Marketing

Yiling Shi

Authenticity in Communication: How Fashion Influencers Use Textual and Visual Strategies to Build Trust on Instagram

A close-up studio portrait of a young woman with a clear complexion and long, straight black hair parted centrally. She has dark eyes, full lips, and a subtle natural blush on her cheeks. Her neutral expression is directed at the viewer, and she wears a black collared shirt against a soft, light grey backdrop.

My name is Yiling Shi, a fourth-year Professional Communication student at Toronto Metropolitan University. I’m particularly interested in how communication works across different contexts, with a focus on social media and interpersonal communication.

Through my studies, I have developed a strong appreciation for authentic, audience-centered communication. I enjoy creating messages that are both strategic and relatable, and aim to build meaningful connections and communicate ideas effectively through the skills I’ve developed.

Many social media accounts achieve success through strategic communication. However, “authenticity” is often misunderstood as simply being oneself, as if success can be achieved without intention or strategy.

As a group that frequently succeeds through perceived authenticity, fashion influencers have gained increasing followings and commercial value through the widespread use of social media. Their success is closely connected to communication theory—although this connection may not be immediately obvious, it is valuable to understand and learn from.

This study analyzes these hidden theories to provide insights for those who aspire to become influencers or who are interested in learning communication skills. Beyond personal interest, it also aims to highlight the close relationship between communication and success on social media.

Lightning Talk

Browse More Marketing Research

More Projects

A close-up portrait of a smiling woman with warm tan skin, dark brown eyes, and long, glossy dark curly hair flowing over her shoulders. She has a small gold nose ring and wears a black square-neck top with a delicate gold chain necklace featuring two interlocking heart charms. Her smile shows white teeth, and the background is softly blurred.

Nanaki Rai de Haan

The Digital Shadow: How Digital Footprints Shape Young Adults Lives and Self-Perception
A detailed portrait of a smiling young East Asian woman looking directly at the camera. She has long, dark, wavy hair parted down the middle, brown eyes highlighted with winged eyeliner and mascara, neatly shaped eyebrows, glowing skin with blush, and glossy pink lips. She is wearing large gold hoop earrings and a textured black crewneck sweater. The background is softly blurred with muted indoor tones.

Nawang Garzey

How Does Social Media Influence Young People’s Values, Beliefs, and Sense of Identity?
A 'No Image Available' placeholder image with a bold, black serif capital 'S' centrally located. The background is an off-white, overlaid with three blurred abstract shapes: a light blue rectangle in the top center, a yellow circle in the bottom left, and a burgundy triangle in the bottom right. The text 'No Image Available' is displayed in black sans-serif font at the bottom of the image, all enclosed within a thin black border.

Shaza Sakr

How exposure to idealized lifestyle and appearance content on social media influences stress and negative self-perception among adolescents?
Scroll to Top