Brands' Influencer Communication Strategies: A Qualitative Study from the Perspective of Public Relations Professionals

Abstract

In the digital era, brands’ pursuit of effective communication with their target audiences has reshaped public relations practices and positioned social media influencers as key actors in this process. Consequently, influencer communication emerges as a strategic tool for increasing brand visibility and fostering more authentic relationships with audiences. This study examines brands’ influencer communication strategies from a public relations perspective, investigating how they are integrated into PR activities and structured through specific implementation practices. Designed with a qualitative research method, the study conducted semi-structured interviews with ten public relations professionals from agencies that are members of the Communication Consultancies Association of Türkiye (İDA). According to the findings, influencers are primarily described as trust-building figures and brand spokespersons. Their integration into public relations activities is mainly driven by the need for sincere communication with the target audience, trust enhancement, and increased digital visibility. In influencer selection, the most emphasized criteria are alignment with the target audience, content quality and authenticity, and the reliability of the follower base. Corporate reputation management, event management, and marketing communication emerge as the key application areas; campaign effectiveness is measured using digital metrics such as engagement rates, views, and reach. Instagram stands out as the most preferred platform. In campaigns, content is produced through the strategic stages of briefing, idea exchange, and alignment, with brands playing a guiding role.

Keywords

• Digital Communication
• Influencer Communication
• Strategic Communication
• Public Relations Practices
• Public Relations Methods and Tools

Markaların Influencer İletişimi Stratejileri: Halkla İlişkiler Uzmanlarının Perspektifinden Nitel Bir Araştırma

Abstract

Günümüzde markaların dijital ortamlarda hedef kitleleriyle etkili iletişim kurma arayışı, halkla ilişkiler uygulamalarını yeniden şekillendirmiş ve sosyal medya etkileyicilerini bu sürecin önemli aktörleri hâline getirmiştir. Bu doğrultuda influencer iletişimi, markaların görünürlük kazanması ve hedef kitlelerle daha samimi ilişkiler geliştirmesi için stratejik bir araç olarak öne çıkmaktadır. Bu çalışma, markaların influencer iletişimi stratejilerini halkla ilişkiler perspektifinden incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Markaların influencer iletişimini halkla ilişkiler stratejileriyle nasıl bütünleştirdiği ve bu süreci hangi uygulama biçimleri doğrultusunda yapılandırdığı araştırılmaktadır. Nitel araştırma yöntemiyle tasarlanan çalışmada, İletişim Danışmanlığı Şirketleri Derneği’ne (İDA) üye olan ajanslar içerisinden 10 (on) halkla ilişkiler profesyoneli ile yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler gerçekleştirilmiştir. Bulgulara göre influencerlar, markalar için en çok güven inşa eden ve marka sözcüsü gibi işlevlerle tanımlanmakta; halkla ilişkiler faaliyetlerine entegre edilmelerinin temel nedeni olarak hedef kitleyle samimi iletişim, güven artırma ve dijital görünürlük ihtiyacı öne çıkmaktadır. Influencer seçiminde en çok hedef kitle uyumu, içerik kalitesi ve özgünlük ile takipçi güvenilirliği dikkate alınmaktadır. Kurumsal itibar yönetimi, etkinlik yönetimi ve pazarlama iletişimi öne çıkan uygulama alanları olurken, kampanya etkinliğinin ölçümlenmesinde etkileşim oranı, görüntülenme ve erişim sayıları gibi dijital metriklerin kullanıldığı görülmektedir. En çok tercih edilen platform ise Instagram’dır. Kampanyalarda içerik üretim süreci stratejik biçimde brief, fikir alışverişi ve uyum aşamalarından geçmekte; markalar yönlendirici bir rol üstlenmektedir.

Keywords

• Dijital İletişim
• Influencer İletişimi
• Stratejik İletişim
• Halkla İlişkiler Uygulamaları
• Halkla İlişkiler Yöntem ve Araçları

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