The invention relates to an influence maximization method based on the multi-layer potential and community structure. According to the method, the influence propagation has two stages: multi-layer-potential-based expansion between communities at a first stage and influence propagation in communities at a second stage. To be specific, at the first stage, a seed node v tries to activate a neighbour node in a non-activated state, wherein the neighbour node is expresses as follows: {u|u belonging to N(v), active(u)=0}; the activated node during the process is marked as S1 (shown as a formula), wherein N(S) meets the following formula: N(S)=U(v belonging to S) N(v); and the S1 tries to activate another neighbour node in a non-activated state again, wherein the neighbour node is expresses as follows: {u|u belonging to N(S1)\S, activate(u)=0}, wherein the activated node is marked as S2. At the second stage, for a node expressed by a condition that any v belongs to the S2, the influence range of the node is limited in a communication where the node is located; for any communication Ci belonging to C, the influence scale depends on two factors: the value |Ci| of the community Ci and the numbe being intersection of the S2 and the Ci of the nodes, falling into the community, of the S2. According to the influence maximization method disclosed by the invention, the efficiency and the accuracy of the method are higher than thoes of the existing latest algorithms like an IPA algorithm and other heuristic algorithms.