013 - The Booms and Busts of Online Authenticity | Part I: The Past
From carefree to cringe to carefully curated shitposts, what it means to be 'authentic' online just keeps on evolving, doesn't it? Today, we reflect on where it’s been, next week where it’s heading.
Nothing slaps on Socials quite like a good old dose of authenticity, does it?
Sure, we all indulge in scrolling unattainable celebrities’ lifestyles, zoom in on Insta-baddies with figures and faces augmented for a following, and religiously keep up with our favourite flavour of influencer (I’m more of a Camille Charriere than a Saffron Barker girl myself)...
…but you can bet vulnerable lapses in a gawjus feed, videos of military parents coming home or a life milestone such as a wedding will get more double taps and “❤️❤️❤️” then any perfectly edited, captioned and posed post could.
I mean, it makes sense. As humans, we innately connect (thus tap) with authentic content which hosts human nature.
However, because authentic content performs algorithmically (thus co-opted for marketing) and human nature is increasingly being actioned online (double taps, metaverse, etc), how online authenticity shows up has and is changing before our eyes.
So, while we're at this point of not being fully offline but also not trying to host my next birthday party in the metaverse, I thought now would be a good time to look at online authenticity. How has it evolved and where could the internet's most gripping trait be heading?
Let’s begin this journey from Valencia* to VTuber, shall we?
(*I know, “What about MySpace and Facebook!?!”. Well, I don’t clearly recall what was going on those platforms, but if you're a 80s baby that’s keen to make a prequel to this newsletter, I’d be just as keen to read it.)
2012: Genuine Authenticity = Boom
It's 2012, Olympic buzz is filling the English air, Frank Ocean has just released Channel Orange, algorithms have yet to hit platforms, heck, you barely know the word - life’s good. Good enough to share.
In the early days of social media, pre-influence, genuine and authentic was the only option. We mirrored life’s joys online for our friends and family to see (basically BeReal without the triggering notification), and with no standards of what “good content" is - everyone was sharing.
3 feed posts* of your #cute #cat shared within 30 minutes? “Is that Peanutbutter?!” *double tap*
Your first attempt at nail art with the Tennessee filter on top? 9 likes, the same number as your follower count
Murdering Editing a perfectly good iPhone 10 photo of the New York Skyline? Your top performing post till 2015.
Every single confectionery you ate that year? #Get #It #On #The #Gram #So #We #Can #All #Enjoy #It
(*stories and carousels were exclusive to libraries and fairgrounds back in 2012)
This could be my favourite era of social media.
Sure, the content was a little shitty as us average Joes were learning what image contrast was, but the approach was immaculate - no one cared. Seriously, no one cared at all. There was no anxiety about what others thought, no aesthetic to keep up with, no caring how many likes your post got - but 11 likes did always feel special. In this environment, unlike now, all my besties posted stupid shit. It was joyful and actually enriched our connection because the posting was so authentic. Back then, double tapping felt like a hug rather than a form of approval.
2014: Authentic to Influence = Bust
Do you remember the first time you followed someone you didn’t know? I do. Jane, Jane MacFarlane or as I first knew her, @expendablelimbs.
She was a London girly with quirky internet informed edits and a Tumblr aesthetic, what's not to like? Follow. Oh, wait, actually Unfollow
In 2014, following someone with under 500 followers you didn’t know was #weird and #creepy, so I didn’t*. The social media social cues had begun.
Unlike most, I was micro-influenced before I was macro-influenced. But, it’s safe to say that celebrities like Kim Kardashian, bloggers like The Blonde Salad (Chiara Ferragni) and meme lords like The Fat Jewish (pretty certain that’s his real name) were the first wave of palpable and press worthy influence
And didn’t this first wave of influencers p-o-s-t!? Quality memes, perfect poses, inspired outfits and dream holidays, we lapped it up. Moreover, we copied them. I mean, why wouldn’t we? You or me can be just as funny, fit and/or fabulous as they are? Plus, we have iPhones too, the ultimate leveler. Surely us muggles can achieve the same engagement as these influencers, right?
Naturally, marketeers clocked all this muggle mimicry of influencers and transferred this to purchases by having influencers post #promotional and #ad content. Initially, brands used influencers to sell products, but influencers made brands to sell their own products (meta) - and we’ve been social-first shopping ever since.
Since influence became an income, people tapped in for the cash and brands (with their KPIs and guidelines) dictated how influencers should post, which made their posts pretty inauthentic. So much so, this influence lost its influence, or as The Atlantic put it in 2019 “The look made famous by the platform just doesn’t resonate anymore”.
The saddest result of this influencer era is that it stopped my friends from posting. Not to pine for 2012 again, but social media etiquette went from silly and carefree to refined, face tuned and only for flexing.
Influencers made a new standard which put social pressure on posting (Will this get enough likes? #anxiety), created a new peer to peer insult ("lol are you trying to be an influencer?") and resulted in a feeling of "cringe" ("Ick, why share my life like them?") for others. This turned many of my besties into exclusively social listeners.
2018: “Relatable” = Boom
Fortunately, shitty social media performance from archetype influencer posts, #yawn, ushered in a new era of online authenticity - relatability. Yes, by 2018 we were done with the constant flexes and fakery and ready for some “real” content.
Youtuber, Emma Chamberlain, is the poster girl of “relatable” content. By vlogging her stream of consciousness, vulnerable feelings and mundane parts of her life, viewers related to her like a friend - something we didn’t do with influencers before her.
Emma hit performance gold. Not only was her authentic content the priority of the algorithms at the time, but if there is anything I’ve learnt about algorithmic performance from being a social media pRoFeSsIoNaL all these years, it is this
Cute pets will always perform well
Cute kids will always perform well
And anything relatable will always perform well.
Yep, deep deep down we all love cute stuff and want connection or validation - and the latter is what Emma did so well. Think about it, why do you think horoscopes always perform? You’re “seen”, you’re “validated” and it is “specific” to you - the content has layers of “relatability” making for saves or shares. Just yesterday I was sent this yesterday by my bestie.
I’m hoping you’ve noticed all the “ ” I’ve popped around on a few words. No, I’m not going all Virgil Abloh on you, more of a Dr Evil vibe.
What you may not know is that it took Emma a few attempts at going big on Youtube. She made her first Youtube Channel at 10 years old and strategically blew up her now infamous channel with a high volume of posts many of which responded to trends. Once she discovered her relatable approach performed, she optimised for this rendering following content “relatable” rather than relatable - i.e. she didn't post to actually relate, but related for performance. Which brings us back to what I opened this article with, authenticity has been co-opted for performance and continues to be.
Phew, that should keep you quiet for a week!
Next Thursday, we’ll continue our thoughts on online authenticity addressing how it manifests today, what’s to come and how brands can navigate all the inevitable changes to our scrolls and social interactions. Subscribe to be first to see it 🔥
Till then, we’d love to know your thoughts in the comments below or on our Instagram
What was/is your favourite era of posting?
Have your social media behaviours changed - if so why?
When was social media the most authentic?
Keep it “real” Misfits x
Words: Emily Chapps
Good analysis of the dynamics. This is quality work.