Student Influencers on Social Media: Negotiating Authenticity and Student Transitions

• In Event: Factors and Experiences Shaping College Student Success

Abstract

Student transitions into, through and out of higher education are a complex process, reflected in a need to negotiate new social connections, spatial environments and academic challenges. Existing research has drawn attention to the ways in which student transitions are increasingly digitally mediated. This project engages with a unique group of students who define themselves as social media influencers. The paper draws on content analysis of social media posts and 13 follow-up interviews with student influencers from a variety of platforms (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, the Little Red Book). The findings show how student influencers navigate the monetisation of their content, while maintaining a self-reflexive standpoint in terms of authenticity and what it means to be a successful student.

Author

• Rille Raaper, Durham University