another important trait that leads people to trust influencers and see them as trusted advocates. Beauty quantity can subconsciously influence customer behaviour on product recommendations. This is because we believe that certain items, especially luxury items, make them look like the glamorous influencers they follow. Authenticity, credibility, and openness are also important considerations when deciding whether to trust influencers, whether to trust them, and whether to respect their point of view. According to Arnold, transparency is a highly valued practice among influencers. Declaring a sponsorship or partnership with a company creates a popular and trustworthy image with your audience, and leads to more trust from your followers  (Forbes K., 2016). 




Theoretical Framework

For this research, the researcher has used source credibility theory.




Source Credibility Theory

Source Reliability Theory is an ancient theory that attempts to explain how the reliability of the source of communication affects the persuasiveness of a message. Aristotle was the first to consider credibility, emphasizing the need to establish the credibility of the speaker. Beliefs fall into different categories: ethos, pathos, and logos. An ethos is the trust a person has in someone or something, including believing in the person you trust. The source reliability principle is used in economics, law, politics, and communication sciences. The most important factors of source credibility are the source's credibility, knowledge and attractiveness (Ohanian R., 1990). 

Hovland, Janis, and Kelly proposed source reliability theory in their paper. It is hypothesized that the qualities of a good communicator influence recipient perception and message acceptance. In other words, recipients are more likely to accept and persuade your message if the source seems trustworthy. Matur et al. I've found that using a trusted speaker makes your message more persuasive. According to this research, the impact of influencer messages on users is influenced by factors such as trust, attractiveness and competence/expertise.  

Credibility is one of the most important attributes of influencers. Low customer trust in influencers reduces the influence of celebrities on user groups. Scholars have identified honesty and trustworthiness as two key characteristics associated with trustworthiness. According to Ahmed et al., (2014), trustworthiness is represented by authenticity and honesty. For example, if buyers think influential supporters are honest, they assume that the messages conveyed in lessons are just as genuine. 

Professionalism, along with honesty, is an important quality that influences followers. An individual's level of experience, knowledge, skill, or ability is called expertise. Followers are more likely to be captivated by your ad's message if they perceive the influencer or endorser to have great expertise and experience. As a result, influencers who are perceived to be highly competent may be more persuasive than those who are perceived to have limited expertise (Ohanian R., 1990). 

In addition, the beauty of the speaker has a great impact on the effectiveness of the message. Audience Communication Her taste or enjoyment of the source is called attraction. Similarity, familiarity, and liking are important factors influencing the appeal of a source. When an influential advocate looks attractive, followers' attitudes towards the advocate's messages improve. Research shows that beauty has a direct impact on the effectiveness of her message in communication. 

As a result, relevance, timeliness, and above all public perception of the promoter underpin the quality of the evaluation. They are working on clues to the legitimacy of the source. Relevance shows how important and relevant the review is to us. Previous studies have shown that trust in a company's products and services is strongly associated with purchasing behaviour. Therefore, it is important to understand the tutorial genre and influencer reputation. Because the higher your reputation,  the more often you will be contacted to rate your articles. Another consideration is the visually appealing material (Ohanian R., 1990).

Conceptual Framework



Research Methodology

The technique for data collecting will be quantitative, requiring statistical analytic procedures to analyse the data. Young females were targeted to examine their perception of makeup influencers' credibility towards product choice.

This is a quantitative study to evaluate the significant effects of beauty influencers' skills, authenticity, desirability, prestige, and compelling powers on consumer buying intentions of items on social media. As a result, only respondents who followed and watched cosmetics influencer video lessons were chosen for data collection in this study. 




Research Strategy 

Because this is a quantitative study, a survey using the Likert scale will be used. To obtain replies from female millennials, a survey instrument was created. Furthermore, to gather data via digital services, a  non-probability purposive sampling approach was employed. Purposive sampling, also known as judgement sampling, entails discovering and choosing competent and well-informed people with knowledge of a topic of interest. 

The questionnaire consisted of multiple-choice questions in which the responder may select their position. Respondents were promised that no personal information would be requested because the research was being conducted for academic purposes. The first item on the survey form was connected to the dependent variable; decision-making, and whether or not their decision is influenced by influencers. The remaining 15 questions were based on independent criteria such as dependability, knowledge, and attractiveness. Each variable has 5 questions after its indications. The independent variables were assessed using a  5-point  Likert scale, which is often used in research and has been well-evaluated in the social science literature.

Population and Sampling

Millennials were the targeted population for this research. A millennial, often termed Gen Y, is a person born between  1981  and 1996. This generation comes after Gen  X and before Gen  Z. The purpose behind choosing Gen Y is how these younger people are dealing with the lifestyle and latest techniques of Gen  Z. How their lives are affected and how they are changing themselves according to today's world. For this study, female millennials have been targeted, as I want to know if their lives are being affected by influential society. 




Sample Size 

A survey was undertaken to acquire data on the assessment of influencers' trustworthiness. 170 respondents provided information. Young girls from Islamabad responded.




Data Collection 

Data will be gathered through Google Forms and shared links among female millennials in Islamabad. The data was loaded into the Statistical  Package for the Social  Sciences  (SPSS) to determine variable frequencies and correlations.

Results/Findings

Findings of Statement 1  

Graph 1


This pie chart shows that the respondents do look for makeup influencer tutorials to decide whether they want to buy a makeup product or not. This means these influencers do help their followers in decision-making. As per the given chart, 52.9% of female respondents strongly agreed with the statement asked in the questionnaire. 32.4% of them agreed and 9.4% were neutral. The rest of the 5.3% of respondents disagreed with the given statement. 
Findings of Statements 2-6
Statements from 2-6 in the questionnaire are related to the factor “trustworthiness”, which is an independent variable in this research. The further indicators on the basis of which trustworthiness is measured are best interest, fair, unbiased, trust, and reliable. 
The accumulated percentage frequency of these indicators have shown below;

Graph 2



The given graph shows that the factor "trustworthiness" has an impact on the respondent's decision-making process. Most of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed with the statements asked in the questionnaire. Some of the respondents have neutral opinions regarding those questionnaire statements. And we can see clearly from our graph that a very less percentage of respondents disagreed with the questionnaire statements.   




Findings of Statements 7-11

Statements from 7-11 in the questionnaire are related to the factor “expertise”, which is another independent variable in this research. The further indicators on the basis of which expertise is measured are qualified facts, expert opinion, knowledge, skills, and mastery. 

The accumulated percentage frequency of these indicators have shown below;

Graph 3



The given graph shows that the factor "expertise" has an impact on the respondent's decision-making process. Most of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed with the statements asked in the questionnaire. Some of the respondents have neutral opinions regarding those questionnaire statements. And we can see clearly from our graph that a very less percentage of respondents disagreed with the questionnaire statements.




Findings of Statements 12-16

Statements from 12-16 in the questionnaire are related to the factor “attractiveness”, which is another independent variable in this research. The further indicators on the basis of which attractiveness is measured are aesthetics, good AV, articulation skills, technical skills, and classy. 

The accumulated percentage frequency of these indicators have shown below;

Graph 4



The given graph shows that the factor "attractiveness" has an impact on the respondent's decision-making process. Most of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed with the statements asked in the questionnaire. Some of the respondents have neutral opinions regarding those questionnaire statements. And we can see clearly from our graph that a very less percentage of respondents disagreed with the questionnaire statements.

Correlation Analysis

How independent variables of this research influence the decision-making process.




 

Table 1

Correlations

		Whenever I have to buy cosmetic products, I look for makeup influencer reviews to decide.	Trustworthiness	Expertise	Attractiveness
Whenever I have to buy cosmetic products, I look for makeup influencer reviews to decide.	Pearson Correlation	1
	Sig. (2-tailed)
	N	145
Trustworthiness	Pearson Correlation	.766**	1
	Sig. (2-tailed)	.000
	N	145	145
Expertise	Pearson Correlation	.643**	.827**	1
	Sig. (2-tailed)	.000	.000
	N	145	145	145
Attractiveness	Pearson Correlation	.678**	.753**	.779**	1
	Sig. (2-tailed)	.000	.000	.000
	N	145	145	145	145
**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).

 




According to this table, it can be seen that the variables are interlinked with each other. Trustworthiness has the highest effect on the decision-making process. Then comes the attractiveness in affecting the decision-making process. After that expertise is there to influence the decision-making process. This shows that trustworthiness has a higher impact than expertise. In the decision-making process trustworthiness is considered a reliable factor for influential followers. Influential followers do look for appealing and trustworthy content to make their decisions for any makeup product. 

Discussion and Analysis

Analysis

Analysis entails calculating a certain index

values or measurements as well as searching for a series of relationships that exist between data sets. Analyses are classified into two types: descriptive and inferential. To achieve the study's objectives, the data collected through surveys is analysed statistically. The previous chapter 05 provides an analytical perspective on the data acquired. 










Discussion 

The objective of this research was to determine and assess the credibility qualities of influencers that affect followers' trust and decision-making behaviour. All of the hypotheses were backed by the source credibility model. Overall, our findings reveal that digital media influencers who promote cosmetic businesses engage most productively among followers when they possess attributes such as expertise, relatability, confidence, and articulation, all of which are necessary for developing trust with followers.

An influencer is someone who has the authority, expertise, position, or connection with their consumer to influence their purchase decisions. It is vital to highlight that these people are more than just marketing tools; they are social connection assets with whom businesses may partner to achieve their marketing goals.

Over the past decade, the importance of social media has grown tremendously. Social media is actively used by about  4.59 billion people. Inevitably, these people resort to social media influencers to help them make decisions. Social media influencers are persons who have established a reputation for their knowledge and experience on a given issue. They create enormous followings of enthusiastic, interested people who pay careful attention to their opinions by making regular updates about that issue on their favourite digital media networks. Brands value digital media  influencers because they may generate trends and persuade their

followers to purchase the things they endorse.

A makeup influencer is an internet producer that posts cosmetics and makeup accessory-related beauty content. Makeup influencers fall into several categories. Some specialise in product reviews and style inspiration, while others are cosmetics specialists for certain skin tones or skin disorders.

Between 1981 and 1996, individuals were indeed born. Generation Y is another term for millennials. The word "millennial" refers to a generation cohort, along with Gen X and Baby Democrats. These phrases aid in categorising individuals into groups with comparable inclinations. It's important to keep in mind that the snipped numbers for this group (and other chronological cohorts) are arbitrary, making statistical analysis difficult. For example, relatively few individuals would identify as a Millennial or a Gen-Xer.  Whether they are superior to past generations is a matter of perception; they have been exposed to technology that older folk do not understand. This may lead to other perceived problems in millennials, but it should not be overlooked when discussing baby boomers in the profession.

Based on the findings, confidence and relatability have a considerable impact on trust. Since they are also recommended commodities, enthusiastic communicators will leave a more significant influence on the brand image. Furthermore, optimistic gestures paired with words such as "wonderful," "adore," "eager," and "my best" may give the impression that the marketers are satisfied with their abilities and the company. As a consequence, a conviction may cause influencers to be viewed as real and genuine, making their viewers more inclined to buy the offered items in the future. 

The examination of these research findings has significant operational, intellectual, and functional consequences. First, relying on the conceptual considerations, this study makes an important addition to the development of the study paradigm by integrating several conceptual constructs from the appropriate literature evaluation based on the source credibility model. The theoretical notion included. 

? social media trendsetter credibility attributes as independent factors,

? trustworthiness as  a second-order linking factor, and 

? buying intention as the dependent variable. 

The combination of the multiple framework theoretical ideas was necessary to fulfil the research purpose and overcome the scientific gap through the outcomes of this study, which confirmed practical ties between the three critical parts. As a consequence, our data contribute to the collection of expertise in content communication by revealing the essential relationship between social media trendsetter qualities, loyalty, and buying intention among female millennial clients. Furthermore, this theoretical framework may assist researchers and marketers in optimising buying desire conduct among prospective customers. Furthermore, the top makeup e-commerce industry and digital vendors should try emphasising and engaging in those SMI features that might potentially generate confidence among potential consumers and increase their makeup sale quantity.

This paper examines the qualities of beauty gurus that favourably affect their viewers' attitudes and purchase intentions toward makeup items. The outcomes provide a practical roadmap for communication specialists, firms, and business executives looking to engage with social media trailblazers in the beauty sector in order to build brand equity and long-term relationships with their digital consumers.

This paper has also served the realm of practices in e-commerce and online branding by making suggestions that should be taken into account. This concept is especially important when makeup businesses intend to teach social media trendsetters using recognised and defined structures. As a consequence, the suggested model defines fundamental building blocks for merchants in the makeup sector to successfully engage their clients in purchasing. In other terms, this research educates social media trendsetters on how to create acceptable surroundings in which potential clients may actively participate in makeup product purchases.

Conclusion

In recent days, the influencer sector has been spectacular and profitable, with a rising percentage of younger women getting renowned on social media. This study tried to explain the factors on which social media influencers' credibility is based, as well as how they affect young minds and aid them with their knowledge. The findings enable future studies to understand how particular variables might boost young admirers' allegiance to social media influencers and shape their decisions. It may be inferred that the social media influencer's most important attributes are trustworthiness, knowledge, and attractiveness. Furthermore, experts must be aware that the qualities highlighted in this study, particularly trustworthiness, are critical since they might affect young engagement with the social media endorser. 

Limitations and Delimitations

Limitations are the external factors that affect the study. In my study time given and finance were the factor that affected my study. 

Delimitations are the boundaries set for the study in terms of population size, the area covered, types of participants etc. According to my research and collection of data, the delimitations applied are. 

? Data were collected from 170 respondents.

? Data was collected from female millennials.

? Data collected from respondents are from Islamabad.

Recommendations

If other researchers work on my findings, I advise them to explore other aspects that would aid in their comprehension. This research may be utilised to provide more thorough findings and a better knowledge of influencer marketing in the future. Future studies might include comparative studies of the most important attributes required to flourish as an influencer on various social media sites. 

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