Abstract
Abstract The role of social media influencers (SMIs) in shaping investment decisions has attracted increasing attention on the digital edge, but remains underexplored among individual investors in emerging markets. To fill the gap, this study examines the impact of SMIs on investment decisions in the Pakistan stock market, employing the Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT) as the theoretical framework. It further investigates the mediating roles of convenience, information seeking, and socializing, and the moderating role of financial literacy. We used a convenience sampling technique for data collection. Using a questionnaire, we collected data from 460 investors who actively traded on the Pakistan Stock Exchange. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to test the proposed relationships. The results indicated that SMIs have a significant and positive effect on investment decisions. This relationship is positively mediated by convenience and information seeking. Our results reveal that socializing does not mediate the relationship between proposed constructs. Additionally, financial literacy moderates the effects of SMIs on convenience, information seeking, and socializing, amplifying their influence among investors with higher financial literacy. This study contributes to the literature by presenting a novel model that integrates UGT into financial decision-making. The findings offer policymakers, financial advisors, and SMIs useful insights, emphasizing the role of financial literacy and targeted strategies in promoting informed investment decisions in the Pakistan Stock Market.