A Bibliometric Analysis of Virtual Influencers: Performance Indicators and Conceptual Structure

Öz

Artificial intelligence-powered virtual influencers, as digital characters emulating human characteristics, are transforming the way brands interact with consumers and are rapidly becoming a growing field of research in marketing literature. However, despite this burgeoning interest, bibliometric studies that holistically evaluate the accumulated knowledge in the field remain limited. This study aims to examine 258 publications indexed in the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection within the disciplines of Business and Management, comprising peer-reviewed English articles, through a comprehensive bibliometric analysis. Data were evaluated using performance analysis and science mapping techniques via the bibliometrix package and Biblioshiny interface in the R programming language. The findings demonstrate that research on virtual influencers expanded rapidly during the 2021–2026 period, particularly from 2024–2025 onwards, with an annual growth rate of 111.68%. Furthermore, journals such as the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services and the Journal of Business Research, as well as China-based authors and institutions, stand out in the field. Keyword and co-occurrence network analyses reveal that the literature has matured around the concepts of credibility, authenticity, and trustworthiness.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Virtual Influencer
• Bibliometric Analysis
• Biblioshiny
• Marketing
• Artificial Intelligence

Etik Beyan

Since this study is based on bibliometric analysis using publicly available data, ethical committee approval was not required.

Sanal Etkileyiciler Üzerine Bibliyometrik Bir Analiz: Performans Göstergeleri ve Kavramsal Yapı

Öz

Yapay zekâ destekli sanal etkileyiciler (virtual influencer), insan özelliklerini taklit eden dijital karakterler olarak markaların tüketicilerle etkileşim biçimini dönüştürmekte ve pazarlama literatüründe hızla büyüyen bir araştırma alanı haline gelmektedir. Ancak bu artan ilgiye karşın, alandaki bilgi birikimini bütüncül bir bakış açısıyla değerlendiren bibliyometrik çalışmalar sınırlı kalmaktadır. Bu çalışma, Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection veri tabanında Business ve Management alanlarında taranan, İngilizce ve hakemli makale niteliğindeki 336 yayını kapsamlı bir bibliyometrik analizle incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Veriler, R programlama dilindeki bibliometrix paketi ve Biblioshiny arayüzü kullanılarak performans analizi ve bilim haritalama (science mapping) teknikleriyle değerlendirilmiştir. Bulgular, sanal etkileyici araştırmalarının 2019–2026 döneminde, özellikle 2023–2024 yıllarından itibaren %85,65’lik yıllık büyüme oranıyla hızla genişlediğini; Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services ve Journal of Business Research gibi dergilerin, Çin merkezli yazar ve kurumların alanda öne çıktığını göstermektedir. Anahtar kelime ve kelime birliktelik ağı analizleri, literatürün antropomorfizm, sahicilik ve güvenilirlik kavramları etrafında olgunlaştığını ortaya koymaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Sanal Etkileyici
• Bibliyometrik Analiz
• Biblioshiny
• Pazarlama
• Yapay Zeka

Etik Beyan

Bu çalışma, kamuya açık veriler kullanılarak yapılan bibliyometrik analize dayandığından, etik kurul onayı gerektirmemektedir.

Kaynakça

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