How finfluencers' content streaming on social media affects audiences' investment behavior: a PLS-SEM approach

Abstract

The rise of finfluencer's financial content communication on social media platforms has transformed how individual investors absorb financial information and execute investment decisions. Considering this critical research theme, this study explores how finfluencers, as new-age attention-based economic agent within the digital media ecosystem, stimulate emotions, intentions and reframe the investment behavior with their specific financial narratives. The structural relationship and mediation model are empirically validated using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) based on survey data from Indian retail investors.' The results demonstrate that the emotional engagement perceived from asset tips and financial education influences investment intention and behavior. Trading strategies, investment reviews and market analysis of the other conjunctions failed to have a notable effect. The findings imply that the investor's response to finfluencer content is molded less by rational utility maximization and more driven by behavioral and informational economics notions. This provides useful insights for finfluencers, educators and policymakers seeking to promote more informed and intellectually balanced financial communication strategies and investment behavior in the digital economy.