Hi, Quirin:

Very interesting concept. The growing power of bloggers to influence their connected network has emerged as a new communication venue for brands.

A recent research study (Uzunoğlu & Kip, 2014) elaborated upon the role of bloggers in brand communication, and reveals how brands can engage with bloggers, currently considered as online opinion leaders, from the perspective of the two-step flow theory.

The authors reported on in-depth interviews with 17 brand and digital agency representatives, selected because they regard communication with bloggers as an important strategy in increasing the influence of their brands among online communities.

This exploratory study reflected current blogger communication implementations, and concludes with a discussion of seven major issues arising from the literature review and interviews (definition of bloggers, blogger selection criteria, digital integration, power of bloggers, long-term relationship building with bloggers, measurement, and budgetary issues in blogger communication). These areas represent relatively unexplored areas of blogger engagement from both an academic and managerial perspective.

Based on the findings of the interviews, the authors proposed a model which traces the influencer role of bloggers from the two-step flow theory perspective. This model is named as the brand communication through digital influencers model!

• Uzunoğlu, E., & Kip, S. M. (2014). Brand communication through digital influencers: Leveraging blogger engagement. International Journal Of Information Management, 34(5), 592-602.

Hope this helps!

Nadeem

Thank you Nadeem! There are certainly some points that fit my current work! 

Companies may sponsor or retain some known personalities to promote the brand. Such promotions are effected, keeping in view the target customers, and may have wider range. Opinion makers through social media, try to build opinion among the followers, who will certainly have significant influence, but within limited range. The connectedness will depend on the effectiveness of the communication.