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From Social Media Influence to Economic Performance: The Capital Conversion Mechanism of Rural Internet Celebrities in China

Author

Listed:
  • Sun Dapeng

    (School of Marxism, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, 116026, China)

  • Ma Jun

    (School of Marxism, Dongbei University of Finance and Economics, Dalian, 116025, China)

  • Zhu Di

    (Tea Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310008, China)

  • Zhu Jia

    (Postdoctoral Research Center of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Beijing, 100140, China)

Abstract

With the widespread adoption of digital technology and self-media, the rural “internet celebrity economy” has become a leading force in the development of the rural digital economy. Rural internet celebrities quickly attract followers by showcasing local culture, talents, skills, or everyday life, and then monetize their influence through activities such as live-streaming sales, advertising partnerships, and paid knowledge content. This study draws on industry data from 1,064 rural internet celebrities across 28 provinces in China. From the perspective of celebrity capital, it constructs a price-promotion effect model to explore in depth how rural influencers transform social media influence into economic performance. These findings provide important insights for strengthening farmers’ digital human capital in the knowledge economy era and for promoting rural economic and social development.

Suggested Citation

  • Sun Dapeng & Ma Jun & Zhu Di & Zhu Jia, 2025. "From Social Media Influence to Economic Performance: The Capital Conversion Mechanism of Rural Internet Celebrities in China," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 19(1), pages 1-17.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:econoa:v:19:y:2025:i:1:p:17:n:1005
    DOI: 10.1515/econ-2025-0178
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    References listed on IDEAS

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