Political Influencers on Instagram: The New Digital Agents of Political Engagement in Spain

Abstract

The purpose of this exploratory study is to determine whether the phenomenon of influencers has led to a shift towards the spectacularisation of politics on Instagram and its reach among young people. Sixty key political influencers in Spain were identified through social listening, influencer analysis tools, expert consultations and social media searches. A detailed profile analysis focusing on performance metrics and audience demographics was conducted and triangulated with content analysis of 600 posts. The results show that these political influencers have a combined total of 6,287,149 followers, primarily under the age of 35, and have high interaction rates (3.9%). These influencers are also young, with 68% under 35, predominantly male (65%), and well educated. Their content is mainly political information blended with entertainment, addressing current political issues through the reel format. This study represents the first mapping of Spanish political influencers and highlights their potential impact on young people and deliberative democracy on social networks.