GERÇEK YAPAYA KARŞI: İNSAN VE SANAL SOSYAL MEDYA ETKILEYICILERINE YÖNELIK KAPSAYICI BIR DERLEME

Abstract

Bu kavramsal çalışma, insan ve sanal etkileyicilerin karşılaştırmalı etkinliğini pazarlama ve sosyolojik perspektifleri birleştirerek incelemektedir. Markaların dijital kampanyalarda sanal kişilikleri giderek daha fazla benimsemesiyle birlikte, tüketicilerin gerçek ve sanal etkileyicilere nasıl tepki verdiğini anlamak hem akademik hem de uygulamalı açıdan önem kazanmıştır. Çalışma, disiplinlerarası kuramlara dayanan kavramsal bir kapsayıcı literatür taraması yöntemi kullanmaktadır. Bu kapsam incelemesi, 2020 ile 2025 yılları arasında yayımlanan çalışmaları Scopus, Web of Science ve Google Scholar veri tabanlarını kullanarak analiz etmiştir. PRISMA-ScR yönergelerine uygun olarak, çalışmalar önceden belirlenmiş dahil etme ve hariç tutma kriterlerine göre taranmış ve seçilmiştir. Toplamda 60 çalışma sentezlenmiştir. Mevcut literatür analiz edilerek insan ve sanal etkileyicilerin etki mekanizmaları, özgünlük algıları ve toplumsal yansımaları karşılaştırılmakta; ayrıca sanal etkileyicilerin insan etkileyicilere kıyasla toplumsal dezavantajları vurgulanmaktadır. Bulgular, insan etkileyicilerin duygu etkileşimi, sosyal güven ve özgünlük gerektiren moda, yaşam tarzı ve topluluk temelli kampanyalarda daha etkili olduğunu göstermektedir. Öte yandan, sanal etkileyicilerin teknoloji odaklı, görselliği yüksek ve marka kontrolündeki sektörlerde, özellikle oyun, dijital moda ve güzellik teknolojisi alanlarında, daha etkili olduğu görülmektedir. Sanal etkileyicilerin yükselişi aynı zamanda kimlik normları, kültürel temsil, emek yer değiştirmesi ve algoritmik sembolik sermaye üretimi gibi önemli sosyolojik sorunları da gündeme getirmektedir. Bu çalışma, pazarlama ve sosyoloji perspektiflerini birleştiren çok boyutlu bir çerçeve sunarak literatüre katkıda bulunmakta; ayrıca karma etkileyici stratejileri, etik ve düzenleyici konular, kültürlerarası benimseme ve dijital ortamda sosyal etkinin dönüşümüne yönelik bir araştırma gündemi önermektedir. Bu katkılar, değişen sosyal medya etkileyici ekonomisinde araştırmacılar, pazarlamacılar ve politika yapıcılar için teorik, temel ve pratik rehberlik sağlamaktadır.

Keywords

• Etkileyici Pazarlama
• İnsan Etkileyici
• Sanal Etkileyici
• Dijital Özgünlük
• Sosyal Etki
• Kapsayıcı Derleme

REAL VS. RENDERED: A SCOPING REVIEW ON HUMAN AND VIRTUAL SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS

Abstract

This conceptual study explores the comparative effectiveness of human influencers (HIs) and virtual influencers (VIs) by integrating marketing and sociological perspectives. As brands increasingly adopt virtual personas in digital campaigns, understanding how consumers respond to real versus rendered influencers has become essential for both scholarship and practice. The study employs a conceptual scoping review, drawing on interdisciplinary theories. This scoping review analyzed studies published between 2020 and 2025, using Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases. Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, studies were screened and selected according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 60 studies were synthesized. The review compares the influence mechanisms, authenticity perceptions, and social implications of HIs and Vis and highlights societal disadvantages of VIs over HIs. Findings suggest that HIs are more effective in contexts demanding emotional engagement, social trust, and authenticity such as lifestyle, fashion, and community-driven campaigns. In contrast, VIs demonstrate effectiveness in tech-forward, highly visual, and brand-controlled settings, particularly in sectors like gaming, digital fashion, and beauty technology. The emergence of VIs also brings up important sociological issues about identity norms, cultural representation, labor displacement, and the algorithmic creation of symbolic capital. This study contributes to literature by offering a multidimensional framework that combines marketing and sociological insights. It further proposes a research agenda addressing hybrid influencer strategies, ethical and regulatory considerations, cross-cultural adoption, and the transformation of social influence in digital environments. These contributions provide both theoretical grounding and practical relevance for researchers, marketers, and policymakers navigating the evolving social media influencer economy.

Keywords

• Influencer Marketing
• Human Influencer
• Virtual Influencer
• Digital Authenticity
• Social Influence
• Scoping Review

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