Date of Graduation

9-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Journalism (MA)

Degree Level

Graduate

Department

Journalism

Advisor/Mentor

Foster, Bobby

Committee Member

Bryan Hurt

Third Committee Member

Dave Bostwick

Fourth Committee Member

Teresa Tackett

Keywords

Attractiveness; Credibility; Expertise; Influencer; Opinion Leader; Trustworthiness

Abstract

With worldwide technological and communication advancements in the last few decades, everyday citizens can capture, create, and share news through social media platforms. Nowadays, prominent social media influencers (SMIs) influence where and from whom online audiences consume their news and information. This study aims to explore how different SMI attributes – such as attractiveness, expertise, and trustworthiness – and their social media tactics create or add to audience perceptions of SMIs as credible online opinion leaders. Applying Two-Step Flow theory and Source Credibility theory, the study used data from a survey of 115 participants to understand how audiences perceived the trustworthiness and expertise of SMIs when evaluating credibility. The research found that SMI trustworthiness and expertise have stronger positive relationships with credibility, and SMI attractiveness has the strongest positive relationship with opinion leadership. Yet, the regressions show that SMI trustworthiness has a statistically significant effect on opinion leadership, and both attractiveness and trustworthiness have a statistically significant effect on credibility. This study integrates and provides an examination of modern mass media communications and audience perceptions of SMI credibility and the opinion leadership role. The findings suggest that social media users prioritize attractiveness and trustworthiness when considering SMIs to be credible opinion leaders, while content attractiveness and expertise play minor, insignificant roles.

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