The evolution of social media influencers’ (SMIs’) commercial roles: Motivations, strategies and experiences

Kabutha, Clara 2025. The evolution of social media influencers’ (SMIs’) commercial roles: Motivations, strategies and experiences. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

Whilst much marketing research focuses on social media influencers' (SMIs’) role as spokespersons for brands, influencers now monetize their influence by performing a diverse range of commercial roles. This includes the co-creator and co-owner roles. In the co-creator role, SMIs have more creative input in brand strategy and product development, whereas in the co-owner role, SMIs own the brands that they promote. While the creator economy and IM have seen significant growth, existing literature predominantly offers a static viewpoint of SMIs, often isolating their commercial roles and neglecting the dynamic evolution of their careers over time. There is a lack of insight into SMIs’ motivations for diversifying their commercial roles and the impact of different commercial roles on the wider experience of being a SMI. Addressing these gaps, this current study explores two core research questions: (RQ1) Why are SMIs pursuing different commercial roles in marketing? and (RQ2) How do SMIs’ performance of multiple commercial roles shape their wider experience of being a SMI? The current research employs a qualitative netnographic methodology, which includes immersive, investigative, and interactive techniques of 12 Kenyan lifestyle SMIs on Instagram. The findings reveal that dysfunctional role dynamics (intra-role conflict, role overload, role strain and role ambiguity), stemming from SMIs perceived expectations of role partners (marketing agencies, followers, and social media platforms) surrounding the spokesperson role, are key drivers for influencers to diversify into different commercial roles. Furthermore, the study demonstrates how role accumulation via the adoption of co-creator and co-owner roles empowers SMIs to implement role negotiation strategies (role distancing, role clarification and role taking) to resolve the dysfunctional role dynamics in the spokesperson role and enhance their overall experience of being a SMI. This current thesis contributes to extant literature on SMIs by moving beyond a static view of commercial roles and provides insight into how the IM landscape evolves. This current study advocates for a more nuanced understanding of how SMIs navigate the IM ecology, acknowledging their unique motivations, strategies and experiences.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Schools > Business (Including Economics)
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	10 June 2026
Last Modified:	10 Jun 2026 15:44
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/187511

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