A Proposed Model of Self-Perceived Authenticity of Social Media Influencers

It is rather contradictory that there a high demand for authenticity in today’s virtual space, where some platforms encourage the proliferation of idealized images, products digital alteration. Previous studies have examined how social media users perceive and credibility new celebrities—influencers—and impacts on advertising outcomes. Authenticity communication has been defined many ways, but most definitions include factors such as sincerity, trustworthiness, accuracy, originality, spontaneity. Prior research computer-mediated emphasized importance three levels authenticity, source, message, interaction. How influencers (SMIs) their own an understudied topic. SMIs are simultaneously perceived by audiences celebrities, experts, consumers. Expanding one goals. Being authentic at beginning one’s SMI career content creator might be simple, it becomes much more challenging after audience grown significantly. Sponsorship can pose challenge to SMI’s authenticity. The present study aims explore role plays develop theoretical framework understanding self-perceived SMIs. For this purpose, in-depth interviews were conducted with both national international (<em>N = </em>20). Sincerity, expertise, uniqueness, commitment values, mediated realness, visibility, style, spontaneity, transparent creative brand endorsement, followers, frequency interaction components proposed model.