The Routledge Companion to Social Media Influencers
London: Routledge (2026), xvii, 449 pp.
Contains figures, tables, index
Series: Routledge Companions in Marketing, Advertising and Communication
ISBN 978-1-00-350729-1 (ebook)
" As masters of large followerships, influencers can direct online attention and engagement toward certain topics—and away from others. Followers build long-lasting relationships with their favorite influencers and trust their authentic recommendations and advice. This makes them sought-after cooperation partners for corporations, but also for other organizations such as NGOs, political parties, or government agencies. Along with their growing cultural and economic relevance, influencer research has taken off for real in the last decade. Looking back at the first years of influencer scholarship, this book brings together leading researchers to consolidate the field, theorize current developments, and map future directions. Adopting the perspectives of influencers, followers, and other industry actors, this book provides a reference work that offers readers a comprehensive international collection of analyses, reflections, and insights about social media influencers, the dynamics of the industry, influencers’ entanglement with strategic communication, and their role in contemporary (digital) culture." (Publisher description)
1 Influencers as the Iconic Figures of the Social Media Age: An Introduction to the Routledge Companion to Social Media Influencers / Nils S. Borchers, Mariah L. Wellman, and Liselot Hudders, 1
2 Defining Social Media Influencers: When Legacy Media hits Convergence Culture / Nils S. Borchers and Mariah L. Wellman, 10
PART I: INFLUENCERS, 25
3 Toward an Influencer Production Studies: Between-the-Line Labor in the Creator Economy / Jessica Maddox, 27
4 Expert Influencers: Understanding Authority and Credibility in the Influencer Industry / Mariah L. Wellman, 40
5 Influencer 'Authenticity' and 'Self-Branding': Influencer Studies within, between and beyond the Margins / Zoe Hurley, 51
6 Influencer Professionalism in Review: Rethinking the Amateur/Professional Binary through Emerging Benchmarks / Faye Mercier and Crystal Abidin, 66
7 Influencer Labor: Will Work Incessantly Against Uncertainty / Ana Jorge and Ana Margarida Coelho, 83
8 Tastemakers of the Platform Age: The Cultural and Economic Work of Social Media Influencers / Arturo Arriagada, 97
PART II: FOLLOWERS, 109
9 Endorse, Engage, Influence: Direct Effects of Influencer Communication / Delia Cristina Balaban and Meda Mucundorfeanu, 111
10 Behind the Filter: Unintended Social and Psychological Impacts of Influencer Marketing / Michelle Bouw, Emmelyn Croes, Annemarie Nanne, Sara Pabian, Alexander P. Schouten, and Ini Vanwesenbeeck, 125
11 Follower-Influencer Relationships: Moving Beyond the Parasocial Relationship / Chen Lou, Xuan Zhou, and Yi Wu, 139
12 Beyond Promotion: Trust as the Heart of Authentic Influencer-Follower Relationship / Khalid Alharbi and Bassam Alghanim, 151
13 Sponsored! Disclosures of Influencer Marketing to Enhance Transparency and Advertising Literacy / Eva van Reijmersdal, Sophie Boerman, and Priska Breves, 168
14 Fandom and Influencers: Social Media Influencers through the Eyes of their Fans / Hanan Ezzat, 184
PART III: INFLUENCER INDUSTRY, 199
15 Influence and Impact: Navigating the Influencer Economy from a Brand Management Perspective / Kineta Hung and Jisu Huh, 201
16 Influencer Relations: Centring the Human within Commerce, Community and Creativity / Catherine Archer, 215
17 Prosocial Causes: How Influencers Contribute to the Common Good / Essi Pöyry and Meri Frig, 231
18 The Role of Influencer Intermediaries: Stabilizing and Industrializing an Emergent Industry / Ryan Stoldt, 241
19 Platform Politics and Influencers: Visibility, Invisibility, Hypervisibility / Lucia Bainotti, 254
20 Influencer Ethics: The Complicated Task of Navigating Moral Expectations of Followers, Brands, and Society / Nils S. Borchers and Nina Grgurić Čop, 266
21 The Regulation of Influencers: Expanding the EU Regulatory Horizon beyond Disclosures / Taylor Annabell and Catalina Goanta, 283
PART IV: LIFEWORLDS, 295
22 Fashion Influencers: Platformed Allure and the Making of an Influence Culture / Marco Pedroni, 297
23 Gaming Influencers: Between Digital Celebrity and Everyday Play / Mark R. Johnson, 314
24 Advocacy Influencers: Navigating Resistance and Walking the Activism Tightrope / Tom Divon, 327
25 Political Influencers: Evolution, Engagement, and Impact / Hanna Reinikainen and Johanna Arnesson, 338
26 Eco-influencers: Saving Planet Earth One Audience Member at a Time / Aya Aboelenien and Ghalia Shamayleh, 352
27 Parent Influencers: Reflecting, Shaping and Commodifying Parenting Advice / Emma Beuckels, 366
28 Financial Influencers: Expertise, Authenticity, and Authority / Jacob Ørmen and Andreas Gregersen, 380
PART V: INFLUENCER FUTURES, 391
29 The Kidfluencer Phenomenon: An Overview of the Production, Content, and Audience of Kidfluencers / Yana Degroote and Liselot Hudders, 393
30 Beyond the Human Touch: The Evolution, Implications, and Future of Virtual Influencers in Marketing / Marianny Jessica de Brito Silva, Anne Karolinne da Silva Santos, and Patricia de Oliveira Campos, 411
31 Influencing as a Profession: A Cross-Cultural Perspective on the Professionalization of Influencer Culture / Changyan Li, Liselot Hudders, Crystal Abidin, Nils S. Borchers, Brooke Erin Duffy, Hanan Ezzat, Thaysa Costa Do Nascimento, and WeiMing Ye, 425
2 Defining Social Media Influencers: When Legacy Media hits Convergence Culture / Nils S. Borchers and Mariah L. Wellman, 10
PART I: INFLUENCERS, 25
3 Toward an Influencer Production Studies: Between-the-Line Labor in the Creator Economy / Jessica Maddox, 27
4 Expert Influencers: Understanding Authority and Credibility in the Influencer Industry / Mariah L. Wellman, 40
5 Influencer 'Authenticity' and 'Self-Branding': Influencer Studies within, between and beyond the Margins / Zoe Hurley, 51
6 Influencer Professionalism in Review: Rethinking the Amateur/Professional Binary through Emerging Benchmarks / Faye Mercier and Crystal Abidin, 66
7 Influencer Labor: Will Work Incessantly Against Uncertainty / Ana Jorge and Ana Margarida Coelho, 83
8 Tastemakers of the Platform Age: The Cultural and Economic Work of Social Media Influencers / Arturo Arriagada, 97
PART II: FOLLOWERS, 109
9 Endorse, Engage, Influence: Direct Effects of Influencer Communication / Delia Cristina Balaban and Meda Mucundorfeanu, 111
10 Behind the Filter: Unintended Social and Psychological Impacts of Influencer Marketing / Michelle Bouw, Emmelyn Croes, Annemarie Nanne, Sara Pabian, Alexander P. Schouten, and Ini Vanwesenbeeck, 125
11 Follower-Influencer Relationships: Moving Beyond the Parasocial Relationship / Chen Lou, Xuan Zhou, and Yi Wu, 139
12 Beyond Promotion: Trust as the Heart of Authentic Influencer-Follower Relationship / Khalid Alharbi and Bassam Alghanim, 151
13 Sponsored! Disclosures of Influencer Marketing to Enhance Transparency and Advertising Literacy / Eva van Reijmersdal, Sophie Boerman, and Priska Breves, 168
14 Fandom and Influencers: Social Media Influencers through the Eyes of their Fans / Hanan Ezzat, 184
PART III: INFLUENCER INDUSTRY, 199
15 Influence and Impact: Navigating the Influencer Economy from a Brand Management Perspective / Kineta Hung and Jisu Huh, 201
16 Influencer Relations: Centring the Human within Commerce, Community and Creativity / Catherine Archer, 215
17 Prosocial Causes: How Influencers Contribute to the Common Good / Essi Pöyry and Meri Frig, 231
18 The Role of Influencer Intermediaries: Stabilizing and Industrializing an Emergent Industry / Ryan Stoldt, 241
19 Platform Politics and Influencers: Visibility, Invisibility, Hypervisibility / Lucia Bainotti, 254
20 Influencer Ethics: The Complicated Task of Navigating Moral Expectations of Followers, Brands, and Society / Nils S. Borchers and Nina Grgurić Čop, 266
21 The Regulation of Influencers: Expanding the EU Regulatory Horizon beyond Disclosures / Taylor Annabell and Catalina Goanta, 283
PART IV: LIFEWORLDS, 295
22 Fashion Influencers: Platformed Allure and the Making of an Influence Culture / Marco Pedroni, 297
23 Gaming Influencers: Between Digital Celebrity and Everyday Play / Mark R. Johnson, 314
24 Advocacy Influencers: Navigating Resistance and Walking the Activism Tightrope / Tom Divon, 327
25 Political Influencers: Evolution, Engagement, and Impact / Hanna Reinikainen and Johanna Arnesson, 338
26 Eco-influencers: Saving Planet Earth One Audience Member at a Time / Aya Aboelenien and Ghalia Shamayleh, 352
27 Parent Influencers: Reflecting, Shaping and Commodifying Parenting Advice / Emma Beuckels, 366
28 Financial Influencers: Expertise, Authenticity, and Authority / Jacob Ørmen and Andreas Gregersen, 380
PART V: INFLUENCER FUTURES, 391
29 The Kidfluencer Phenomenon: An Overview of the Production, Content, and Audience of Kidfluencers / Yana Degroote and Liselot Hudders, 393
30 Beyond the Human Touch: The Evolution, Implications, and Future of Virtual Influencers in Marketing / Marianny Jessica de Brito Silva, Anne Karolinne da Silva Santos, and Patricia de Oliveira Campos, 411
31 Influencing as a Profession: A Cross-Cultural Perspective on the Professionalization of Influencer Culture / Changyan Li, Liselot Hudders, Crystal Abidin, Nils S. Borchers, Brooke Erin Duffy, Hanan Ezzat, Thaysa Costa Do Nascimento, and WeiMing Ye, 425
