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Online influencer marketing

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Abstract

Online influencer marketing (OIM) has become an integral component of brands’ marketing strategies; however, marketers lack an adequate understanding of its scope, effectiveness, and potential threats. To fill this gap, this article first describes the phenomenon’s background, defines OIM, and delineates its unique features to set the conceptual boundaries for the new concept. Drawing insights from practitioner and consumer interviews, and in line with social capital theory, the authors propose that OIM can be understood as leveraging influencer resources (including follower networks, personal positioning, communication content, and follower trust) to enhance a firm’s marketing communication effectiveness. Six novel propositions illustrate the benefits and potential threats of OIM, which may spur progress toward a theory of OIM. Finally, this article outlines key strategies for effectively managing OIM and identifies important literature–practice gaps to suggest avenues for further research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Business, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Li Ka Shing Tower, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong

    Fine F. Leung & Flora F. Gu

  2. Foster School of Business, University of Washington, Paccar Hall, Seattle, WA, 353226, USA

    Robert W. Palmatier

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  1. Fine F. Leung
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  2. Flora F. Gu
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Correspondence to Fine F. Leung.

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Appendices

Appendix 1

Practitioner interview guide.

PART 1: BACKGROUND INFORMATION

  • Please describe your job position and the specific tasks you are responsible for in your firm.

  • For how long have you been working in this firm?

  • For how long have you been working in this particular job position?

PART 2: UNDERSTANDING OF ONLINE INFLUENCER MARKETING

A. Understanding potential benefits and threats of online influencer marketing.

  • How effective was online influencer marketing for your firm? Why do you think it was effective (or ineffective)?

  • From your experience, what are the benefits of working with online influencers?

  • Were there any downsides of working with online influencers?

  • Were there any surprises or unexpected outcomes of online influencer marketing?

  • What do you think are the greatest challenges of managing online influencer marketing?

    B. Probing arguments for the if–then beliefs.

  • Why do you believe online influencer marketing leads to the benefits and downsides that you mentioned?

  • Under what conditions does online influencer marketing work best in driving the benefits you mentioned? Why?

  • Under what conditions does online influencer marketing not lead to the benefits you mentioned? Why?

  • What does your firm do to mitigate the downsides and challenges of online influencer marketing that you mentioned?

Appendix 2

Consumer survey questions.

  • Do you follow online influencers on social media (e.g., Instagram, Weibo, TikTok)?

    ○ Yes○ No.

  • Around how many online influencers do you follow on social media?

  • What kind of online influencers do you mostly follow on social media? You may choose up to three categories.

    ○ Fashion○ Beauty○ Travel○ Cooking.

    ○ Gaming○ Cars○ Religion○ Personal growth.

    ○ Parenting○ Social issues○ Others (please specify).

  • Generally, how frequently do you check the online influencers’ posts on social media?

    1 = Never / 5 = Very frequently

  • Why do you follow these online influencers?

  • Online influencers often introduce or promote brands/products on their social media posts. What do you think of the brands/products that they endorse?

  • Do you think brand/product endorsements by online influencers is an effective form of marketing strategy? Why?

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Leung, F.F., Gu, F.F. & Palmatier, R.W. Online influencer marketing. J. of the Acad. Mark. Sci. 50, 226–251 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-021-00829-4

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