Tailoring health messages for migrant audiences: the role of social media influencers in the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

This paper explores how social media influencers adapted their roles during the COVID-19 pandemic. It examines how audiences increasingly relied on influencers for information and guidance as traditional sources were questioned (Pöyry et al., 2022). The paper investigates how influencers, particularly those with migration backgrounds, shaped public attitudes and behavior (Wang & Navarro Nicoletti, 2025). It further analyses the content shared by a group of Russian-speaking Instagram bloggers living across the world during the early months of the pandemic. Via the content analysis their collaborative efforts to provide real-time updates and promote quarantine measures were revealed. The findings demonstrate that Russian-speaking Instagram influencers with migration backgrounds played a pivotal role in shaping public perceptions of pandemic-related risks and appropriate behaviours. By combining personalized storytelling with consistent references to official guidelines, they effectively fostered trust and compliance, particularly within migrant communities often underserved by mainstream media. The paper offers insights into the evolving landscape of digital influence and the crucial role of social media in global health crises.

Introduction

During the COVID-19 pandemic, traditional sources of information, such as government bodies and the mainstream media, faced widespread scrutiny and distrust (Van Dijck & Alinejad 2020). As the pandemic unfolded, many individuals turned to influencers for updates, advice, and personal stories, largely due to the perceived authenticity and relatability of these figures. This shift highlights the growing importance of social media influencers in shaping public discourse, particularly in times of crisis (Archer et al., 2021, Mirbabaie et al., 2020).

A central factor in this dynamic is the concept of parasocial relationships, which intensified during the pandemic (Li et al., 2023). These one-sided, emotional connections between influencers and their audiences fostered a heightened sense of trust, with many followers considering the information shared by influencers to be as credible as that from traditional information sources, such as journalists or government officials (de Bérail & Bungener, 2022). This trust, cultivated through personal narratives and authentic engagements, contributed significantly to the perceived reliability of health-related messages promoted by influencers (Buvar et al., 2022).

Previous research has highlighted the challenges faced by non-native speakers in comprehending government messaging during the pandemic, underscoring the necessity of tailoring public health communications to specific cultural contexts and lived experiences (Goldsmith et al., 2022). For migrant communities, whose connection to official channels may be strained or limited, influencers with migration backgrounds became important bridges for conveying critical information in a more accessible and relatable manner.

Russian-speaking migrants represent one of the largest transnational linguistic communities globally, making them a critical audience for studying health communication. Estimates suggest that around 30 million Russian speakers live outside the Russian Federation, forming significant diasporic populations across the world (Voronova & Voronova, 2017). Many of these communities maintain strong linguistic and cultural ties to Russian-language media ecosystems, often relying on alternative information sources rather than official state or local media in their countries of residence (Ryzhova, 2024). Previously, we demonstrated that Russian-speaking Instagram users living in different countries tend to engage in long-term international collaborations among bloggers (Smoliarova& Bodrunova, 2021). This same approach to information exchange was employed at the onset of the pandemic, making it a unique phenomenon that deserves attention as an emerging form of media. In this case, we observed a structured, coordinated dissemination of information aimed at creating a shared informational space for Russian-speaking users regardless of their geographic location. While the findings of this study cannot be generalized to all Russian-speaking influencers, I argue that this phenomenon is worth examining as a case study, as it illustrates the formation of alternative, unofficial channels of transnational communication. These collaborations functioned as a parallel media infrastructure, promoting health-protective behaviour. Studying this case provides valuable insights into the mechanisms of self-organization within digital communities, particularly during times of crisis.

Thus, the study offers a significant conceptual contribution by addressing the understudied role of social media influencers with migration backgrounds in health communication during the COVID-19 pandemic. While prior research (e.g., Pöyry et al., Klucarova, 2021) has examined how influencers integrated health advice into personal narratives, this study extends the field by focusing specifically on influencers with migration backgrounds and their unique position as cultural and linguistic intermediaries. Unlike previous research on migrant influencers during pandemic, which has predominantly focused on the Chinese diaspora (e.g., Wang & Navarro Nicoletti, 2025; Zhang & Zhao, 2020), this study brings new insights by analyzing the global collaborative efforts of Russian-speaking influencers across multiple countries. It demonstrates how these influencers coordinated transnational communication through shared post structures and hashtags to engage a dispersed Russian-speaking audience. By exploring how these influencers constructed authentic, culturally relevant narratives and filled critical communication gaps for non-native speakers, the research advances our understanding of how SMIs can function as both trusted communicators and community mobilizers in contexts of linguistic diversity and global crisis.

Literature Review

Cultural brokerage in Health Communication

Effective communication is essential for building trust and rapport between healthcare providers and patients, particularly in multicultural and migrant contexts. Miscommunication or limited understanding can undermine not only individual relationships but also broader public health efforts. While professional translators are often employed to bridge linguistic gaps, research shows that literal translation alone is insufficient. For example, Hanssen and Alpers (2010), studying healthcare interactions in Norway, demonstrated that word-for-word translations frequently fail to address patients’ need for broader contextual and cultural understanding of medical systems and procedures. This highlights that beyond linguistic translation, healthcare interactions often require cultural brokerage—the active mediation between different cultural frameworks to make health information meaningful and actionable. Such brokerage aligns with patient-centered care models that emphasize respect for patients’ narratives, needs, and expectations (Lo, 2010).

Cultural brokers in health communication can take different forms depending on the setting and needs of the community. Traditionally, healthcare professionals with additional training in cultural competence or social workers have served in this role, mediating between institutional structures and patients (Lo, 2010; Lindsay et al., 2014). However, recent scholarship has pointed to the growing importance of non-traditional actors, such as social media influencers, in fulfilling this intermediary function (van Dijck & Alinejad, 2020; Klucarova, 2022). Social media influencers, particularly those embedded within migrant communities, can serve as informal cultural brokers by contextualizing official health recommendations within familiar cultural narratives and social contexts. Their ability to combine personal storytelling with public information enables them to bridge not only linguistic divides but also gaps in cultural orientation and trust between healthcare systems and marginalized populations.

The need for cultural brokerage in health communication arises from several persistent challenges in multicultural healthcare contexts. These include language barriers, cultural mismatches between patients and clinicians, generational and gender-related differences, and limited awareness of available healthcare resources (Lindsay et al., 2014). Perhaps most critically, cultural brokers play a role in overcoming the lack of trust that often exists between migrant communities and official health institutions. By mediating these divides, cultural brokers help ensure that health information is not only understood but also perceived as legitimate, relevant, and actionable by the intended audiences. As this study suggests, influencers with migration backgrounds may serve as particularly effective cultural brokers in digital spaces, offering a scalable and culturally sensitive means of improving health communication with diverse, transnational communities.

The Role of Social Media Influencers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly altered the digital landscape, amplifying the role of social media influencers (SMIs) as key communicators in times of crisis. As traditional sources of information were often questioned or overwhelmed, audiences increasingly turned to influencers for guidance, reassurance, and information. Studies have shown that parasocial relationships—one-sided emotional connections between audiences and media personalities—became more intense during the pandemic, fostering a greater sense of connection and trust (de Bérail & Bungener, 2022). This trust often extended to the credibility of the information shared by influencers, with some audiences perceiving their favorite YouTubers’ messages to be as reliable as those from journalists, government representatives, or even family and friends (de Bérail & Bungener, 2022).

SMIs, initially perceived as authentic and relatable figures (Abidin & Ots, 2016), leveraged their social capital to shape public attitudes and behaviors (Gómez, 2015). By fulfilling multiple roles—including that of intermediary, content producer, and community manager (Borchers, 2019)—they adapted their messaging strategies to address the challenges posed by the pandemic. Instead of strictly adhering to official health guidelines, influencers integrated general recommendations into their personal brand narratives, demonstrating appropriate behaviors through example (Pöyry et al., 2022). Their contributions to public health discourse helped influence social norms, as seen in their promotion of mask-wearing, which not only signaled solidarity but also enhanced their perceived competence (Klucarova, 2021).

The pandemic prompted many influencers to assume a stronger social responsibility, actively engaging with their communities (Mateus et al., 2022). In Indonesia, for instance, SMIs led successful donation campaigns to support medical professionals, blending philanthropy with efforts to enhance their visibility (Adinia, 2022). Similarly, Peruvian influencers became more involved with their audiences, underscoring the shift towards social activism during the crisis (Mateus et al., 2022). However, while some influencers capitalized on the uncertainty to strengthen their brand positioning, others faced challenges adapting to rapidly changing market conditions (Archer et al, 2021).

The ability of influencers to quickly modify their content while maintaining authenticity was crucial to their pandemic-era success (Leon & Mateus, 2021). Many crafted messages that balanced informativeness with relatability, often emphasizing widely accepted health measures, such as handwashing and social distancing, to reinforce common knowledge (Pöyry et al., 2022). Their strategic engagement played a pivotal role in shaping public attitudes, demonstrating the growing influence of digital opinion leaders in times of crisis (Gräve, 2017).

Ultimately, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the dual nature of social media influencers: while they served as intermediaries between health authorities and the public, their involvement was often intertwined with efforts to maintain and expand their marketability. Their capacity to navigate these dynamics underscores the evolving landscape of digital influence, where credibility, social responsibility, and personal branding intersect in shaping contemporary public discourse.

Social media influencers with migration background

Research has shown that social networks were often the primary source of information about COVID-19 for migrants (Goldsmith et al., 2022). In South Africa, female migrants relied on social media to receive real-time updates on lockdown regulations, helping them navigate government-imposed restrictions (Muswede & Sithole, 2022). Similarly, in Denmark, newly arrived migrants faced difficulties accessing local news and depended on migrant-specific social media groups for structured and timely information (Brønholt et al., 2021).

Beyond information access, social media platforms also played a crucial role in fostering community support. Filipino migrant communities used closed Facebook groups not only to share pandemic-related news but also to organize crowdfunding efforts and food distribution for those affected by lockdowns (Babis & Sabar, 2022). Additionally, digital platforms became spaces for cultural and social engagement, as seen in initiatives like dance video competitions organized by the Philippine Society for Culture and Arts. These activities emphasized the role of social media in strengthening communal bonds and consolidating social capital among isolated migrant workers (Babis & Sabar, 2022).

However, the vast amount of information on social media was not always beneficial. While structured information was available in some migrant groups, other studies, such as Matsuoka et al. (2022), found that some migrants in Japan avoided social media due to the overwhelming flow of information, which made it difficult to locate relevant and reliable updates. Misinformation also posed a significant challenge. Research on migrant communities in Germany revealed that non-native speakers struggled to understand government messaging and were more susceptible to misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccinations (McCaffery et al., 2020). This issue was exacerbated by the broader failure to address multilingual communication needs during the pandemic (Piller et al.). Despite these barriers, studies show that translation alone is insufficient—public health messages need to be tailored to resonate with specific cultural contexts and lived experiences (Goldsmith et al., 2022; Reynolds & Seeger, 2005).

Social media influencers with migration backgrounds emerged as key figures in bridging these communication gaps. Instagram bloggers and vloggers who had experienced migration played a role in constructing “authentic” pandemic narratives for their audiences. For instance, Chinese-speaking vloggers living abroad shared their frustrations about local populations’ refusal to wear masks, portraying the Chinese community as more informed and responsible in contrast to the perceived ignorance of local residents (Zhang, 2020). More broadly, COVID-19 narratives on social media contributed to the formation of new migrant identities, underscoring the importance of tailored communication strategies in global health crises (Zhang, 2020).

Despite their influence, the role of social media influencers with migration backgrounds in spreading reliable COVID-19 information remains an understudied area. Given the multiple layers of inequality faced by migrants—even in high-income countries (Hayward, 2021)—these influencers played a crucial role in facilitating effective communication. This paper seeks to address this research gap by examining the case of Russian-speaking Instagram bloggers with migration backgrounds and their global collaboration during the early months of the pandemic in Spring 2020.

Research questions

• RQ1. Which shared structure of posts has been used during the collaborative posting?
• RQ2. How did the bloggers support the recommendations to stay isolated and follow the quarantine restrictions?
• RQ3. Did the bloggers mention the measures of disinfection and wearing masks?

Methodology

Participants sample

In this paper I explore the Russian-speaking bloggers with migration background living across the world who united during March and April 2020 to cover the outbreak of covid-19 for the global audiences. They participated in a collaborative effort to share real-time updates on how the COVID-19 pandemic was unfolding in their respective locations. In the first wave of posts published on 14.03.2020, they described the general intention of the group of bloggers:

“And today bloggers from different countries have united to tell what is happening in the countries in which we each live and what measures the authorities are taking in connection with the spread of the virus”.

All the posts followed a similar structure, providing insights into statistics about the victims of covid-19 and lockdown restrictions, were published on the same day and included special unique hashtags (“corona_situation_in_my_country”) as well as direct links to other bloggers from other countries who participated in this collaborative posting.

The sample for this study includes only those bloggers who published posts during March and April 2020 using specific technical hashtags associated with this collaborative effort. These hashtags gathered a limited number of posts and participants, effectively creating a bounded dataset. Therefore, while this research does not claim to have captured all instances of international collaboration among Russian-speaking influencers during the pandemic, it does establish that a clearly identifiable group of bloggers engaged in a coordinated information exchange at the international level. This fixed group of participants can be reliably analyzed as a distinct case of transnational media collaboration, providing valuable insights into the mechanisms and dynamics of influencer-driven health communication across borders.

The dataset includes 113 posts published during 6 actions of collaborative posting from 14.03.2020 till 22.04.2020 (see Figure 1).

[Image omitted: See PDF]

In this period the most strict quarantine measures were implemented across the world in different countries. They were published by 57 bloggers from 38 countries, in some countries several bloggers participate in collaborative posting.

[Image omitted: See PDF]

The median number of subscribers in the sample is over 52,000. The share of bloggers whose audience is less than 10,000 is a minority in the sample, while almost every third subscriber has more than 80,000. Almost another third are bloggers with an audience of 40 to 70 thousand subscribers. Thus, their collaboration was able to reach global Russian-speaking audience across the world.

Each post was coded based on the codebook with the following categories: presence of Covid-19 statistics, general information about quarantine measures, official recommendations to follow quarantine instructions (quote from an authority or a health organization; information about fines or punishment in cases of violation), personal recommendations to follow quarantine instructions (“stay home” in direct speech from the blogger), description of the personal example of behavior during the pandemic, general information about disinfection and wearing masks, recommendations to disinfect or wear masks.

To ensure the consistency and validity of the coding process, inter-coder reliability was established through independent coding by two researchers, followed by comparison and discussion to resolve discrepancies and refine the coding scheme. The final inter-coder reliability, measured using Krippendorff’s alpha, reached 0.82, indicating a high level of agreement.

The analysis focused exclusively on publicly available Instagram posts published by influencers, which were intentionally designed for wide audience reach and engagement. In line with ethical guidelines for internet research, only content that was openly accessible without breaching privacy settings was included, and usernames or identifying details are anonymized in the presentation of findings. As these posts were produced in a public forum for communicative purposes, individual consent was not required; however, the study remained attentive to platform terms of service and broader ethical considerations regarding the use of personal narratives in research. The researcher’s positionality as a Russian-speaking individual with a migration background and as an active Instagram user informed both the selection of material and its interpretation. This insider perspective provided valuable cultural competence and contextual understanding, particularly important when analyzing culturally situated content and transnational communication practices. At the same time, the analysis was grounded in established approaches from media and communication studies, ensuring critical distance and methodological rigor.

Results

RQ1. Which shared structure of posts has been used during the collaborative posting?

Influencers focused heavily on pandemic-related statistics and governmental quarantine policies in their communication, potentially shaping public perceptions and awareness of the crisis. COVID-19 statistics, including diagnosed cases, illnesses, and deaths, were mentioned in 96 posts, representing 85% of all posts analyzed. Information about quarantine measures appeared in 106 posts, comprising 94% of the total posts.

The situation in hospitals and the increase in the number of cases

Bloggers frequently share statistics on the number of infections, confirmed cases, and COVID-19-related deaths. Such data is essential for understanding the severity and progression of the pandemic across different regions. It offers valuable insights into the virus’s spread, the effectiveness of government responses, and the ability of healthcare systems to manage increasing case numbers.

• “The percentage of those requiring intensive care is about 10% of those infected. But even for these 10%, finding beds, ventilators, and medications is DIFFICULT.” (Italy)
• “To date, more than 5,300 cases have been diagnosed. 15 people have recovered, 56 have died. About 1,800 people get sick per day.” (Switzerland)
• “In Spain, there are 24,926 cases and 1,326 victims. In the last 24 hours alone, +233 deaths.” (Spain)

Social isolation

Bloggers covered in detail about the quarantine measures that have been introduced in their countries - distance learning, remote work and social restrictions.

• “They extended the holidays for schoolchildren until the end of the Passover holiday (until April 15), kindergartens are still open.” (Israel)
• “In California, an order was issued yesterday to stay at home and not go out without special need.” (USA)
• “Museums, theaters, cinemas are closed. Church services have been canceled (masses will be held online).” (Czech Republic)

Social media influencers in the sample played a significant role in disseminating information about the COVID-19 pandemic among global audiences, with a strong emphasis on statistical data and quarantine measures. Their posts frequently included updates on infection rates, fatalities, and hospital situations, shaping public awareness and perceptions of the crisis. Additionally, they provided detailed coverage of government-imposed restrictions, highlighting the global impact of social isolation measures. This structured approach to collaborative posting helped inform audiences about the evolving situation and the effectiveness of various response strategies across different countries.

RQ2. How did the bloggers support the recommendations to stay isolated and follow the quarantine restrictions?

The majority of bloggers consistently covered quarantine measures throughout the two-month period, primarily in a neutral and informative manner (see Image 3). Less than a third of posts contained personal experiences. As demonstrated in previous research (Smoliarova& Bodrunova, 2021), bloggers took their role as information providers seriously, resembling news journalists in their approach to reporting on the COVID-19 pandemic.

[Image omitted: See PDF]

Bloggers frequently emphasized mobility restrictions and quarantine regulations in different countries:

• “Residents are restricted in movement: leaving home is only allowed for essential reasons!” (Austria)
• “From March 21, 2020, a National Lockdown was declared, as announced by the Prime Minister on Thursday evening, identical to quarantine.” (Mauritius)
• “It is forbidden to go outside except for the supermarket, pharmacy, or hospital. Work is allowed only with special permission, for example, for those employed in the tourism sector.” (Spain)

In 42% of the posts, bloggers not only shared information about quarantine measures but also referenced official recommendations and legal actions taken to enforce them, including fines and penalties for violations:

• “The UAE Ministry of Health advised the elderly to stay at home and avoid crowded places.” (UAE)
• “The Prime Minister urged everyone to work from home whenever possible and avoid crowded places.” (Georgia)
• “Police and military are everywhere. Fines for unauthorized presence outside range from 100 euros to astronomical amounts.” (Spain)

By highlighting these measures, bloggers helped disseminate information globally, demonstrating the widespread implementation of quarantine policies.

In two cases, bloggers specifically mentioned how authorities adapted policies to religious contexts, advising people to remain at home despite religious traditions:

• “King Carl XVI Gustaf addressed the nation, urging responsibility: ‘Do not travel, do not attend church on Easter… Think of others, stay home for Easter.’” (Sweden)
• “What saddens Egyptians most is the closure of mosques, particularly missing Friday prayers for the third consecutive week—an unprecedented occurrence since the advent of Islam in the country. Even the traditional call to prayer has been altered during the quarantine. Instead of ‘Hasten to prayer, hasten to salvation,’ it now says, ‘Pray in your homes, pray where you are.’” (Egypt)

Direct Appeals from Bloggers

One in five posts contained a direct appeal from bloggers to their audience, endorsing quarantine measures and urging people to stay home. These appeals followed five distinct formats:

1. Emotional Statements:
   • “Right now, to defeat this global disease, we simply need to stay home. Just stay home—do you understand? No fighting, no trenches, just quietly staying home and doing our own thing.” (Turkey)
   • “Thanks to those providing essential services, we CAN stay home and stop the virus from spreading. For them, we MUST stay home.” (Italy)
2. Personal Endorsements of Measures:
   • “I fully support all the measures, even though they came late. Quarantine is absolutely necessary!” (Mauritius)
   • “I support the quarantine measures Thailand is taking to protect the country from infection. They are essential.” (Thailand)
3. Direct Recommendations:
   • “We advise everyone to stay home, take the situation seriously, wash your hands, and take care of your loved ones.” (Ukraine)
4. Rational Justifications:
   • “There is a clear understanding of what needs to be done: simply self-isolate to reduce the outbreak.” (Turkey)
5. Personal Experience:
   • “I spend most of my time at home, and I strongly advise you to do the same.” (UAE)

Personal Experience in Posts

As noted, collaborative posting led to an emphasis on informative content rather than personal experiences. While bloggers shared personal experiences in 32% of the posts, these mentions were usually secondary rather than the main focus.

• “Yesterday, we celebrated my son’s birthday in an extremely small circle and even opened the barbecue season.” (Sweden)
• “My husband brings news from the market twice a week, and instead of flowers, he brings me heads of lettuce.” (France)

Although brief, these personal stories reinforced quarantine measures by making them relatable and motivating followers to comply.

In several cases, bloggers shared observations about how people adhered to or violated quarantine regulations.

• “In my county, I see this happening. If people meet while walking, they immediately switch to the other side of the street, strictly maintaining distance.” (UK)
• “In our neighborhood, I often see people freely walking outside and children playing football. Then people wonder why the number of infections keeps rising—it’s because they themselves create problems for society.” (UAE)

By criticizing violations of quarantine restrictions, bloggers reinforced the importance of following official guidelines and helped normalize compliance within their online communities.

RQ3. Did the bloggers mention the measures of disinfection and wearing masks?

The analysis of blog posts reveals that a significant portion (43%) of the posts contained discussions regarding measures of disinfection and wearing masks. These discussions were diverse and varied by region, reflecting the unique circumstances and evolving policies in different countries.

For example, bloggers from the UAE mentioned the availability of masks, albeit at high prices, indicating a challenge related to the affordability of protective gear. In contrast, an Austrian blogger highlighted the initial underestimation of the virus, followed by a surge in mask and sanitizer purchases by February.

• “At first, few people took the situation seriously - rather, they underestimated it and joked about it, but nevertheless, everyone was talking only about the virus, and masks and sanitizers were bought up back in February” (Austria)

This reflects the shift in public perception and behavior as the pandemic unfolded. Political decisions regarding mask-wearing varied widely across countries, with the blogger from Germany noting that wearing masks and gloves was recommended but not mandated. Meanwhile, the blogger from the United States pointed out the change in policy over time, noting that masks became required for entry into stores as the pandemic progressed.

Furthermore, 50% of the posts included direct recommendations for disinfection. For instance, a Brazilian blogger described how the public in Brazil was educating children on the importance of handwashing to prevent infection. Similarly, bloggers from the UK and Sweden stressed the importance of hand hygiene, with the UK emphasizing it as a fundamental rule for ordinary citizens, and Sweden highlighting widespread advertisements promoting handwashing.

• “But keeping a distance and washing hands is the main rule for ordinary citizens.” (UK)
• “There are announcements and advertisements everywhere about washing your hands.” (Sweden)

Overall, these findings indicate that bloggers from different countries shared a wide range of information and recommendations related to disinfection and mask-wearing, with differences in emphasis and regulations influenced by local political decisions and cultural contexts.

Discussion

The role of social media influencers (SMIs) in shaping public health behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic has garnered increasing attention in recent years. Our study aimed to explore how influencers, particularly Russian-speaking Instagram bloggers with migration backgrounds, contributed to disseminating trustworthy information and supporting safety behaviors during the pandemic. These influencers collaborated to share real-time updates about the pandemic in their respective locations, offering insights into the structure of their posts, the topics they covered, and their approaches to supporting quarantine recommendations. The results of this study align with previous findings that social media influencers can be both a positive and negative force in the public health landscape, depending on how they engage with their audiences (Pöyry et al, 2022; Klucarova, 2022).

Our study extends the understanding of SMIs’ role by focusing on a specific subset of influencers—those with migration backgrounds—whose engagement strategies were crucial in reaching diverse audiences, particularly migrant communities (Zhang & Zhao, 2020). This is consistent with previous research that has shown that social media influencers are often viewed as more relatable and trustworthy than traditional media outlets, especially by underrepresented or marginalized groups (Goldsmith et al, 2022; Matsuoka et al., 2020). The influencers in our study, by tailoring their messages to their cultural contexts and lived experiences, were able to effectively reinforce the importance of public health recommendations, such as mask-wearing, handwashing, and social distancing (Wang & Navarro Nicoletti, 2025).

Our findings echo the results of Klucarova (2021), who demonstrated that influencers who integrated health advice into their own lives were more effective at encouraging followers to adopt similar behaviors. The influencers in our study also shared personal narratives and experiences, offering relatable examples of how they followed quarantine measures. This personal connection likely enhanced the impact of their messaging, as audiences placed greater trust in these influencers due to the intensification of parasocial relationships during the pandemic. Influencers became not just information providers but also key community engagers, balancing their roles as intermediaries between health authorities and the public with efforts to maintain their marketability. This duality of their role is particularly important in understanding how SMIs navigate the tension between their social responsibility and their professional interests.

While influencers played a crucial role in disseminating accurate information, it is also essential to acknowledge the risks posed by misinformation. As Harff et al. (2022) have pointed out, some influencers contributed to the spread of false claims, conspiracy theories, and harmful advice, despite efforts to promote health safety behaviors. Our study did not find substantial evidence of this among the influencers we analyzed, but the broader context of misinformation must be considered when evaluating the role of influencers in public health communication.

This study contributes to the theoretical framework for understanding the role of SMIs during a global health crisis by highlighting the increased trust audiences placed in these figures. The influencers we examined adapted their roles, assuming greater social responsibility and leveraging their platforms to shape public attitudes and behaviors. They were not just messengers of official health recommendations but also influencers of social norms, particularly in the context of migrant communities. Their ability to integrate general recommendations into their personal brand narratives, while maintaining relatability, made them effective at reinforcing health measures such as mask-wearing and social distancing.

Additionally, the influencers in our study discussed diverse regional approaches to pandemic-related measures, including varying policies on disinfection and mask-wearing, reflecting the global nature of the crisis. This nuanced approach highlights how influencers tailored their messaging strategies to resonate with specific audiences while ensuring that the information they shared was locally relevant.

In the broader context of global communication, this study contributes to understanding the unique capacity of social media influencers to shape public discourse and influence social norms on a global scale. The influencers we analyzed were not only targeting local audiences but also had the ability to impact followers across different regions, emphasizing the potential of digital platforms to reach diverse, global audiences. By targeting Russian-speaking migrant communities, they expanded their reach and were able to provide crucial, culturally relevant information to a segment of the population that may have been overlooked by traditional media.

This study has several limitations that should be acknowledged. First, it focuses on the particular case of international collaboration among Russian-speaking bloggers worldwide during the early COVID-19 pandemic, which cannot be considered representative of all Russian-speaking influencers with migration backgrounds. The specific dynamics of this collaboration may differ from individual or localized influencer activity. Second, the analysis is limited to Instagram posts and does not include Stories or a systematic examination of visual content, both of which are central to meaning-making and audience engagement on the platform. The study does not include follower-side data, such as audience reception, engagement patterns, or the actual influence on behavior, which limits the analysis to the production side of communication. Finally, while the study found no instances of misinformation within the analyzed sample, this finding may not be generalizable to all influencers in similar contexts, as misinformation dynamics can vary significantly across different online communities and time periods.

Ultimately, the findings of this study contribute to the growing body of research on the role of social media influencers in public health, shedding light on how influencers can balance the dissemination of reliable health information with the need to maintain their personal brand. This research also underscores the importance of tailoring public health messages to cultural contexts, especially when addressing migrant communities, and provides insights into how influencers can play a pivotal role in shaping global health communication strategies.

Conclusion

The paper presents the results of the case study of Russian-speaking Instagram bloggers with migration backgrounds who collaborated to share real-time updates on the pandemic in their respective locations, offering insights into the structure of their posts, the topics they covered, and their approaches to supporting quarantine recommendations.

This study contributes to the study of social media influencers and their behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic by examining how they adapted their roles as key communicators, information providers, and community engagers It highlights the dual nature of influencers, who balanced their roles as intermediaries between health authorities and the public with their efforts to maintain and expand their marketability.

The paper provides a theoretical framework for understanding the role of SMIs during the pandemic, noting the intensification of parasocial relationships and the increased trust audiences placed in influencers. It details how influencers evolved to assume greater social responsibility, engage with their communities, and shape public attitudes and behaviors. The findings provide insights into the messaging strategies employed by influencers, noting their ability to balance informativeness with relatability by integrating general recommendations into their personal brand narratives, specifically the promotion of mask-wearing and the reinforcement of common knowledge, such as handwashing and social distancing.

The paper demonstrates how these influencers disseminated crucial information about the pandemic, including statistical data, quarantine measures, and personal recommendations, thereby shaping public awareness and perceptions of the crisis. It acknowledges the importance of tailoring public health messages to resonate with specific cultural contexts and lived experiences, particularly for migrant communities.

Finally, the paper provides insights into how influencers discussed measures of disinfection and mask-wearing, reflecting diverse regional approaches and policy changes. By examining these aspects, the article contributes to a deeper understanding of the multifaceted role of social media influencers during a global health crisis, highlighting their capacity to shape public discourse and influence social norms. This research provides valuable guidance for contemporary health communication strategies by demonstrating how social media influencers, particularly those with migration backgrounds, can help build trust, reach marginalized communities, and promote health-protective behaviours through culturally tailored messaging. In an era of growing public distrust in official health sources and increasing information overload, partnering with relatable influencers can enhance message credibility and foster stronger community engagement. Future research should expand beyond textual analysis to include visual and multimodal communication, examine influencer practices across a broader range of platforms, and explore the dynamics of misinformation more systematically to ensure that influencer-driven campaigns remain both effective and reliable.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this article. The research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Data Availability Statement

The data is available upon reasonable request and subsequent approval from the participants of the study.

Funding Information

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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