Communication Innovation in Brand Marketing Within the Influencer Economy

Abstract

The global influencer economy is expanding rapidly, with the Chinese market exceeding 1.5 trillion yuan. However, its development is hindered by two key issues: content homogeneity and fraudulent traffic. Existing research has largely focused on influencer monetization and trust mechanisms, with insufficient attention paid to communication innovation and cross-cultural communication. This study, using a multi-case comparative and literature review approach, supported by secondary and literature data, constructs a three-dimensional "technology-content-people" framework to analyze communication innovation mechanisms: technology empowers conversions through precise push notifications using AI algorithms, collaborative content creation fosters user engagement, and technology also facilitates cross-cultural adaptation. The study found that communication innovation faces crises of trust, homogeneity, cross-cultural barriers, and sustainability issues. Based on this, recommendations include establishing original content libraries for platforms and innovation funds for brands to address homogeneity, establishing traceability systems to address trust crises, forming localized teams to overcome cultural barriers, and fostering community development to promote sustainable development. However, this research is limited by insufficient exploration of secondary fan dissemination and AI algorithm bias. Future research calls for deepening the application of AI in content co-creation and cross-cultural adaptation, improving "AI+human" oversight, and supplementing relevant research to promote high-quality brand marketing development.