Exploring Trust Between Parent Influencers and Parent Audiences on Social Media
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Date
2024-09
Authors
Osei-Essah, Janice
Journal Title
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Publisher
Mount Saint Vincent University
Abstract
A trend within the current digital landscape is the rise of social media influencers— individuals who have cultivated significant followings by sharing various forms of content. Among these influencers, parenting influencers have gained notable footing, focusing on discussing topics relevant to parents in the form of parenting advice and support. Influencers achieve this through a blend of sharing and parenting, which describes how parent influencers utilize social media to disclose aspects of their daily lives and parenting experiences while educating their audience. Based on Sztompka’s (1999) framework of trustworthiness, this study explores how parenting influencers establish, maintain and convey trustworthiness on social media platforms with their audiences. Using a digital netnography approach as method and Instagram as platform, the findings of this qualitative study were grouped according to themes related to three dimensions of the framework of trustworthiness. That is, performance (education and credentials; commitment and consistency), reputation (peer -to-peer cross promotion; testimonials) and appearance (relatability and authenticity). Future research can explore trust- building strategies from both the influencer and audience perspectives and across diverse influencer types and platforms to address existing gaps and further enrich the understanding of trust in social media contexts.