Research Perspectives on Social Media Influencers and their Followers

This book analyzes social media influencers and their relationship with their online followers. Each chapter represents a unique theoretical and methodological approach to examining the importance of this relationship from a variety of perspectives and contexts.

Research Perspectives on Social Media Influencers and their Followers argues that the brands that find the most success on social media are the ones that acknowledge the real key to social media marketing—it’s all about the followers. This collection, edited by Brandi Watkins, explores how social media has shifted power dynamics away from brands and toward the consumers themselves—the social media users who choose to like, share, and engage with brands online. This dynamic has paved the way for the rise of the social media influencer (SMI); a unique category of social media user who has a large platform and compelling content that attracts a number of loyal and devoted followers.. It’s the followers that make SMI relevant and appealing to brands as a marketing strategy. Contributors discuss emerging trends in research related to the SMI and their followers; as the influencer marketing industry continues to grow and evolve, they argue, so too should our understanding of the influencer-follower relationship that makes this marketing strategy successful. Each chapter of this collection presents a variety of research perspectives, questions, and methodologies that can be used to analyze this trend. Scholars of media studies, communication, technology studies, celebrity studies, marketing, and economics will find this book particularly useful.

Acknowledgments

List of Figures and Tables

Introduction

Brandi Watkins, Ph.D.

Chapter 1: The Science of Social Media Influencer Marketing

Kelli S. Burns, Ph.D.

Chapter 2: #FitnessGoals and Brands on Instagram: Influencers and Digital Dialogic Communication

Alison N. Novak, Ph.D.

Chapter 3: #MarketingFaith: The Megachurch Pastor as Social Media Influencer

Elizabeth B. Jones, Ph.D.

Sydney O. Scheller

Nathan Vick

Chapter 4: Become an #AcademicInfluencer: A Blueprint for Building Bridges between the Classroom and Industry

Carolyn Kim, Ph.D., APR

Karen Freberg, Ph.D.

Mitchell Friedman, Ed.D., APR

Amanda J. Weed, Ph.D., APR

Chapter 5: Social Media Influencers in Africa: An Analysis of Instagram Content and Brand Endorsements

Wangari Njathi

Nicole M. Lee, Ph.D.

Chapter 6: It’s a Whole New World: The Impact of Social Media Influencers on Type-1 Diabetics’ Attitudes About, and Behaviors Regarding, Insulin Pump Therapy

Corey Jay Liberman, Ph.D.

Chapter 7: You “Can’t Put Concealer on This One”: Crisis Management in an Influencer Context

Chelsea Woods, Ph.D.

Chapter 8: Ethical Responsibilities for Social Media Influencers

Jenn Burleson Mackay, Ph.D.

Chapter 9: The Case of Dina Tokio: Using Symbolic Theory to Understand the Backlash

JoAnna Boudreaux

Chapter 10: Connecting via Social Media for Weight Loss: An Exploration of Social Media Influencers in a Weight Loss Community

Carrie S. Trimble, Ph.D.

Nancy J. Curtin, Ph.D.

Chapter 11: Influenced by My Lifestyle Net Idols (#Contentcreators): Exploring the Relationships between Thai Net Idols and Followers

Vimviriya Limkangvanmongkol, Ph.D.

About the Contributors