Authenticity online: brands that are winning on social

In today’s increasingly (if not wholly) digital-first world, social media is carving a space for itself as the key platform where brands and audiences interact together. This, combined with the all-time high demand for authenticity online pioneered by Gen Z users, means we’re seeing the concept progressively creep into digital strategies.

Of course, this isn’t entirely surprising – in a world of fake news and AI-generated content, users value genuine interactions above all else. So, brands that stick to their values, embody transparency, and form personal connections with their followers are likely to succeed.

Why authenticity on social media matters

Traditional advertising has gained a lot of scepticism among consumers who are becoming more and more skilled at seeing through insincerity. That’s why prioritising authenticity online as part of your brand strategy and cementing the image of your business as transparent and relatable, is not just an ethical approach, but also a winning one.

According to Global Web Index, authenticity was the second-most desired attribute of a brand in 2024, with it only losing out to reliability. Interestingly, Gen Z respondents valued it the least, with 46.1% claiming they want brands to be authentic. The Silent Generation demands it the most (63.2%), followed by Baby Boomers (56.6%).

Authenticity on social media is built on three key pillars. First up, by discussing both wins and hurdles with your followers, you demonstrate transparency. You also want to make sure your digital messaging is cohesive, and in line with your overall brand identity, projecting a sense of consistency to your audiences. And last, but by no means least, taking part in conversations online will make your company more relatable to users.

Examples of brand authenticity on social media

Recently, we’ve come across various examples from companies of all sizes nailing brand authenticity on social media. Here, we rounded up a few:

Surreal Cereal

The Surreal team are doing some great work showcasing authenticity online. Through a mix of humour and outside-the-box marketing, Surreal has taken social media by storm – piercing the depths of business-minded LinkedIn – with a flurry of tongue-in-cheek posts playing off classic ad formats and marketing tropes.

The fresh, bold approach has won over the hearts of followers, who are hooked by amusing wordplay and enticed to participate through interactive posts. All of this resonates with younger audiences and cements Surreal as a brand that’s both authentic and relatable.

Beyond Meat

Another social media winner from the food and drink industry, Beyond Meat, has extracted the authenticity intrinsic to the company’s values (as a sustainability and animal welfare champion) and translated it to Threads with a memorable take on the unhinged marketing trend.

What makes this approach so successful – beyond the bare bones of a good joke – is that instead of focusing social media output on product sales, the team behind Beyond Meat are forming connections with the most prolific among social media users. The seemingly irrelevant but often relatable posts also serve the purpose of putting the brand at the forefront of consumers’ minds and creating a positive association through authenticity.

Currys

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you would have come across the ‘When Gen-Z Write The Marketing Script’ trend. But did you know that Currys, a UK tech retailer, created one of the original posts which made the trend go viral?

This incredibly successful move is a great example of brand authenticity on social media and part of the brand’s strategy to connect with audiences through jokey employee-led content. As well as giving a legacy brand a human face, the humorous and relatable content demonstrates that Currys understands its audience and helps the brand connect with younger generations.

GoPro

Staying in the world of technology, another brand that does authenticity online really well is GoPro. The company’s social media team have truly leaned into their product which just begs to be utilised for user-generated content.

In addition to propelling the brand hashtag #GoPro beyond the company’s profile and making it a tagline for action sports enthusiasts across the globe, GoPro has nurtured a thriving community on Instagram through its visually engaging “Photo of the Day” series and various competitions.

Zoom

Our pandemic lord and saviour, Zoom, has embraced the traction of lockdown and developed its following through the power of authenticity on social media. Leading the brand’s digital strategy is an emphasis on social listening and transparency.

The Zoom team actively encourages open communication within their online community, which not only builds human connections but also enables the tech company to continuously troubleshoot and improve its product.

Zoom also isn’t sleeping on other ways to engage with the community; whether that’s the brand’s wildly popular Virtual Background Contest campaign designed to encourage user-generated content, or relatable TikTok videos poking fun at online meeting gaffes.

How to embrace authenticity online?

Brand authenticity on social media is no longer a nice bonus – it’s a must-have if you want to form meaningful relationships with your audiences and create customers for life.  A few simple steps to get you started include:

Understand your audience: Having a clear idea of who your followers are will allow you to effectively connect with them, tailoring your messaging around their everyday experiences and pain points.

Join in with discussions: Giving your brand a relatable voice isn’t just about what you post; it’s also about taking part in the conversation taking place online by responding to comments, and taking a transparent approach to addressing any issues customers are having with your product or service.

Show the people behind the brand: Employee-led content is gaining traction alongside the already popular user-generated content (UCG). Featuring both company team members and customers will give your brand a human face, making the business more relatable to the average social media user.

Laugh it off: Not everything has to be a joke, but being able to show your brand’s vulnerable side in a light-hearted way will build trust with your online community. Openly talking about the challenges your company faces will also go a long way towards highlighting your authenticity online.

Authenticity and EEAT

If we take a step back from social media, we can see some interesting similarities between what it takes to be authentic and how to conform to Google’s EEAT principles.

Joining in with discussions online, for example, goes a very long way towards proving your brand’s experience and expertise as well as building authority within your industry.

Build authenticity on social media with Liberty

Remaining true to your values and showcasing brand authenticity on social media will help put you ahead of competitors amid constantly evolving algorithms and oversaturated markets where the battle for attention is vicious.

Here at Liberty, we have a social media team of expert storytellers who can build a digital presence for your company where authenticity takes centre stage, through a blend of humour, transparency, and genuine connections.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help.