Bridging Borders: A Qualitative Exploration of Trust Towards Foreign Influencers in India

Abstract

This study examines how Indian consumers develop trust in foreign influencers on social media platforms. Adopting a qualitative case study approach, the research analyzes secondary data through thematic content analysis. The findings reveal that cultural alignment, emotional engagement, and credibility & loyalty are central to building digital trust. An updated concept model indicates that trust develops through a multi-layered and inter-relational process. These findings are valuable in shedding light on the cross-cultural consumer response in influencer marketing.