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Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the internationalisation of social marketing research. Since the social marketing concept was introduced, it has captured increased research attention of scholars. This is evidenced by a growing number of peer-reviewed publications and participation in academic conferences. Although the reasons behind the development of social marketing research have been suggested, its nature, significance and diffusion as a concept has not been examined from an international perspective. Design/methodology/approach – A review of the social marketing and related literature was conducted to identify the patterns, drivers and actors of the internationalisation of social marketing research. Findings – Different levels and dimensions of internationalisation were identified but the overall level of diffusion was relatively low. Growth is concentrated in developed countries. There appears to be a substantial gap with respect to the adoption of the concept by researchers based in the less developed countries. Originality/value – This is arguably the first paper to explore the nature and significance of the degree of internationalisation of social marketing research.