This book examines the phenomenon of knowledge celebrities, an emerging group of social media influencers who produce and sell knowledge products online. Its primary goal is to investigate the reasons and strategies behind their ability to attract users and persuade them to purchase knowledge products on digital platforms.
With the increasing demand for high-quality content from online users, various platforms have emerged as pay-for-knowledge platforms, allowing knowledge celebrities to monetize their expertise. This book draws on theoretical frameworks from information science, communication and management to provide insights into this phenomenon and to examine the practices and individuals involved. Building on existing scholarship and analyzing case studies in China, this book presents the background, basic concepts and understanding of knowledge celebrities. It then explores the three key factors that contribute to the attractiveness of knowledge celebrities, as well as the motivations and mechanisms behind pay-for-knowledge practices. Finally, the book offers a glimpse into the future landscape of knowledge celebrities and pay-for-knowledge platforms.
The book will be valuable to scholars, students, and practitioners in information, communication and media studies. In particular, it will appeal to those interested in topics such as knowledge celebrities, the creator economy and knowledge management.
Table of Contents:
Introduction Part I Knowledge Celebrities: Who Are They? 1. What we know and don’t know about knowledge celebrities 2. Related literature and theoretical lens 3. Collecting and analyzing data on knowledge celebrities Part II Why Are Knowledge Celebrities Attractive to Users? 4. Self-portraits of knowledge celebrities 5. Mixed-method design to study perceived attractiveness of knowledge celebrities 6. Three significant antecedents of perceived attractiveness of knowledge celebrities Part III Why Are Users Willing to Pay for Knowledge? 7. Mixed-method design to study users’ willingness to pay for knowledge 8. From attraction to attachment: direct and indirect effects on users’ willingness to pay for knowledge 9. What’s next for research on knowledge celebrities?
About the Author :
Xiaoyu Chen is Assistant Professor of Information Resources Management at Shanghai University, China. His research interests include “3U”—user information behavior, user cyberpsychology and user-generated content, particularly in the context of digital technologies.
Review :
“Xiaoyu masterfully delves into the realm of knowledge celebrities, unraveling their enigmatic allure with scholarly precision. As a fellow researcher, I found his exploration of the attraction of knowledge celebrities and payment for knowledge truly captivating. A must-read for curious minds seeking insights into the evolving landscape of digital influencers.”
Professor Daphne Raban, University of Haifa, Israel
“This will be a great book for anyone who is interested in learning about a genre of social media influencers – knowledge influencers or knowledge celebrities. Knowledge indeed has a market price and it is becoming a lucrative market. You will read more interesting and surprising findings in this book.”
Professor Chen Lou, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
“Dr Xiaoyu Chen skillfully weaves together theories from information science, communication, and management to shed light on the emergence of knowledge celebrities and the mechanisms that make them so influential. This book stands as a significant contribution to the field and is highly recommended for anyone seeking a deep understanding of knowledge celebrities.”
Professor Lu An, Wuhan University, China
