Citation:

Sartika Togubu, Muhammad Rachmat, Laela. "The Effect of TikTok Influencer Credibility on Culinary Purchase Intention with Customer Engagement as a Mediating Variable Among Generation Z in Ternate City" International Research Journal of Economics and Management Studies, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 203-208, 2026. Crossref. http://doi.org/10.56472/25835238/IRJEMS-V5I2P123

Abstract:

This study aims to examine the influence of TikTok influencer credibility on culinary purchase intention with customer engagement as a mediating variable among Generation Z in Ternate City, Indonesia. The rapid growth of short-form video platforms has reshaped marketing communication, particularly in the culinary sector, where influencers function as persuasive opinion leaders. The respondents are 115 people who continue to follow a culinary TikTok influencer and interact with them, using a quantitative approach with survey methods. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze data. The research demonstrates that influencer credibility has a major effect on customer engagement and purchase intention. Customer engagement also has a significant impact on purchase intention and serves as a partial mediator in the relationship between influencer credibility and purchase intention. These results indicate that engagement acts as a psychological mechanism mediating the relationship between perceived credibility and behavioral intention. This study adds to the literature on digital marketing by extending influencer marketing scholarship to non-metropolitan contexts and highlighting engagement-driven persuasion approaches for Generation Z consumers.

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Keywords:

Influencer Credibility, Customer Engagement, Purchase Intention, TikTok, Generation Z.