PR AGENCY DIARIES: HOW TO BE A GOOD INFLUENCE(R)

With 4.6 billion people globally using social media every day, it’s tempting to get sucked into the whirlpool of attention-hungry selfie-snappers. But in order to generate cut-through that connects you with your audience, it’s more important than ever to be genuine and real on social media.

The concept of “authenticity” has been bandied about endlessly as social media use has mushroomed year-on-year over the last decade. It’s used so frequently in influencer-speak that it has almost lost its meaning. “Being my authentic self” has become the catch-cry of content creators the world over - thrown around so commonly that we’re almost immune to this (sometimes disingenuous) declaration.

So what does being authentic really mean, and why does it matter?

Authenticity is not just about being sincere, real and honest. It’s about being consistent, dependable, and acting with integrity, in a way that reflects your values. Authentic people are true to themselves and do not morph to fit with the shifting sands of trending opinions and behaviour (this is however, not the same as being able to acknowledge and own mistakes; admit when you’re wrong and change your behaviour to reflect this).

And it matters, because despite the continual banging of the authenticity drum, social media is becoming LESS real. Fake news abounds. Spon-con is harder to identify. Influencer posts are becoming more posed, edited, filtered, marketed and targeted. Apps that change your entire body and face shape are available by the rented Louis Vuitton Carryall-full.

Constantly having to question whether what you’re seeing in your feed has been staged, tuned, borrowed, faked or photoshopped, is giving humankind major trust issues. WHAT EVEN IS REAL LIFE ANYMORE?

Cool cool, you might be thinking, but I’m not suddenly gonna start posting photos of myself with three chins and half my dinner slopped down my front - and that’s definitely not what we’re advocating here.

Look – we love to see your chilli marg/flawless mirror selfie/hanging out on a pool float or your disembodied hand thrusting a real fruit soft serve out against a blue summer sky as much as the next person. Just Not. Every. Single. Post.

Take a look through the most recent pics in your feed. Ask yourself; what were my main motivations in posting these? If the answer is more often than not - gaining a bunch of likes and a hit of dopamine (and maybe a touch of envy from your followers), it might be time for a re-group.

Curating your social media to suggest your life is peachy might get you likes, but it won’t make anyone feel particularly connected to you. Being real and vulnerable about your life and its ups and downs is really what will give you common ground with your community.

So – what’s the 411 on all this? How do you really become more authentic on social media?

At Undertow, we love a list, so let’s kick off with that - write down a set of core personal values. These could include altruism, courage, gratitude, well-being, living sustainably, creativity – anything that sparks your joy. Or write a mission statement for yourself.  Just as a business hangs its mandate on the wall, set your intentions and a purpose for yourself – and by extension of that, your social media platform - into one or two sentences. 

Be a meerkat, not a mere sheep

If you’re serious about forging genuine connections with people on social media, you’ll need to chill on the selfies and roll up your sleeves to find your target audience (you’re dreaming if you think you can fake it with the Zoomers), and make your presence and following as real as possible. Using your core values as a guide, project that through your content. Only then will you stand out - over and above the crowd.

Cheers Dr Phil, how so?

Create and share content that best embodies your true persona and purpose. Don’t fall into the trap of posting for the sake of it just because you haven’t shared a sunset in a while, or want to contribute to the eggs benne boneyard. Stay true to who you are, and don’t keep shifting directions with the wind to match others.

You don’t have to have an opinion on everything…and if you do – make sure it is informed

If there’s a conversation of the moment or a buzzworthy hot topic that everyone from Elon Musk to Chrissy Teigen is brain farting about on Instagram Live, you don’t have to jump on that bandwagon. Unless it’s something you are truly passionate about, educated or an authority on, connected with and have something useful to contribute – keep a dignified silence and let everyone else talk themselves out. Underestimate the intelligence of your audience at your own risk - people can sniff out an agenda, an untruth or an embellishment quicker than Greta Thunberg can own a giant man-baby misogynist. Posting uninformed content is a recipe for disaster (expect to be boiled, sauteed, pan-fried and steamed by your followers).

What about just a li’l FaceTune?

Minimize use of filters and stay away from apps that alter your appearance. We’re not saying you can’t touch up the bags under your eyes if you’ve had no sleep and they’re looking more Countdown than Chanel. But if you’re not being real about what you look like IRL, how are people meant to trust anything else you are putting out there? We’ll forgive Boomers for still loving a Snapchat filter, but airbrushing every pore off your face/giving yourself Avatar-cheekbones/cropping your waistline to Barbie-proportions is not it (Kardashians, we see the bathroom tiles behind you warping every time, OK?).

Why am I doing this again?

Because it’s a vibe. Above all, being around - or following - authentic people simply makes you feel good and warms your heart’s cockles. Authenticity makes others feel safe in your space, because there’s no need to second-guess anything genuine souls are putting out there; you don’t have to wonder if you should actually be picking up what they’re putting down.

As truth-telling Queen Maya Angelou once said; “At the end of the day, people won't remember what you said or did; they will remember how you made them feel.”

This doesn’t mean you have to forcibly fill everyone’s feeds with GOOD VIBES ONLY GUYSSSS toxic positivity all day every day . Post what makes you vibe, or post about why your vibes are off – it doesn’t matter. As long as it’s coming from a real place, and not motivated by how you think others will perceive it - you can guarantee it will authentically connect with your clan.

People who are truly connected to you will stick with you on your journey, because they feel you are supporting them on theirs. And that, friends and followers, is what happens when social media is used for good. We love to see it.

Now what?

Being a self-aware, thoughtful personality with a strong content and communication style will put you head and shoulders above the like-hungry, selfie circulators yearning for others’ approval to stay relevant. Be you, not some invented version of yourself you think people will like more. It’s easy for followers and brands to pick up on the BS circulating on social media – there’s a lot of it!

If you’re already living your realest life with a following who loves you for it, get in touch to find out about the brands we work with – and how you could potentially work with them too.