From Virality to Purchase Intention: How Instagram Marketing Shapes Cosmetic Buying Intentions among University Students in Karachi

Abstract

Purpose

Instagram has been used for various marketing activities. This research investigates the impact of these activities on university students' intentions to purchase cosmetic brands. It evaluates the influence of brand awareness, social media content, viral marketing, influencer marketing, and engagement on the intention to make an online purchase.

Methodology

Using a structured questionnaire, this quantitative cross-sectional survey collected data from business university students in Karachi. Various statistical procedures were applied, including multiple regression to test the proposed relationship.

Findings

The regression model was statistically significant and explained 40.8% of the variance in the students’ online purchase intentions. The three strongest predictors are viral marketing, social media content, and brand awareness. The influencer marketing had a non-significant positive effect, and engagement did not significantly predict purchase intention after controlling for other predictors.

Conclusion

The study compared five Instagram marketing predictors within a single model. It showed that viral marketing, content quality, and brand awareness are stronger predictors of purchase intention than influencer marketing and general engagement among Karachi-based business university students.