Influencer Authenticity & Why We Should Aim for It

When Influence Became an Industry?

You’d be kidding yourself to think the influencer economy dates from the first social media footprint. Since ancient Greek, people have mastered persuasion, and debated its power. Sometimes as art, or as a dangerous tool. 
 

Today, we don’t just study it, we buy it, sell it, and engineer it. Social media has turned it into a commodity, measured in likes, followers, and brand deals. Authenticity? Well, that is the currency, but often the illusion. The gold standard of influence, authenticity, makes voices persuasive and authority believable. But let’s not fool ourselves. In the age of  social media, authenticity has become a marketing tool: overused, diluted, and sadly often staged. 
 

The old saying “be true to yourself, it’s your only advantage,” has fueled an entire industry where authenticity isn’t personal anymore. It’s strategic, packed and sold to the highest bidder.

What’s Influencer Authenticity?

Influencer authenticity is measured by the trust and credibility an audience has towards an influencer. It mostly refers to how much of the influencer’s digital footprint is aligned with its real-life values, beliefs, and actual behavior.

Being authentic means at its core being real, both online and offline. It aims to form a genuine emotional attachment with your followers based on trust. And you can build authenticity in social media through the believability of the content you produce and how it aligns with your audience's values.

The rise of influencer marketing

It all started with the word-of-mouth strategy: some people talk and others listen. You can probably recollect a moment when one of your friends or family members recommended a particular product because they used it and had others test it, too. This strategy existed prior to the media and social media. A recommendation has always been the most powerful marketing tool. 

Now, influencers are the new and improved word of mouth, amplifying messages at scale. 

With the rise of technology, that strategy headed online, demonstrating itself as being more quicker and efficient, while reaching far more people and convincing them to buy. And the study below shows it very clearly..

The brand as people or people as brands dilemma
 

Just like brands, influencers are now seen as brands themselves. However, if companies sell products, well, influencers sell trust and credibility through their content. And that trust is only built through authenticity. And if you think authenticity it’s accidental, it’s not. More than often it’s a strategic move. Influencers carefully build and refine their online personas, amplifying specific aspects of their own personality that resonate and connect with their audiences while filtering out the noise.

And yes, hard to believe, but they use media kits just like companies use pitch decks to position themselves as the perfect partner for the right brands.

Why Is Influencer Authenticity Important?

Being true to oneself is important and healthy in all aspects of life, but for influencers and any public figure, it is also a matter of ethics. With the power to influence comes the moral responsibility to:

• Support brands that align with their values and personality.
• Be clear about sponsorship deals and brand partnerships.
• Assume responsibility for the influence over young and easy impressionable audiences.
• Taking into account the political and social impact of their messages.

Authenticity derives from all of the above. It is the asset that makes brand-influencer relationships feel natural. If a partnership feels forced, the audience will sense it, and the influencer risks losing trust and credibility. And once lost, it’s quite painfully hard to regain it.

Who’s Really in Charge of Authenticity in Social Media?

Are you a blogger, influencer, or content creator? Regardless of the preferred title you go by, Instagrammer, Pinner, YouTuber or something else, we see and appreciate the hard work you put into creating content that tickles the emotional buds of many of us.

For marketers, brand representatives, talent managers, and trend forecasters, we recognize the effort you put into deciphering and shaping this digital landscape as you navigate it yourself.

Altogether, you fuel the rise of this digital phenomenon as:

• Individuals who want to be seen as persuasive online.
• Advertising shifts their budgets to social media, where personality-driven content sells products more effectively than traditional ads.
• Social media platforms are shaping the entire industry through their tools and policies by either empowering or restricting these movements,
• Talent and marketing agencies develop influence metrics, negotiate brand deals, and promote “authentic” self-expression, often hand in hand with corporate sponsorship.

Factors that can affect an influencer’s authenticity

The digital support we receive as advice, recommendations, or life experiences, filled with either struggles or excitement from the people we faithfully “follow” online, raises a question: is this support coming from a place of authenticity or branded authenticity? 

When almost every post is a paid partnership, your audience might start questioning your drive and authenticity. You can be one of the best influencers, but if your feed feels like a never-ending advertisement, you can wave goodbye to credibility.

As a follower, you can spot inauthenticity from a thousand likes away. And in 2025, this crucial metric will define collaborations. The lack of authenticity will make trust and loyalty fade fast. Here is how:

When profits overcome principles – If your priority is financial gain rather than genuine recommendations, your audience will lose trust. How many times did you stumble across an influencer promoting shady health products without proper vetting? 

Not having a clear identity – When an influencer doesn’t have a defined personal brand and frequently shifts their positioning, it confuses their audience. A beauty influencer suddenly promoting investment schemes should be a red flag.

Misaligned endorsement – Promoting products or services that contradict influencer’s values only leads to questioning its authenticity. A sustainability advocate that is promoting a fast-fashion brand is totally a credibility killer.

The Rise of De-Influencing: Authenticity or Just Another Trend?

In 2024, the de-influencing movement took off, and by 2025, we expect to become bigger. Influencers in their hunt for authenticity and genuine connection are openly NOT recommending certain products or services that simply don’t align with their values. 

So, an influencer who dares to say “Don’t buy this” is winning trust, and followers. 

What we witness is a shift from mindless promotion to a more mindful recommendation. 

Remember the viral TikTok trend where beauty influencers exposed overpriced skincare products that deliver drugstore results? How about fitness influencers who rejected fad diets that promise the impossible? This level of honesty strengthens their credibility while boosting their engagement.

But let’s not get fooled! Some influencers see de-influencing as an easy way to boost their following. Because controversy always sells. 

How can you spot inauthenticity?

Overnight fame syndrome – An account that had 10 followers yesterday and now over 10,000? That’s a red flag. We’re all familiar with get-10k-followers-in-a-week services. Authentic influence isn’t bought, it’s built.

The ghost town audience – A large audience with barely any engagement? That’s like a packed stadium where nobody cheers. Likes, comments, and shares are the real indicators of influence. A mental health influencer with 300k followers with an average of 80 likes per post? Hmm, something just doesn’t add up.

How to Maintain and Grow Authenticity

If your content feels scripted or overly polished, you can bet your engagement will drop. You need to find the perfect blend between professional branding and genuine storytelling. Once you get that right, authenticity stays strong, turning your opinions into a sales-driving force.

Here’s how you can preserve and cater to your authenticity:

Trust: Are you honest with your audience? Do you share genuine content that aligns with your values? Are you open about personal experiences that might inspire them? Do you walk the talk? Being authentic in your storytelling gets people to trust you, and trust drives engagement.

The more real you are, the more people interact with your content, leading to more shares, influence, and eventually conversion.

Transparency: To be trustworthy you need to establish true connections with both your audience and the brand you are partnering with. Being transparent about the sponsored nature of a particular post and business relationship with a particular brand builds trust with no negative effects.

Loyalty: Do you jump from one brand to another like a ping-pong ball? Well that’s a lack of loyalty towards brands and your audience as well. Trends come and go, but credibility is permanent. A recommendation that leads to a great first purchase brings followers who will buy again and also spread the word. They’re the ones who create trends, not the other way around.

Avoid perfection: Sharing personal experiences that are real, ideally not airbrushed illusions, shows your audiences and potential followers that you as well value originality, and realness, and are not afraid of imperfections.

Engagement(from your end): Actively interacting with your audience through comments, shares, and likes proves your community isn’t all about numbers. It’s about relationships and connections.

Pick brands that you believe in: Don’t sell out. Work only with brands whose values align with yours. Your passion for your niche should be evident, and the desire to know more about it should never stop.

What Makes an Influencer Truly Believable? 

Recent research makes it very clear that: 

“ Influencers with a higher follower count reach a greater audience, but their followers are less likely to engage with their content.” 

On the other hand, a micro-influencer attracts a more targeted audience, and  brands can choose the right influencer with a following that perfectly matches the target audience for a specific product.

More interesting facts from the study above:

• Micro-influencers win on trust because they are more relatable. Their followers see them as real people, not untouchable celebrities.
• Realness is a performance, a well-thought-out and designed package. Influencers tend to amplify certain traits that resonate with their followers because relatability is key.
• Authenticity vs. marketability. It seems that brands and influencers are speaking the same language, but when authenticity becomes a business model, does it still mean anything?

This study only scratches the surface of the art of believable authenticity. We live in a world where trust equals influence, and that’s the game to win. 

The four levels of influence and who wins on authenticity:

1. Mega-Influencers with +1M followers are usually celebrities, athletes and other social media giants. Yes, they have a huge reach, but do people actually trust them? Their endorsements feel like ads, because that’s exactly what they are.
2. Macro-influencers with followers between 100k and 1M. They work as full-time influencers, and they’ve built their career on social media. This reliance on brand deals can make them feel less genuine. When influence becomes a full-time job, authenticity is harder to maintain.
3. Meso-influencers are those whose followers count range from 50k to 100k. They are big enough to matter but small enough to still engage. Brands actually love them because they combine reach with credibility
4. Micro-influencers have between 5k and 50k followers. They’re the hidden gems, and what they’re truly valued for is trust. Their audiences actually engage, because they still feel like real people. They respond, interact, and even build relationships. And in the game of influence, trust beats size, every time.

How is Influencer Authenticity Measured?

Is engagement rate a better metric for authenticity? Or maybe it’s the only metric?

Both brands and influencers alike have been obsessed over follower count over the years. On paper, things looked clear: more followers meant more success. But that’s no longer the case anymore simply because:

• Fake followers lead to fake influence. You can buy followers, but bots won’t buy products, leave reviews, or spread the word. 
• A big following may look good, but it’s nothing without engagement. If your large number of followers don’t engage, they’re worthless. Likes, comments, and shares show real interest.

Why engagement is the (only) true authenticity metric:

Real influence drives actions– You might have a small engaged audience, but it is far more valuable than a massive, absent one. A 5,000-follower account with a 20% engagement rate will sell much more than a 50,000-follower account with just 1% engagement. It’s pure math, and it all ties back to authenticity.

The algorithm will always favor engagement– No matter the platform you’re active on, it will always reward content that sparks interaction. High engagement boosts visibility, putting your content in front of more people. And sometimes even more effectively than paid ads.

Engagement equals trust– When people take their time to interact with your content, it signals credibility. You don’t have an audience that only watches. You have one who also listens, believes, and acts. 

So, build your strategy on engagement data. No matter if you’re a brand or influencer, if you track interactions, and not only numbers, you’ll know what resonates, what converts, and what to create next. 

Other metrics that signal authenticity:

• Comment quality - Are most of the comments repetitive or generic? Well that’s a red flag. Real engagement means followers ask for questions, share their personal opinions and naturally interact with each other and the influencer’s post.
• Audience demographics - If their followers don’t align with your brand’s target market, reach is nothing.
• Content consistency - Does the influencer have a unique voice, a recognizable visual, and a storytelling that runs deeper than brand deals?
• Follower growth patterns - Is their growth steady and organic? Or can you spot sudden spikes with no clear reasoning, like viral content or collaborations?
• Consistency across platforms - Genuine influencers have a steady presence across multiple platforms(Instagram, TikTok, FaceBook, YouTube, etc.) with consistent content style. 

In 2025, trust drives influence, and engagement is the only metric that truly matters. No matter how many people see you, but rather how many people care. 

Brands should also measure credibility by:

• Reviewing past collaborations - Get insights into an influencer’s authenticity and professionalism. 
• Overviewing transparency in partnerships - Being authentic involves openly disclosing sponsored content and staying transparent about collaborations.
• Asking themselves: Do they fit our values? - Authenticity is often more about fit than numbers. Does their voice and image align with your brand and your niche?

The 2025 Authenticity Battle: Human VS Virtual Influencers

Do people still trust humans more than digital creations? Thankfully, yes, as this research shows that: 

• Virtual influencers can’t replicate human trust. Human influencers are and feel real, due to their real lives, interests and struggles. And that creates a bond with their audience. As Imma, a virtual influencer, had her first Ted talk, people couldn’t help but ask: “When are we going to have a Ted event where a human is speaking to a 100% AI audience?” 
• Virtual influencers are far too perfect. And that’s problematic. They don’t age, get sick, or start controversy. From the point of a brand, that level of control might seem ideal. But consumers see right through it. When a virtual influencer promotes certain products or routines, everyone knows their experience isn't real. Take Aitana Lopez's weekly gym routine, an AI influencer gym routine. So, does it mean anything?
• When partnering with a virtual influencer, a brand loses credibility. And for a good reason: we simply can’t see virtual influencers capable of forming opinions. Not even Lu do Magalu and her 7.7M followers
• Humans sell with emotion. When virtual influencers use emotional language, it backfires because we expect machines to be logical, not passionate. Take Lil Miquela(21 Robot living in LA) for example trying to figure out agin

So, in terms of authenticity, they still struggle with credibility, and human influencers remain the stronger bet. As the new saying goes, it takes a digital village to raise an influencer. But in this digital village, only the authentic ones genuinely lead.