Research Perspectives on Social Media Influencers and their Followers argues that the brands that find the most success on social media are the ones that acknowledge the real key to social media marketing—it’s all about the followers. This collection, edited by Brandi Watkins, explores how social media has shifted power dynamics away from brands and toward the consumers themselves—the social media users who choose to like, share, and engage with brands online. This dynamic has paved the way for the rise of the social media influencer (SMI); a unique category of social media user who has a large platform and compelling content that attracts a number of loyal and devoted followers.. It’s the followers that make SMI relevant and appealing to brands as a marketing strategy. Contributors discuss emerging trends in research related to the SMI and their followers; as the influencer marketing industry continues to grow and evolve, they argue, so too should our understanding of the influencer-follower relationship that makes this marketing strategy successful. Each chapter of this collection presents a variety of research perspectives, questions, and methodologies that can be used to analyze this trend. Scholars of media studies, communication, technology studies, celebrity studies, marketing, and economics will find this book particularly useful.

Contributions by: Kelli S. Burns, JoAnna Boudreaux, Nancy J. Curtin, Karen Freberg, Mitchell Friedman, Elizabeth B. Jones, Carolyn Kim, Nicole M. Lee, Corey Jay Liberman, Vimviriya Limkangvanmongkol, Jenn Burleson Mackay, Wangari Njathi, Alison N. Novak, Sydney O. Scheller, Carrie S. Trimble, Nathan Vick, Amanda J. Weed, Chelsea Woods