Influencer relations: Centring the human with commerce, community, and creativity
Author Identifier (ORCID)
Abstract
This chapter explores the concept of influencer relations, in contrast to the more dominant term of influencer marketing. The chapter discusses definitions of influencer relations and the key objectives of organisations in engaging in influencer relations, referencing literature primarily from the public relations domain. Organisations may work with influencers to promote corporate social responsibility initiatives, as a component of crisis communication, for employer branding, or to aid in political campaigns. Recent and critical examples of the impact of influencer relations from the public arena, including politics, religion and health, suggest that influencer marketing is too narrow a term. I argue that influencer relations is a more useful term, as influencer relations is not confined to simple marketing objectives. Further, influencer relations captures the human stakeholders at the heart of influencer relations and recognises the agency of influencers themselves, rather than positioning them as commodities. A new ‘word’ order is called for and a model of the Influencer Zone is proposed that takes into account all humans within influencer relations.
Keywords
influencer relations, influencer marketing, public relations, corporate social responsibility, crisis communication, political communication
Document Type
Book Chapter
Date of Publication
1-1-2026
Publication Title
The Routledge Companion to Social Media Influencers
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
School
School of Arts and Humanities
ISBN
[9781032830070, 9781032830124, 9781003507291]
Copyright
free_to_read
First Page
215
Last Page
230
Recommended Citation
Archer, C. J. (2026). Influencer relations: Centring the human with commerce, community, and creativity. In N. S. Borchers, M. L. Wellman, & L. Hudders (Eds.), The Routledge companion to social media influencers (pp. 215-230). Taylor & Francis. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003507291-19