DIGITAL INFLUENCERS AND BRANDING: A BIBLIOMETRIC AND SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE FIELD FROM 1945-2019.

Objective: To map and evaluate the field of study of Digital Influencers and Branding, in order to provide an overview of research that brings the two topics together, and to propose future research agendas based on the gaps highlighted at the end of the analysis. Design/methodology/approach: A bibliometric review, using the Web of Science database, including publications from 1945 to 2019. A systematic review using thematic analysis. Results: It was possible to map the main indexed keywords, the primary research and publication poles, cluster the leading references on the searched terms, systematically organize the dispersed knowledge, and identify research opportunities based on the accumulated knowledge. Theoretical implications: This systematic review contributes theoretically by providing systematic evidence for the overall development of the chosen theme, establishing research trends obtained by joining bibliometric and systematic analysis, identifying research gaps, and proposing future research. Originality: The work is original in that it is the first, if not the best, to carry out a literature review and systematically analyze articles that deal with branding strategies and digital influencers, a field that has been acquiring marketing and advertising relevance, driven by the expansion of social networks and their role in people's buying decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]