Irresistible possibilities: Examining the uses and consequences of social media influencers for contemporary public relations

Abstract

The proliferation of social media technologies have seen public relations practitioners adapt their practices for the emergent digital media ecologies, with the growing phenomenon of social media influencers (SMIs) presenting new opportunities and challenges for the industry. Indeed, the profession’s rapid adoption of SMIs as part of their campaigns raises questions regarding the ethics of their use and the extent to which they fit with normative models of public relations practice that promote genuine dialogue and responsible advocacy. This study explores this tension between the uses and potential misuses of SMIs by examining the worldviews, strategies and practices of senior public relations practitioners at several agencies in Sydney, Australia. It proposes a new critical framework for understanding the influences that SMIs are in fact having on public relations practice, which builds on models of dialogic public relations and a critical eco-systems perspective. Ultimately, this study argues that the affordances provided by the emergence of SMIs are predisposing practitioners to persuasive strategies and covert activities that lack transparency and are inconsistent with ethical ideals of best practice for organizational public relations.