Amaravati, September 28: The Andhra Pradesh Government has introduced a policy for the empanelment of Social Media Influencers (SMIs), creating a formal framework to engage digital content creators in promoting government welfare schemes, infrastructure projects, public-awareness campaigns and other government initiatives.
The purpose of the policy, issued through G.O.Ms.No.197, said: “To identify, verify, and empanel credible social media influencers who can amplify government communications and public-awareness campaigns, including the active promotion and push of content on Government welfare schemes, infrastructure development, and all other initiatives, across all 28 Andhra Pradesh districts”.
The framework covers content creators operating on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and X (formerly Twitter) who seek official empanelment. Under the policy, initial empanelment will be for one year. Based on satisfactory performance, it may subsequently be extended for up to another two years, one year at a time, at the discretion of the competent authority.
Policy Requirements
Influencers are divided into four groups based on their highest follower or subscriber count on any one platform. To qualify, an influencer must have a minimum of 10,000 followers on at least one primary social media platform. Influencers with higher follower counts will receive preference, with the highest follower count on any single platform determining the influencer’s category. All registered accounts and social media handles of an empanelled influencer will be covered under a single empanelment.
The policy also establishes a viral-reach benchmark. Applicants must demonstrate at least two viral videos or posts in which the total views exceed their total follower count, indicating the ability to reach audiences beyond their existing subscriber base.
The policy also places emphasis on consistent activity. Applicants are required to maintain a minimum average of two posts, videos or creatives per week, based on their recent activity history. This translates to at least 48 posts with good reach during the preceding six months.
Government Communication Through Influencers
Government influencer programmes are not entirely new in India. Goa, for example, launched an influencer-empanelment initiative in 2024 to promote awareness of government schemes, policies and programmes through social media handles.
The policy ultimately represents a shift from conventional government publicity towards creator-driven communication, where follower reach, engagement, and campaign performance become measurable components of government outreach.
