Strategic Communication through Social Media Influencers: Current State of Research and Desiderata

ABSTRACT

This article provides an overview of the current state of research in strategic influencer communication and highlights research desiderata. We conducted a systematic literature review of 39 peer-reviewed articles published between 2011 and 2018. Using Lasswell’s transmission model of communication as an approach to systemize communication acts, we identified, systematized, and synthesized main findings from existing literature. The review reveals a rag rug of fragmented research questions, combined with a lack of theoretical integration and a widespread methodological monism. Moreover, questions related to the implications of influencer communication for strategic planning are understudied. Hence, more research is required to understand underlying cause-and-effect relations and managerial implementation of strategic influencer communication. In conclusion, we encourage researchers to investigate the concept of social media influencer communication from a strategic communication perspective, including applying multidisciplinary approaches and a broader range of empirical methods, which would foster a deeper understanding of strategic influencer communication.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their insightful feedback on earlier versions of the article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

¹ In particular, the marketing practice uses the term “influencer marketing” synonymously. We agree with Pleil, Helferich, and Grupe (2018) and Enke and Borchers (2018) that the term strategic social media influencer communication or influencer communication is more suitable since it comprehends the fact that influencers can be used for Public Relations and marketing objectives.

² This applies to all elements except the social media channel (4.4), as no studies have yet been carried out to examine platform-related differences between social media channels and their respective effects on SMI communication.