Radiografía de los micro-influencers en la economía de las plataformas digitales: insatisfacción, trabajo gratuito y desigualdad en la retribución

Isabel Villegas-Simón; Cristina Fernández-Rovira; Santiago Giraldo Luque; Alessandro  Bernardi

doi:10.4185/RLCS-2022-1805

Authors

Isabel Villegas-Simón Universitat Pompeu Fabra
Cristina Fernández-Rovira Universitat de Vic-Universitat Central de Catalunya https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0643-7329
Santiago Giraldo Luque Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Alessandro Bernardi Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4185/RLCS-2022-1805

Keywords:

attention economy, microinfluencers, precarity, digital prescribers, social media platforms, digital economy, digital content creators

Abstract

Introduction: Influencers have emerged as new prescribers and digital workers who build strong communities for advertisers. Microinfluencers, who have between 5,000 and 40,000 followers, are used by brands to impact small but highly engaged digital communities. This research explores the relationship between time investment, digital impact and economic remuneration of microinfluencers' digital activity to understand new forms of labor precarity. Methodology: To this end, 34 microinfluencers have been studied through the monitoring of their digital profiles, measuring engagement and EMV, and through a questionnaire to find out their satisfaction, time invested, and economic remuneration. In addition, a second study was conducted on the digital activity of 21 popular influencers. Results and discussion: The results identify the precariousness conditions that microinfluencers face in a quantitative perspective. Besides, the analysis indicates that microinfluencers are dissatisfied due to three factors: the relationship between time invested and economic remuneration, the need to create publications without generating income, and the disproportionate relationship between the size of their community, the link they produce with their followers, and the benefits compared to celebrity influencers. Conclusions: The findings contribute to build on the preceding literature on false meritocracy and retribution through visibility and social capital at the expense of precarious working conditions within a neoliberal digital economy.

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Author Biographies

Isabel Villegas-Simón, Universitat Pompeu Fabra

Deparment of Communication, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Campus Poblenou, Roc Bonorat,

138, 08018, Barcelona, Spain.

Isabel Villegas Simón is postdoctoral researcher at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra. She holds a PhD in Audiovisual Communication from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona with an International mention and obtained the Extraordinary Doctorate Award. Also, she has a master’s degree from the same university and a degree in Audiovisual Communication from the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. She has worked in various research projects funded by European and Spanish institutions. Besides, she has taught courses about journalism, content creation and intercultural communication. Currently, she is a member of the research group Criticc (UPF) and takes part of the founded research project LGTBIQ+screens. She publishes regularly in leading academic journals on topics related to digital culture, social media, intercultural communication and content creation from a critical and gender perspective.

isabelmaria.villegas@upf.edu

Índice H: 6

Orcid ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3064-6876

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.es/citations?user=geHVsE8AAAAJ&hl=en

ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Isabel-Villegas-Simon

Cristina Fernández-Rovira, Universitat de Vic-Universitat Central de Catalunya

Department of Communication, University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia, Carrer de la Sagrada

Família, 7, 08500, Vic, Barcelona, Spain.

Cristina Fernández-Rovira holds a degree in journalism from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), and a degree in political science from Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia. She holds a PhD in Sociology and Anthropology from the Complutense University of Madrid. Fernández- Rovira holds a master’s degree in Conflictology from the Open University of Catalonia and a master's degree in European Integration (UAB). Fernández-Rovira is a lecturer and researcher in the Department of Communication at the Universitat de Vic-Universitat Central de Catalunya and researcher in the TRACTE Group at the UVic. She has studied in Spain and Canada and has done pre-doctoral research in Spain and France. She has also been a visiting professor in Egypt. She publishes regularly in leading academic journals on topics related to social media, the attention economy, communication, and the digitisation of society from a critical perspective.

cristina.fernandez1@uvic.cat

Índice H: 4

Orcid ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0643-7329

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.es/citations?user=S8f8oxwAAAAJ&hl=es

ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Cristina-Fernandez- Rovira-2154163938

Santiago Giraldo Luque, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Department of Journalism and Communication Sciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB),

Carrer de la Vinya S/N. Campus UAB. Bellaterra, Barcelona. 08193. Spain.

Santiago Giraldo-Luque Professor of Journalism at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). He was the Academic Coordinator of the Master’s Degree in Journalism and Innovation in Digital Content, and former Academic Coordinator of the Master's Degree in Communication and Journalism Research and the Master's Degree in Communication and Education at the UAB. He holds a PhD in Communication and Journalism and a Master’s degree in Communication and Education from the UAB. He is a graduate of the Political Science programme at the National University of Colombia. He has published more than 60 articles, book chapters and books on the study of social media networks, the economy of attention, the evolution of journalism in the digital sphere and the use of the internet and social media to promote political participation and social mobilisation in the 21st century. santiago.giraldo@uab.cat

Índice H: 13

Orcid ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0024-7081

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.es/citations?user=r7iEu0IAAAAJ&hl=es

ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Santiago-Giraldo-Luque

Alessandro Bernardi, Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona

Department of Journalism and Communication Sciences. Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). Carrer de la Vinya S/N. Campus UAB. Bellaterra, Barcelona. 08193. Spain.

Alejandro Bernardi. Associate Professor of Data Journalism and Introduction to Big Data at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). He holds a PhD from the department of Physics (UAB) and he is CoFounder of Social Elephants, a professional Social Media Analytics platform. He applies his multidisciplinary approach to business and research, as a consultant and trainer in the area of digital media strategy, social media analytics/monitoring and social network analysis. alessandro.bernardi@uab.cat

Orcid ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0235-1336

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.es/citations?user=E-C8IKUAAAAJ&hl=en

ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Alessandro-Bernardi-2162736295

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