Connecting across borders: the role of social media influencers in expatriate experiences

Purpose This study aims to investigate expatriates’ engagement with social media influencers from a human brand perspective. Expatriate consumer profiles were identified based on their engagement behaviors and the contextual and psychosocial factors driving their interactions with influencer content were explored. This research extends the brand engagement framework to the expatriation context, emphasizing the role of influencers as relational human brands and cultural intermediaries in supporting expatriate identity transition. Design/methodology/approach A three-stage, sequential, mixed-methods approach was used to explore expatriates’ engagement with influencers. The expatriate profiles were categorized using quantitative analysis. Qualitative methods were used to examine the motivations and contextual factors underlying these relationships. Data were collected through surveys of expatriates who engaged with influencers on a recurring basis. Findings The study reveals three distinct expatriate profiles based on engagement with influencers: Parasocial Explorers, Seasoned Explorers and Epicurean Explorers. The profiles range from low to high levels of interaction and emotional connection with influencers. The expatriates engage with influencers to obtain cultural guidance, emotional support and community integration. The findings highlight the role of influencers as relational human brands in supporting expatriates’ cultural adaptation and addressing isolation and cultural dissonance. Influencer engagement facilitates identity-related meaning-making and reduces perceived isolation, which are essential for expatriates in new environments. Originality/value Adopting a branding perspective enabled the study to show that expatriates engage with influencers as human brands, extending the brand engagement framework beyond traditional product-brand relationships. This study identified distinct expatriate engagement profiles, highlighting key psychosocial and contextual factors that motivate engagement with influencer content. These findings offer a deeper understanding of expatriate engagement within digital environments and provide valuable insights for influencers and international brand managers.