The Role of Social Media Influencers in Co-Creating National Brand Identity in Oman

Stakeholder engagement in nation branding has shifted from a traditional, top-down approach to more active, influential participation in digital environments. This shift has attracted growing academic attention across several disciplines, with research examining a range of stakeholder groups. However, limited research has examined the role of social-media influencers (SMIs) as active digital stakeholders. Existing studies largely treat SMIs as promotional tools for short-term campaigns, focusing on reach and engagement metrics rather than their broader role in shaping nation-brand identity. This thesis addresses this gap by examining the role of SMIs in the co-creation of nation-brand identity in Oman. It focuses on understanding the drivers of audience engagement with content co-created by SMIs and official actors on Instagram. It also examines how SMIs and official actors jointly manage and govern the co-creation of the nation brand.
Data were collected from 680 Instagram posts over 12 months and analysed using content analysis to identify the drivers of audience engagement. In addition, 22 interviews were conducted with SMIs and nation-brand professionals (NBPs) to examine how they manage and govern the nation-brand co-creation process.
The findings show that the drivers of audience engagement do not operate in isolation. Individual elements have a limited independent effect, whereas their combinations exert a stronger influence. Notably, engagement is highest when content characteristics, presentation and topic are aligned. Posts that are video-based, self-produced, and visually rich, with ambient sound and without the use of hashtags or calls to action in captions, tend to achieve greater engagement. Content that focuses on local people, food and seasonal themes is also associated with greater interaction, including likes, comments and shares. The interview findings indicate that nation-brand co-creation is managed and governed through three main layers: SMI selection criteria, transparency and constraints. These layers operate at different levels and with varying degrees of influence, shaping how the nation-brand co-creation process is organised and implemented.