Navigating a social media influencer crisis: The effects of crisis response strategies on identification, authenticity, and reputation

This study aims to investigate how an influencer’s response to a crisis impacts reputation of and behaviors supporting the influencer. The mediating roles of influencer-relevant variables (e.g., authenticity and identification) were also examined. A 2 (crisis type: high in attribution of responsibility vs. low in attribution of responsibility) x 2 (responses: accommodative vs. defensive) factorial experiment testing Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) was conducted (N = 193). Matched responses did not directly impact authenticity, identification, or reputation. However, both authenticity and identification were positively related to reputation and loyalty, whereas only authenticity predicted negative social amplification. This study indicates the importance of including influencer-relevant variables like authenticity and identification in predicting follower responses to crisis. The lack of support for SCCT’s matched response predictions is discussed. • Matched crisis type and response did not affect authenticity perceptions of the SMI. • Matched crisis type and response did not affect identification with the SMI. • Authenticity and identification were positively related to reputation. • Authenticity and identification were positively related to loyalty. • Only authenticity predicted negative social amplification.