Social Media Influencers in Strategic Communication: A Conceptual Framework for Strategic Social Media Influencer Communication

Enke, Nadja; Borchers, Nils S.

doi:10.4324/9781003181286-2

Cited by 24 publications

(16 citation statements)

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“…Additionally, information acquired from people that have tenuous ties were seen as having less credibility (Koo, 2016). Therefore, to increase the credibility of the message sent via them, companies aim to choose reliable influencers (Enke and Borchers, 2021) and guarantee that the online post is better received, making it more effective (Shan et al, 2020). Previous studies (De Vries, 2019;Xiao et al, 2018) have shown that an individual's degree of confidence in SMIs has a positive effect on the message's believability.…”

Section: Trust In Social Media Influencers and Credibility Of The Postmentioning

confidence: 99%

“I think exactly the same”—trust in SMIs and online purchase intention: a moderation mediation analysis using PLS-SEM

Khan,

Nabi

2024

JAMR

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PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the moderating effect of homophily between trust in social media influencers (SMIs) and credibility of the post in influencer marketing by incorporating the similarity attraction theory (SAT) and analysing the effect of trust in SMIs on online purchase intention and credibility of the post. This study also explored the mediating role of influencers’ credibility of the post between trust in SMIs and online purchase intention.Design/methodology/approachThe data were collected from 417 respondents in Jaipur, India, using an online questionnaire via Google Forms. A convenience sampling technique was employed to collect the data. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the proposed hypotheses with the help of SmartPLS version 4.FindingsThe results exhibit a positive and significant influence of trust in SMIs on credibility of the post and online purchase intention. Also, this study found a positive and significant relationship between credibility of the post and online purchase intention. Additionally, credibility of the post had a positive and significant mediation role in the relationship between trust in SMIs and online purchase intention. In addition, homophily positively moderated the relationship between trust in SMIs and credibility of the post.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study can be used by marketing professionals working in the e-commerce industry to ensure their continued in success using the right influencers for their specific target audiences and help them create and implement more effective promotional strategies, increasing brand awareness, announcing sales, using them for creative content and so on.Originality/valueUntil now, there has been no study in the Indian context that has tested the moderation effect of homophily between the trust in SMIs and credibility of the post by incorporating the SAT, according to the researchers’ knowledge. Furthermore, this novel piece of research explored the relationship between trust in SMIs and online purchase intention with credibility of the post as a mediator.

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Section: Trust In Social Media Influencers and Credibility Of The Postmentioning

confidence: 99%

“I think exactly the same”—trust in SMIs and online purchase intention: a moderation mediation analysis using PLS-SEM

Khan,

Nabi

2024

JAMR

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“…More specifically, they are experts in a specific category and leverage their online presence to promote products or services to a niche (Campbell et al, 2022; Ye et al, 2021). Their rise and popularity have prompted research to address different perspectives to provide practical implications for brands, in terms of perceived credibility (Breves et al, 2019; Djafarova & Trofimenko, 2019), strategic communication (Enke & Borchers, 2021) and interpersonal relationship (Campbell & Farrell, 2020). However, technological advancement and an ever more demanding consumer with a constant appetite for novelty, have also created the perfect habitat for the launch of nonhuman alternatives as celebrity endorsers (Thomas & Fowler, 2021).…”

Section: Key Literature and Hypothesis Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Will virtual influencers overcome the uncanny valley? The moderating role of social cues

Gutuleac,

Baima,

Rizzo

et al. 2024

Psychology and Marketing

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Companies are increasingly collaborating with virtual influencers (VIs) as endorsers for their social media campaigns, yet they often lack awareness of the risks and opportunities involved. VIs are AI‐generated, and visually presented as an interactive, real‐time animated entity in a digital environment. Grounding on the uncanny valley theory, this study investigates how the anthropomorphism of VIs influences consumer behavior. Through two experimental studies, we investigate the effect of a VI's level of anthropomorphism on consumer intentions, revealing the mediating role of uncanniness. Specifically, we find that highly anthropomorphized VIs may elicit a greater sense of uncanniness among consumers. Interestingly, the second study unveils that, in the presence of social cues, the influence of anthropomorphism on uncanniness is attenuated. From a theoretical perspective, these findings contribute to the existing literature on the uncanny valley theory and reveal the role of social cues in mitigating consumers' sense of uncanniness. Alongside this, it offers practical insights for practitioners navigating the complexities of managing VIs in digital marketing endeavors.

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“…On the other hand, strategic social media influencer communication has become a major topic in strategic communication. Influencers can act as cooperation partners, integrating commercial content into organic narratives, or as independent critics (Enke & Borchers, 2021). For this, social media influencers are increasingly employed by organizations to amplify their strategic communication efforts (Enke & Borchers, 2021).…”

Section: Theoretical Framework 21 Communication Strategy In Organisat...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Communication agencies and social media as a communication strategy – Portuguese case study

Loureiro

2023

ECSM

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The topic "communication agencies and social media as a communication strategy" arose from the need to understand how digital platforms, namely social media, are used as a communication strategy in the business world. Nowadays, organisations are increasingly aware of the importance of digital platforms and social media in the communication of their products and services, as well as their brand image. The online communication of an organisation has to be coordinated, the different channels and tools have to be in harmony and the message and image have to articulate with each other. Thus, the research question "What is the importance of digital platforms and social media as a communication strategy? The research objectives are: (1) to understand the importance of using digital platforms and social media as a communication strategy for organisations; (2) to analyse the management and production of digital content by a communication agency; (3) to identify what type of company requests a communication strategy; (4) to analyse the change in communication strategies after COVID-19. Methodologically, this case study will describe the communication strategy of a communication agency, using digital platforms and social media, and how it applies it in the communication management of client companies. This analysis will be enriched by an interview with the CEO and Creative Director of the communication agency under study. The results reiterate that companies are increasingly investing in communication through digital platforms, with the aim of reaching the consumer faster and more easily. Through this research it was possible to find out that digital platforms have a great importance in the companies' communication strategy, being fundamental for their dissemination and contact with the potential consumer.

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Social Media Influencers in Strategic Communication: A Conceptual Framework for Strategic Social Media Influencer Communication

Cited by 24 publications

References 0 publications

“I think exactly the same”—trust in SMIs and online purchase intention: a moderation mediation analysis using PLS-SEM

“I think exactly the same”—trust in SMIs and online purchase intention: a moderation mediation analysis using PLS-SEM

Will virtual influencers overcome the uncanny valley? The moderating role of social cues

Communication agencies and social media as a communication strategy – Portuguese case study

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