Managing the use of social-media influencers in public-sector communication

Research has paid limited attention to social-media influencers (SMIs) in the public sector. Against this background, this article lays the foundations for a better understanding of social-media influencing in public-sector communication. Through 19 semi-structured interviews conducted in five countries, it details the main trends and management implications of this new communication mode for public administrations. The findings show the importance of authenticity in social-media influencing, qualification of the audience depending on the choice of SMI, and the evolution of public-sector communication towards the increased use of these SMIs, although varying levels of routinization were observed in our sample.