This paper explores the question: How have Instagram influencers reshaped the concept of authenticity in online spaces? As social media becomes increasingly more advertisments, content that appears genuine and personal is often carefully created to appear to different target audiences. This paper argues that Instagram influencers have redefined authenticity by blurring the boundary between genuine self-expression and commercial advertisments. It analyses how different companies use various different visuals and ways to create trust within the consumer watching the video. It concludes showing how different influencers and companies have turned authentic and person videos into a performance trying to market to different target audiences. It highlights how this particularly happens within younger users in the social media space. 

In this era of social media, where personal content is easily watchable and shown to a wide audience, authenticity has become a highly valued quality. Platforms like Instagram have turned everyday users into content creators and, for some, into influencers that a wide variety of people look up to. These influencers build followings not through celebrity status or traditional media but through an apparent closeness with their audiences. An example of this can be seen through Ashton Hall, an Instagram sensation known for his morning routines and being close to his audience. Their posts often feel like you are friends with them spearing the line between friendship and just another video. However, behind these videos of real life there is a complex line between self-presentation and commercial interest.  This paper argues that Instagram influencers have redefined what it means to be authentic by presenting carefully curated content that appears to be personal and emotionally genuine. In doing so, these influencers blur the line between marketing and self-expression. To examine this phenomenon, the paper first unpacks the concept of authenticity within media and digital culture. It then explores how influencers construct and perform authenticity through aesthetic choices, strategic vulnerability, and branded intimacy. Finally, it addresses the implications of this shift, especially for how young audiences perceive and relate to this realness online.

Staged Authenticity:

Instagram influencers operate within an economy where attention is currency and trust is a product. To gain and maintain trust, influencers must appear authentic. This does not mean being fully transparent or unfiltered, it means seeming real enough to be relatable, while still polished enough to inspire. As (Abidin, 2016) explains, influencers use a tactic known as calibrated amateurism, where content appears casual and unscripted but is in fact carefully staged and edited. The term fake it till you make it comes to mind. A selfie taken in bed, or a day in the life vlog, all these formats suggest honesty, but they are often timed to maximise engagement or align with paid partnerships. For example, an influencer might share a vulnerable story about body image while simultaneously promoting a wellness product. Followers are invited into what feels like an intimate moment, even though it serves a commercial function for the influencers gain. This strategy aligns with the expectations of the platform. Instagram’s algorithms reward high quality content that engages the viewer over the entire video. These factors offer influencers to blend emotional appeal with promotional content for a massive profit. Over time, this creates a form of authenticity that offers the influencers rawness to create a engaging video that draws the viewer in. An example of how influencers use staged authenticity is through faking engagement. Many influencers are able to buy followers and fake the reach that their content gets. This may deceive not only the brands but also the consumers who follow this so-called “influencer” (Klishee, 2023). The problem is further shown by the fact that many viewers, especially younger audiences often lack the mauraity and knowledge to detect that they are being manipulated. As a result, they may perceive these influencers as genuinely popular or trustworthy, deepening the emotional connection and increasing the potential exploitation through sponsored content and unrealistic expectations.

Marketing and Emotional Intimacy:

One of the most significant shifts brought on by Instagram influencers is the combination of marketing and emotional connection. Traditional advertising normally keeps the product and the person separate, with the influencer notifying their audience that what they are showing and sharing is an advertisement. Influencers are now switching this up. They share their skincare routines, not in an ad break but within their morning rituals. An example of this is Ashton Hall. He shares his morning routine while simultaneously promoting the water brand Saratoga. This creates what is originally described as a “parasocial relationship” a one-sided intimacy where audiences feel personally connected to a media person. With influencers, this relationship is deepened by the appearance of everyday access. Followers see not just the polished product but the person behind it, complete with struggles and there different moods and thoughts. These influencers create an emotional connection with the viewer, deepening the trust that the viewer has in the influencer. The more consistent and emotionally connection the content is the stronger the bond becomes with the viewer. However, these moments of emotional sharing are often planned with algorithmic impact in mind. Influencers are aware of when to post and what there caption and headlines are going to be. Influencers also do a lot of trend research and optimise there videos to follow current trends to optimise their reach and engagement. As (Duffy, 2017) points out, influencers engage in aspirational labor, a type of emotional and aesthetic work designed to build their personal brand. The emotional content is real, but it’s also strategic. The result is a marketing system where consumers feel personally connected to the very people selling them the products.

Counter Arguments:

Some people argue that fake authenticity is not actially negative towards the viewer. All self presentation, whether online or offline, involves some degree of performance. From this view, influencers are simply adapting to the affordances of the platform while trying to connect with their audiences in meaningful ways. Additionally, many followers are aware that influencer content is staged to some extent. They don’t necessarily expect pure truth, they expect relatability. (SproutSocial, 2024), states that consumers overall look to engage with influencers who align with their personal values. The emotional resonance of a post can be genuine even if the photo is highly edited and fake and even if the video is manipulated in many ways. Through this, authenticity becomes less about the truth and more about emotional connection.  While these points are valid,and do show why fake authenticity isn’t negative, they don’t eliminate the manipulation going on within social media platforms, which encourage users to doubt themselves. The commercial interests behind influencer content shapes the type of authenticity that’s possible. And for young audiences, these blurred boundaries can have real effects on self-worth, trust, and identity development.

Influence on Audience:

The consequences of this redefined authenticity are especially significant for young audiences, who are still forming their identities and values. Influencers become role models not just in terms of lifestyle, but in how young people show themselves online. They model themselves in a way that is emotional towards the viewer also presenting themselves in a way that is relatable and shows that they are there for the viewer. This has many implications for how the viewer views their own content and self presentation. Through this, viewers feel pressured to imitate the influencer’s lifestyle and do what that influencer does. This is because the influencer may appeal to the viewer as a role model. This emotional attachment may stay with the viewer over a long period of time. Thus, it may cause the viewer to act differently or act not as themselves, as they strive to mimic the influencers behaviour and live a life like them. Young people doing this can lead to increased anxiety inevitably resulting in that young person feeling depressed and bad about themselves when they can’t live up to that influencers expectations. As spoken earlier, we are living in a brand culture where even authenticity is manipulated. How emotional intimacy has become monetised audiences may struggle to distinguish between a sincere connection and manipulation. This leads viewers to fall into the trap of spending money on things that are not necessary for their lives simply because their favourite influencer has promoted them. Influencers have become amazing at manipulating followers into purchasing products they may not need, using the emotional attatchment that they have created with the viewer. Over time, this can contribute to unrealistic expectations and have a massive effect on the persons lifestyles as they rely on this influencer for happiness. This is particulary occurring within young people. (Marciano, 2024) states that social media can have many negative effects on young people especially in terms of social comparison. Young people comparing themselves to these influencers who are in the top 1% of what they do and even faking it, Creates a sense of worthlessness within this young person. This effects their character development leading to many different probelems as they get older including anxiety and depression as they are not living up to the expections set by these influencers who are doing this all for money.

Conclusion:

This conference paper has explored how Instagram influencers have reshaped the concept of authenticity by creating content that blurs the boundary between personal expression and commercial intent. Through a wide analysis of different influencers, including how they stage authenticity and emotionally drive marketing, it becomes clear that what appears genuine on the surface is often a carefully crafted and aimed at building trust and driving consumer engagement. While influencers may form deep emotional connection with their audience and viewers, these relationships are increasingly leveraged for profit, incorporating marketing within everyday routines and emotions.  Counter arguments suggest that not all fake and created authenticity is harmful, and that audiences can determine between real connection and strategic presentation. However, the commercial pressures of social media platforms encourage a form of acting and this intimate connection can have real consequences, especially for young viewers who are still creating their sense of self identity. How influencer’s are able to serve the role as both a relatable friend and a marketing figure often complicates the viewer’s ability to create a proper connection with the influencer, often leading to emotional manipulation and the viewer feeling quite vunrable wanting to follow in the influencer footsteps.  Ultimately, Instagram influencers have redefined authenticity as a branded experience, one that appears real and honest but is shaped by views, and making a quick dollar of there viewers. As social media continues to evolve, it is essential that we remain wary of the structures that reward performance over truth. We must teach our young audiences to reconigse the difference between a real emotional connection and one aimed at marketing Authenticity was once seen as a marker of truth, has now become and many influencers are capitalising on it.

References:

Crystal Abidin. (2016). “Aren’t These Just Young, Rich Women Doing Vain Things Online?”: Influencer Selfies as Subversive Frivolity. 

Klishee. (2023, September 9). The dark side of influencer marketing. https://klishee.medium.com/the-dark-side-of-influencer-marketing-a50ddfc658c8

Laura Marciano. (2024). Does social media use make us happy? A meta-analysis on social media and positive well-being outcomes. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666560324000367

Social Sprout. (2024). Influencer relationships (with consumers & brands) are evolving—what does that mean for marketers?

Erin Duffy. (2015). “Having it All” on Social Media: Entrepreneurial Femininity and Self-Branding Among Fashion Bloggers.