MICRO-INFLUENCER PROFESSIONALISM AND CONSUMER TRUST IN MALAYSIAN COSMETIC SMES: EVIDENCE FROM INSTAGRAM USERS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35631/IJEMP.9340013Keywords:
Brand Perception, Influencer Professionalism, Instagram Marketing, Micro-Influencer Marketing, Purchase Intention, SME BrandingAbstract
The increasing reliance on influencer marketing has created new opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to promote products through social media platforms. However, the effectiveness of influencer promotions depends largely on how consumers perceive the professionalism and credibility of the influencer presenting the promotional content. This study investigates the relationship between perceived micro-influencer professionalism and consumer responses toward SME cosmetic brands promoted on Instagram. A quantitative survey design was employed, and data were collected from 100 Malaysian social media users who regularly engage with influencer-generated promotional content. The study examined multiple dimensions of influencer professionalism, including content accuracy, demonstration quality, transparency disclosure, professionalism and brand alignment, message consistency, engagement quality, influencer trustworthiness, and ethical expectations. Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to evaluate the relationships between these constructs and two consumer outcome variables: brand perception and purchase intention. The results indicate that all examined professionalism constructs demonstrate statistically significant positive relationships with both brand perception and purchase intention (p < 0.001). Demonstration quality and influencer trustworthiness were found to have the strongest relationships with brand perception, while ethical expectations and demonstration quality showed the strongest associations with purchase intention. These findings suggest that professional influencer communication plays a critical role in shaping consumer trust and behavioural responses in digital marketing environments. The study provides practical insights for SMEs seeking to enhance the effectiveness of influencer collaborations by prioritising professionalism and credibility in promotional strategies.
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