A Bibliometric Analysis of the Influencer Marketing Phenomenon in the Context of Social Media

With the rapid expansion of social media, influencer marketing has emerged as one of the most effective approaches in digital marketing, where influencers shape consumer behavior through trust-based and interactive relationships. This study, adopting a scientometric approach and utilizing bibliometric analysis, explores the conceptual structure, research trends, and knowledge gaps in the field of influencer marketing during the period from 2015 to 2025. Research data were extracted from the Scopus database and analyzed using VOSviewer software. Findings reveal that the literature in this domain is structured around several core conceptual clusters, including "trust and source credibility," "parasocial relationships," "emerging technologies," "marketing strategies," and "virtual influencers." Frequently occurring keywords such as influencer marketing, social media, and brand trust are centrally located in the conceptual map and act as bridges between other thematic areas. Temporal analysis of the concepts indicates a transition from traditional interaction-based approaches to a growing emphasis on technologies such as artificial intelligence and deep learning. The results of this study not only outline the transformative landscape of influencer marketing but also highlight emerging research opportunities in areas such as digital decision-making, human branding, and AI ethics. This research can serve as a valuable guide for scholars, brands, and policymakers in developing data-driven, human-centered, and ethically grounded strategies in digital marketing.