Mapping the rise of virtual influencers: A bibliometric analysis

IF 6.5 2区管理学 Q1 COMMUNICATION

Telecommunications Policy Pub Date : 2025-11-01 Epub Date: 2025-09-17 DOI:10.1016/j.telpol.2025.103071

Anna Pujadas-Gómez , Mònika Jiménez-Morales , Mireia Montaña-Blasco

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Virtual influencers (VIs), AI-driven digital personas designed for social media engagement and brand promotion, have become increasingly influential in digital marketing. This bibliometric analysis maps the academic landscape of virtual influencer research, identifying key trends, influential authors, dominant themes, and methodological approaches. Using Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus as primary databases, 183 publications were analyzed, revealing a substantial rise in research interest since 2020. The findings indicate that most studies focus on consumer behavior, branding, and advertising effectiveness, while aspects such as social effects, ethical considerations, or human-computer interaction remain underexplored. Findings from this review emphasize the need for more diverse theoretical frameworks and interdisciplinary research to capture the full impact of virtual influencers in digital culture. Future research should expand beyond marketing-focused analyses to explore their societal, psychological, and regulatory effects.

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描绘虚拟影响者的崛起：文献计量学分析

虚拟影响者（VIs）是为社交媒体参与和品牌推广而设计的人工智能驱动的数字角色，在数字营销中越来越有影响力。这个文献计量分析绘制了虚拟影响者研究的学术景观，确定了关键趋势、有影响力的作者、主导主题和方法方法。以Web of Science （WoS）和Scopus为主要数据库，对183篇出版物进行了分析，发现自2020年以来，研究兴趣大幅上升。研究结果表明，大多数研究都集中在消费者行为、品牌和广告效果上，而社会效应、伦理考虑或人机交互等方面仍未得到充分探讨。本综述的研究结果强调需要更多样化的理论框架和跨学科研究，以捕捉虚拟影响者在数字文化中的全部影响。未来的研究应该超越以市场为中心的分析，探索它们的社会、心理和监管效应。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Telecommunications Policy 工程技术-电信学

CiteScore

10.80

自引率

12.50%

发文量

122

审稿时长

38 days

期刊介绍： Telecommunications Policy is concerned with the impact of digitalization in the economy and society. The journal is multidisciplinary, encompassing conceptual, theoretical and empirical studies, quantitative as well as qualitative. The scope includes policy, regulation, and governance; big data, artificial intelligence and data science; new and traditional sectors encompassing new media and the platform economy; management, entrepreneurship, innovation and use. Contributions may explore these topics at national, regional and international levels, including issues confronting both developed and developing countries. The papers accepted by the journal meet high standards of analytical rigor and policy relevance.