Corporates’ Use of Social Media Influencer Marketing to Manage Reputation: Corporates in Palestine as a Model رسالة ماجستير

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to explore how corporates in Palestine manage their reputation through social media influencer marketing. Influencer marketing means brands collaborating with influencers for advertising. To achieve this, the study’s objectives were; (1) to measure the extent to which corporates use social media influencer marketing to manage their reputation; (2) to measure the extent to which corporates manage their relationship with influencers; (3) to model the perception of influencer marketing by corporates in Palestine; (4) to explore the degree to which reputation management through influencers and relationship management with influencers predict the variation in public-related wants and needs from corporates’ point of view. The research was anchored on two theories; reputation management theory and relationship management theory. The research design was a survey, which employed quantitative approach. Data was collected using questionnaire. The target population was public relations practitioners, marketing officers and brand manager in corporates located in Palestine West Bank. Purposive sample was used to select 120 corporates that offer a product or a service in Palestine, with a corresponding response rate (85%). The findings indicated that (1) Social media influencer marketing is highly used by corporates in Palestine to manage their reputation and very effective, as it seeks to serve the corporate’s goals and directions. (2) Working with minimum number of confident influencers that are relevant and have the right target audience, and have engaged followers can help managing the corporate’s reputation. (3) Having a good relationship with influencers through respecting them and valuing them, is beneficial for a successful collaboration. (4) the better relationship with influencers is the more corporates is inclined to use IM and vice versa. (5) when public needs is in the picture, relationship management becomes insignificant while influencer marketing is significant. The study recommends the following; spreading awareness of public relations roles in corporates, offer market study trainings for employees to understand the competitors and customers, and corporates to be more transparent and involved in social media responsibilities.