Micro-Influencer-Driven Digital Philanthropy: A Case Study of Micro-Influence for Good in Singapore
(A2026-133605)

AUTHORS

Lukasz Swiatek, UNSW; Kevin Kok-Yew Tan, Singapore Management University; Suwichit Chaidaroon, The University of Melbourne

ABSTRACT

Micro-influencer marketing is increasingly visible in digital philanthropy landscapes, yet theoretical understandings of the ways in which they stimulate prosocial engagement for digital fundraising remains limited. This conceptual paper synthesises insights from influencer credibility, moral-emotional framing, social norm theory, and trust formation in non-profit contexts to propose an integrated framework for digital fundraising influence. The model delineates two pathways – micro-influencer signals and message features – and specifies psychological mediators, including trust, perceived impact, and moral obligation, in micro-influencer marketing operations. Singapore serves as the paper’s case study; the country’s sociocultural environment offers analytical value for other Southeast Asian settings with comparable digital infrastructures. The paper concludes with a research agenda to advance knowledge of micro-influencer digital philanthropy.