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Social media influencers’ narrative strategies to create eWOM: A theoretical contribution

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  • Zhou, Shuang
  • Barnes, Liz
  • McCormick, Helen
  • Blazquez Cano, Marta

Abstract

Social media influencers (SMIs) as significant stakeholders are increasingly collaborating with brands to cultivate marketing campaigns. However, literature concerning the narrative strategies used by SMIs to create electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) to introduce brands and products remains under-theorised. This research takes a theoretical perspective of marketing communication, advances the eWOM theory to develop SMIs’ eWOM model as the theoretical lens, and adopts semiotic and rhetorical approaches to identify SMIs’ narrative strategies to create eWOM to promote brands and products to consumers. By conducting a netnographic study to observe fashion bloggers’ messages concerning Western luxury brands on Chinese social media, this research identified six distinct narrative strategies that are different in linking the purpose of eWOM, assigning brands with roles in eWOM, representing the meanings associated with brands, and using modes of persuasion to convince consumers to accept these meanings. This research also proposes a model to illustrate the structure of SMIs’ narrative strategies. The results of this research have implications for the advancement of social media marketing theories and provide a foundation for future development of knowledge regarding SMIs’ narrative strategies.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhou, Shuang & Barnes, Liz & McCormick, Helen & Blazquez Cano, Marta, 2021. "Social media influencers’ narrative strategies to create eWOM: A theoretical contribution," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ininma:v:59:y:2021:i:c:s0268401220314924
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102293
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    Cited by:

    1. Akbari, Morteza & Foroudi, Pantea & Zaman Fashami, Rahime & Mahavarpour, Nasrin & Khodayari, Maryam, 2022. "Let us talk about something: The evolution of e-WOM from the past to the future," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 663-689.
    2. Wong, Amy & Wei, Joicey, 2023. "Persuasive cues and reciprocal behaviors in influencer-follower relationships: The mediating role of influencer defense," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    3. Yang, Zhihao & Wang, Desheng & Li, Tingting & Han, Jie, 2023. "Customizing a consumers’ story for you: The impact of protagonist geographical distance on willingness to share," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    4. Camilleri, Mark Anthony & Kozak, Metin, 2022. "Interactive engagement through travel and tourism social media groups: A social facilitation theory perspective," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    5. Perez-Castro, A. & Martínez-Torres, M.R. & Toral, S.L., 2023. "Efficiency of automatic text generators for online review content generation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    6. Cheung, Man Lai & Leung, Wilson K.S. & Aw, Eugene Cheng-Xi & Koay, Kian Yeik, 2022. "“I follow what you post!†: The role of social media influencers’ content characteristics in consumers' online brand-related activities (COBRAs)," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).

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