Impact of Social Media Influencer Capability on Brand Loyalty in Saudi Arabia: The Mediating Role of Brand Trust and Moderating Effect of Authentic Leadership

Social media influencers (SMIs) have become effective intermediaries that influence consumer perceptions, attitudes, and behavioral intentions through their online presence and persuasion skills; this has made it imperative to comprehend how buyer-related variables contribute to brand loyalty within contemporary marketing research. This study, therefore, examines the effect of social media influencer capability on brand loyalty in Saudi Arabia, using brand trust as a mediating variable and authentic leadership as a moderating variable. Utilizing Social Exchange Theory and Authentic Leadership Theory, the study applied a quantitative cross-sectional survey design. Data were purposively collected from 476 active social media users in three major commercial hubs in Saudi Arabia (Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam). The data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings reveal that authenticity and communication skills have a positive and significant influence on brand trust and brand loyalty, but expertise and influence only have a significant and positive influence on brand trust, not on brand loyalty directly, which means that the two constructs are indirectly influencing brand loyalty. The study also finds that authentic leadership significantly moderates the relationship between expertise, influence, and communication skills and brand loyalty, while the interaction with authenticity is not significant. Moreover, the mediation analysis shows that brand trust plays a significant mediating role in the relationships between communication skills, expertise and influence and brand loyalty, implying that the antecedents play a leading role in fostering loyalty by first developing trust. The study contributes to theory by offering a process-based perspective on the concept of brand loyalty that positions brand trust as a fundamental mechanism and authentic leadership as a vital enabling context. The findings have practical implications for organizations that want to strengthen brand loyalty through authentic communication, trust-building strategies, and leadership practices in social media-based contexts.