Earlier this year, I made a TikTok about Lydia Millen which divided opinion. While some people said they adored her, others accused her of cosplaying. Her past was discussed in the comments and by the latter group, she was deemed to be inauthentic. The ultimate insult to a creator as, in the world of influencer marketing, isn’t authenticity what we’re all seeking?
It shouldn’t be. Judging creators based on whether they’re “authentic” or not is setting ourselves up for failure. Not just because everyone on social media is turning in a performance of some kind, but because the concept of authenticity is entirely subjective. For some, it is tied up with ideas about class and wealth. For others, it’s a “warts and all” approach to storytelling. “Relatability” and “authenticity” are used interchangeably. My perception of authenticity is different to yours, and so on.
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For example, a friend and I were discussing the comedy creators, The Famileigh. “You just know they’re like that in real life,” she said. However, a comment on one of their videos read: “If these people were dancing in my street, I’d call the police.” In the fragmented world of social media, one person’s authentic delight is another’s abject horror.
The more valuable green flag for influencer marketers is consistency as this demonstrates a creator has understood what their audience wants and is delivering and developing based on this. Consistency is what develops community. Take Zoe Sugg’s content – her story is updated but barely changes. She is habitual and tends to reference the same brands repeatedly. Her audience wants to catch up with the girl they started watching a decade ago, and that’s what she gives them. Always – and that takes skill. There is so much more to being a creator than just showing up and being yourself.
It’s this consistency – this reliability – that has given her longevity. Even on maternity leave, she has posted weekly Carousels. Her audience knows where they stand and what to expect. Is the person we see on social the “real” authentic Sugg? Perhaps it’s some version of her but who cares? We shouldn’t need our creators to bear their souls.
Shifting from the tyranny of authenticity to the practicality of consistency would allow all of us to breathe a sigh of relief. Where authenticity is subjective, consistency is evident. It’s trackable, visible and puts the audience – rather than personal opinions on the realness of creators – at the centre of conversations. It also clears the way for more exciting discussions about charisma, vision and spark.
I say all of this because to continually reference authenticity as the key to good influencer marketing is to never allow the industry to progress. It’s the get out of jail card for people who don’t understand creator media and increasingly intolerable for those who have built the sector. It’s diminishing and inaccurate.
Consistency and creativity are directional and achievable. Authenticity is an endless grey area. It’s time to move on.
By Sara McCorquodale, CEO and founder of CORQ.
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