The Role of Influencer Marketing and Social Influencers in Public Health

Influencer marketing is the digital equivalent of word-of-mouth marketing. It is defined as ‘a type of marketing that focuses on using key leaders to drive a brand’s message to the larger market’. Today social media and technology are flooding the internet, with over 200 million pieces of content a minute. The rise and expansion of social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter or Facebook, has led to an increase in the number of social influencers sharing food recipes and nutritional advice online. As a result, the role of social influencers to change individual behaviour around food choices and diet is growing each day. The objectives of this study were to explore influencer marketing in Public Health, its role in influencing individual’s diet and food choices and the potential risks and benefits that it has for individuals. The project was divided into two phases. Firstly, data was collected by means of an online questionnaire developed through the software Survey Monkey and statistical analysis was calculated. A total of 232 (n = 232) participants completed the survey. The sample included individuals from each gender (65 % females: 35 % males) and from all age groups from a general population. The second phase was to track social influencers conversations around particular topics (e.g. sugar) using social media listening software.