Is Anyone Showing Up Authentically Online Anymore?

Probably not. But here’s how to change that.

It’s impossible to not have an account on more than one social media platform these days. From Instagram to TikTok, Facebook to Twitter, we’re showing up online more than ever. Not to mention, the number of accounts we all hold, including personal accounts, business accounts, private accounts, and fake accounts (aka finstas). In fact, the average number of social media accounts is 8.4 per person. With that many accounts, can anyone say they’re showing up 100% authentically on all — or even, some — of their channels?

Recently, I gave a talk at VidCon on this very topic and when I put this question to the audience, only a few people raised their hand. And that’s on par with what we’re seeing on a broader scale: One survey found that roughly 77% of social media-using teens agree people are less authentic and real on social media than they are offline. And that makes sense. From the pressure to have perfectly curated feeds, filters, and highlight reels, we’ve been programmed to only show one side of ourselves. And we can all feel the inauthenticity, even if we’re guilty of it too.

As a result, it’s not hard to see why engagement is dropping drastically. On Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube, average engagement has plummeted by as much as 66% since 2020. And that’s in part because we’re hitting the unfollow button a lot more. In a Consumer Content report, 70% of respondents indicated that they have stopped interacting with a brand or individual on social media after feeling that their content was inauthentic.

Odds are, you’ve witnessed this in your own social media habits. Ask yourself: Are you unfollowing or muting accounts more than you used to? Why? If everyone is no longer buying into the illusion of curated, filtered feeds, how do we get back to a place of true authenticity online? First, it’s about recognizing what led us here. The top three authenticity killers:

• Perfection
• Desperation
• Fear

In order to get out of this spiral of feeling like we have to show up perfectly online, we need to stop being afraid to be our true, authentic selves, reveal our moral principles, and get back to embracing vulnerability (remember the early days of Instagram when posting wasn’t measured in likes but as an escape from the pressure of curated Facebook albums?). If you think about it, we’ve always been searching for spaces to be more vulnerable online, but over time, that impulse gives way to the aesthetics of the platform that robs us of that very freedom. It’s why Instagram supplanted Facebook and now why TikTok is on the way to doing the same. Or how rising French social media platform BeReal is on a continued quest for authenticity promoting the unfiltered feed. BeReal sends users a notification at random times each day asking them to snap a photo and send it to their friends. Users only have two minutes to respond. The app recently reached the top of the free download charts on iOS.

We crave a space where we can show up flawed, real, honest.

So, how do we achieve authenticity personally and professionally on social? As the VP of Social Strategy at Known, my philosophy is this: Authenticity is the superpower every person and brand must harness if they want to succeed online. It’s the gateway to more growth, higher engagement, and better connection to your community. It’s also not all that complicated to achieve if you focus on the right things:

• It means being… Unapologetically you. Be loyal to who you are and listen to your gut.
• It means… Letting go of judgment and having fun along the way. Never lose sight of having fun/joy and ignore the comments and doubts.
• It means… Stay true to the definition of the word ‘Authentic’: “true to one’s own personality, spirit, or character.”

If you think about it, we’ve always been searching for spaces to be more vulnerable online, but over time, that impulse gives way to the aesthetics of the platform that robs us of that very freedom.

Just look at how TikTok fosters authenticity. They’ve been able to curate a culture of authenticity by eliminating barriers to entry for creation, virality, and success. And when people show up as their true selves, it yields deeper emotional connection. It’s no wonder then that TikTok has rapidly grown to more than one billion monthly active users, surpassing Twitter, Telegram, Reddit, and Pinterest. Engagement soars when authenticity is up.

Known worked with TikTok to create the “It Starts on TikTok” campaign to tap into this power of honesty and vulnerability. Since launching, the campaign hashtag #ItStartsOnTikTok has seen 8.5B views on the platform. This resonated with so many people for the exact reason you’d expect: We leaned into authenticity as the primary core value. And it’s a strategy any brand can replicate:

• Tap into human emotion to create a feeling.
• Highlight real people to be exactly who they are.
• Keep it simple. Don’t overcomplicate authenticity. The simpler, the better.

In the end, all we’re really looking for is others we can relate to. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to show up as you truly are and create that connection — that’s where the magic happens.

Read more: Known’s VP, Culture + Experience, Cheria Young talks being in the business of humans