The Influence of Social Media Influencers and E-WOM on Purchase Intention: The Mediating Role of Brand Trust

Purpose: This study examines brand trust as a mediating mechanism linking social media influencers and electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM) to purchase intention for cosmetics products among Indonesian Gen Z consumers, addressing theoretical gaps in process-oriented digital marketing research. Method/Approach: Survey data from 75 business students at Universitas Timor were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4.0. Direct and indirect effects were tested through bias-corrected bootstrapping procedures with 5,000 resamples following contemporary mediation analysis best practices. Findings: Influencers (β = 0.445, p 200) across diverse product categories and regions. Implications: Cosmetics brands should prioritize trust-building through authentic influencer partnerships and genuine e-WOM cultivation rather than direct sales promotions. Trust-first strategies prove more effective than sales-first tactics in emerging digital markets. Contribution: First study quantifying full mediation mechanism in Indonesian Gen Z cosmetics context, extending social cognitive theory and trust-based mediation frameworks to emerging market digital marketing, demonstrating trust as prerequisite for behavioral outcomes.