Amateur-looking content makes influencers seem more relatable and authentic

Evidence

The aesthetic of calibrated amateurism has a leveling effect because Influencers appear less constructed, less filtered, more spontaneous, and more real, thus fostering feelings of relatability and authenticity. — Crystal Abidin, Internet Celebrity, 270

Categorization

• DEFINE: Clarifies the mechanics by which calibrated amateurism produces its relatability effect.
• XREF: connects to: In influencer culture authenticity gets redefined as total publicity rather than lack of artifice. — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update: Celebrity, Publicity,…, 613; Influencer content is shifting from pristine to amateur aesthetics — Crystal Abidin, Internet Celebrity: Understanding Fame…, 267; Influencer authenticity is an arms race where breakdown videos become brand content — Naomi Klein, Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror…, 206 (+4 more)

Broader Connections

• Influencer content is shifting from pristine to amateur aesthetics #corroborates (0.95) — Crystal Abidin, Internet Celebrity, 267
• Influencer authenticity is an arms race where breakdown videos become brand content #expands (0.75) — Naomi Klein, Doppelganger, 206
• Self-branding demands maintaining an edited yet authentic self before an audience #qualifies (0.72) — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 507