Reintegrating Influencer Media Logic into the Study of Political Influencers

Political influencers are an emerging epistemic authority in politics. Yet, existing scholarship risks conceptually misspecifying them by focusing on their political nature and neglecting their communicative practices established in broader social media influencer literature. This article advances a theoretical intervention to reintegrate influencer studies into the study of political influencers in political communication. Drawing on the media logic tradition, we discuss “influencer media logic” as communication principles that distinguish political influencers from other political media actors and that underpin their persuasiveness. We discuss three principles of influencer media logic, authenticity, intimacy, and platform expertise, and their contribution to restructuring visibility, credibility, and trust in politics. By foregrounding these communicative practices, we address the limitations of existing conceptualizations and clarify mechanisms of influence beyond the political aspect of their content. We discuss research directions to systematically study political influencers and examine their implications for political communication and democratic engagement.