Academic Journal
How Influencers Grow: An Empirical Study and Future Research Agenda.
| Τίτλος: | How Influencers Grow: An Empirical Study and Future Research Agenda. |
|---|---|
| Συγγραφείς: | Campbell, Colin (AUTHOR) colincampbell@sandiego.edu, Girard, Jeffrey M. (AUTHOR), McDuff, Daniel (AUTHOR), Rosengren, Sara (AUTHOR) |
| Πηγή: | Journal of Interactive Marketing. May2026, Vol. 61 Issue 2, p117-136. 20p. |
| Θεματικοί όροι: | *Influencer marketing, *Marketing strategy, *Marketing theory, *Content marketing, *Business ecosystems, Charisma |
| Περίληψη: | Most research on influencers takes the perspective of marketers, examining how influencers can be leveraged to build brands. However, as influencers grow in popularity, they are becoming a marketing force in their own right, warranting deeper exploration from their perspective. This article shifts the focus to influencers as active marketers, using a multilevel mixed-effects growth model to identify factors associated with follower growth. Analyzing a dataset of 14,311,145 pieces of Instagram content posted over more than two years from 6,079 influencers across 57 countries, the authors examine how attention labor (content strategy and persona appeal) and relationship labor (captioning strategy and ecosystem connectivity) relate to follower growth. Whereas existing research primarily focuses on engagement with specific pieces of content, this study takes a broader approach, investigating how influencers' content and engagement strategies are associated with differences in follower growth over time. By reframing influencers as marketers rather than media vehicles, this study contributes to marketing theory and provides insights for influencers, influencer agencies, and marketers who seek to better understand influencer growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Journal of Interactive Marketing is the property of American Marketing Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | Business Source Index |
| FullText | Links: – Type: other Text: Availability: 0 CustomLinks: – Url: https://www.doi.org/10.1177/10949968251360683? Name: ScienceDirect (all content) (s7799221) Category: fullText Text: View record from ScienceDirect MouseOverText: View record from ScienceDirect |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: How Influencers Grow: An Empirical Study and Future Research Agenda. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Campbell%2C+Colin%22">Campbell, Colin</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<i> colincampbell@sandiego.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Girard%2C+Jeffrey+M%2E%22">Girard, Jeffrey M.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22McDuff%2C+Daniel%22">McDuff, Daniel</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rosengren%2C+Sara%22">Rosengren, Sara</searchLink> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Interactive+Marketing%22">Journal of Interactive Marketing</searchLink>. May2026, Vol. 61 Issue 2, p117-136. 20p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Influencer+marketing%22">Influencer marketing</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Marketing+strategy%22">Marketing strategy</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Marketing+theory%22">Marketing theory</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Content+marketing%22">Content marketing</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Business+ecosystems%22">Business ecosystems</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Charisma%22">Charisma</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Most research on influencers takes the perspective of marketers, examining how influencers can be leveraged to build brands. However, as influencers grow in popularity, they are becoming a marketing force in their own right, warranting deeper exploration from their perspective. This article shifts the focus to influencers as active marketers, using a multilevel mixed-effects growth model to identify factors associated with follower growth. Analyzing a dataset of 14,311,145 pieces of Instagram content posted over more than two years from 6,079 influencers across 57 countries, the authors examine how attention labor (content strategy and persona appeal) and relationship labor (captioning strategy and ecosystem connectivity) relate to follower growth. Whereas existing research primarily focuses on engagement with specific pieces of content, this study takes a broader approach, investigating how influencers' content and engagement strategies are associated with differences in follower growth over time. By reframing influencers as marketers rather than media vehicles, this study contributes to marketing theory and provides insights for influencers, influencer agencies, and marketers who seek to better understand influencer growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Interactive Marketing is the property of American Marketing Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=bsx&AN=192559026 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1177/10949968251360683 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 20 StartPage: 117 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Influencer marketing Type: general – SubjectFull: Marketing strategy Type: general – SubjectFull: Marketing theory Type: general – SubjectFull: Content marketing Type: general – SubjectFull: Business ecosystems Type: general – SubjectFull: Charisma Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: How Influencers Grow: An Empirical Study and Future Research Agenda. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Campbell, Colin – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Girard, Jeffrey M. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: McDuff, Daniel – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Rosengren, Sara IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 05 Text: May2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 10949968 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 61 – Type: issue Value: 2 Titles: – TitleFull: Journal of Interactive Marketing Type: main |
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