This research investigates the impact of influencer credibility and content quality shape Generation Z (Gen Z) consumers’ willingness to pay considering the influence of user engagement as a mediator and content enjoyment as a moderator. Guided by the Stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) framework, a cross-section survey was conducted with 202 Gen Zs in Malaysia and analysis done using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The research findings show that the influence credibility and content quality significantly increase user engagement, thereby affecting the willingness to pay. It was found that user engagement fully mediates content quality and partially mediates the relationship between credibility and behavioural intentions. Content enjoyment has a positive moderating effect, suggesting that emotional pleasure effectively facilitates engagement into willingness-to-pay. However, sponsorship disclosure seems to have no significant influence on either engagement or willingness to pay, driving a point that transparency has become a normative expectation among Gen Zs. This study contributes to influencer-marketing theory by validating engagement as a key psychological factor and showing that enjoyment increases the effectiveness of digital persuasion. Practically, marketers could leverage the availability of knowledgeable and credible influencers to develop content that incorporates useful information and entertainment to turn engagement into buying behaviour.