The rise of social media influencers has transformed more than just brand marketing – it’s reshaping politics. In the book Influencer Politics, editors Johanna Arnesson and Hanna Reinikainen examine how social media influencers shape political discourse, blending personal, political, and promotional content to impact public opinion.
Social media influencers have become a powerful force in digital culture, merging self-branding, advertising, and micro-celebrity into a highly effective promotional platform.
In recent years, a trend of “political influencers” has attracted growing attention worldwide, prompting a closer examination of how they integrate politics into their content and shape the attitudes and perceptions of political issues among their followers.
“In the Nordic countries, for instance, influencers frequently champion issues such as sustainability, feminism, animal rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and anti-racism, weaving them into their personal brands”, explain Arnesson and Reinikainen. This trend goes beyond informal advocacy: “We also see influencers engaging more formally in politics – whether by endorsing specific parties or politicians or, as in Sweden, inviting politicians to discuss pressing issues on their platforms ahead of elections”. In Finland, influencers even participated in government information campaigns during the Covid-19 pandemic, demonstrating their value as trusted communicators on critical public matters.
Arnesson and Reinikainen are now launching a new book, with contributions from other researchers, examining how influencers navigate and shape political discourse in an era when online personalities often wield as much influence as traditional media figures. It also highlights how influencer culture is inherently political in itself, for instance, in relation to issues of gender and representation.
“The book is the outcome of a shared interest among researchers exploring the political dimensions of influencer marketing and culture from critical, cultural, and strategic perspectives”, says Arnesson. “It presents case studies that explore both the potential and the limitations of influencer politics”.
The newly released volume examines, among other topics, the ways influencers engage with traditional politics, how politicians and political actors adopt influencer strategies, how lifestyle content transforms into political statements, and how influencers navigate their roles during crises, such as war.
In addition to the editors, the book includes contributions from leading scholars: Essi Pöyry, Nils S. Borchers, Mattias Ekman, Andreas Widholm, Christina Grandien, Ida Vikøren Andersen, Moa Eriksson Krutrök, Louise Yung Nielsen, Mette Lykke Nielsen, Mathilde Hogsnes, and Tor-Morten Grønli, as well as Nuppu Pelevina, Oksana Domina, and Salla-Maaria Laaksonen.
“Johanna and I would like to thank all the researchers for their invaluable contributions to this book. This volume offers essential insights into the role influencers play in shaping our social and political landscape, making it a valuable resource for academics, communication professionals, and anyone curious about the impact of influencers today”, says Reinikainen.
You can find the book Open Acess here.
The book is published by De Gruyter.
Photo credit: Jonas Vågström