Theorizing vloggers’ approaches and practices in travel vlog production through grounded theory

Video bloggers, also known as vloggers, continuously create and share authentic videos on popular platforms like YouTube. Travel influencer vloggers (called vloggers in this study) influence their audience by sharing their trip experiences and giving reviews about destinations and travel brands. This study employs aconstructivist grounded theory approach of 35 YouTube vlogs from 21 vloggers through a3-phase theoretical sampling. The theorizing process resulted in the development of Vloggers' Approaches and Practices (VAP) Theory by identifying the main approaches as content (CA) and objectives (OA), the two main practices of travel influencing (TIP) and vlogging (VP), and their relationships. The theoretical and managerial contributions can be important for scholars of influencer marketing, and practitioners that work with vloggers like destination marketing organizations (DMOs), hotels, tour operators, and transportation services.