Trends in virtual influencers (VIs): A bibliometric analysis and SPAR-4-SLR protocol

This study aims to comprehensively understand qualitative and quantitative information about the current trends in VIs. It examines 106 articles published in Scopus-indexed journals between 2020 and 2024. The analysis was done with the help of Biblioshiny, an R-developed online application from the Bibliometrix package, and VOSviewer software for analytical and visualization purposes. This study was conducted using the SPAR-4-SLR protocol. The findings showed that recent years have been more productive, and many authors have demonstrated their interest in studying the VIs. Recent trends are social media, virtual reality, marketing, social networking, etc. The study employs a systematic review and bibliometric analysis to extract valuable insights from the extensive body of literature. These insights suggested several areas for future research, providing a roadmap for future researchers to proceed with their research in this area. The comprehensive scientific cartography of the area has yet to be presented; therefore, this study aims to synthesize the current knowledge frameworks within the field and determine the dominant research patterns in the specific area of investigation.