Factors That Undermine Authenticity on Social Media

Creepy, unnecessary, border line “digital black face” this is what the people are calling some of Meta’s newly created AI Instagram and Facebook profiles. This feels straight out of a Black Mirror episode, but somehow less creative and more cringey! Meta really said, “Let’s create a Black, queer mom of two… AND a truth-teller!” through an AI bot and thought we wouldn’t notice? Be serious. First of all, to begin with, organizations and brands are already struggling to connect with real audiences while battling spam bots, and then Meta decides to give us Liv, a “person” who checks all the diversity boxes but isn’t, you know… real. All this while having around 5% Black employees. The math isn’t mathing. Not surprisingly, people weren’t here for it. The backlash was swift, with folks calling out how performative and low-key deceptive these AI personas felt. The result? Meta hit pause on the whole thing and deleted all the accounts. Lesson learned: if you’re going to try inclusivity, maybe start with your workforce before handing it off to AI. Takeaways for brands and marketers: - Your audience knows when it’s real and when it’s a PR move. Respect their intelligence. - Authenticity > gimmicks. AI should support human connection, not replace it. - Representation starts from the inside. If your company doesn’t reflect the diversity you’re marketing, the trust won’t follow. AGAIN, let’s do better in 2025, y’all. If you’re going to “innovate,” make sure it’s intentional, not just interesting.

10 mistakes killing your online credibility (and how to fix them today) I’ve seen people build brilliant ideas, only to lose trust in seconds online. Credibility isn’t just what you say. It’s how you show up when no one’s watching. Don’t let these silent killers sabotage your digital presence: (and simple ways to turn them around) 1) Inconsistent messaging ↳ Confused brands don’t build trust. ↳ Audit your bios, links, and content themes. Align or refine. 2) Overpromising, underdelivering ↳ Hype fades fast when the results don’t follow. ↳ Say less. Prove more. Let your work close the loop. 3) Vanity metrics obsession ↳ Followers aren’t the same as influence. ↳ Focus on engagement quality, not quantity. 4) Poor visual presentation ↳ Sloppy design signals low effort—even if your ideas are gold. ↳ Use clean layouts, consistent fonts, and on-brand colors. 5) Generic, AI-sounding content ↳ No one connects with vague or soulless posts. ↳ Write like a human. Use real stories, real tone. 6) No clear value proposition ↳ If people can’t tell who you help or how—you lose them. ↳ Craft a crisp, audience-focused headline for your profiles. 7) Ignoring comments or DMs ↳ Silence sends a message: “I’m not here for connection.” ↳ Reply. Engage. Show up like you mean it. 8) Inconsistent posting ↳ Disappearing and reappearing erodes authority. ↳ Pick a cadence you can stick to. Consistency builds recall. 9) All self-promo, no service ↳ If every post sells, people stop listening. ↳ Share insights. Solve problems. Earn the right to pitch. 10) Avoiding your face or voice ↳ People trust people—not logos. ↳ Show up on video. Use your name. Be real and visible. Your credibility is a silent currency online. Protect it. Polish it. Prove it daily. You don’t need perfection. You need consistency, clarity, and care. Which fix are you starting with today? ♻️ Repost if you agree ➕ Follow Hava Maloku, DBA for more tips.

Unpopular opinion? Maybe. But it needs to be said. The amount of inauthenticity online right now is honestly disappointing. I work with law firms on their digital marketing strategies, and I’ve seen a growing trend, lawyers using AI tools like HenGen to create videos where it appears they’re speaking Spanish, Portuguese, or Polish. Except... they’re not. It’s AI-generated, and frankly, it's obvious. Now imagine this: A grieving family finds your site. They watch a video where “you” speak their native language with empathy and care. They call your office, heartbroken, hoping to speak to someone who understands them. Only to find out… you don’t speak their language. It wasn’t real. It was a marketing gimmick using AI. What does that say about your brand? More importantly, what does that say about your integrity? I also follow people here on LinkedIn, people I've admired for years, who now rely heavily on ghostwriters and AI to publish “deep thoughts" & "insights” that sound polished but don’t sound like them. Look, I’m not against AI. I use it. It’s powerful. It's evolving fast. But in a world that’s becoming increasingly artificial… what people are craving is the opposite. Authenticity. Integrity. Real stories, wins, losses, comebacks. The human behind the message. So use the tools. Embrace innovation. But don’t lose your voice. Don't lose your integrity and your character. Because at the end of the day, being a good human, in a world of AI, will always be your competitive edge.

You piss your people off when what you post on social media doesn't align with who you actually are. Social media is a powerful tool. It gives people a window into your company, your values, your mission, and what you stand for. But when the content you post only shows where you want to be and ignores where you actually are, it creates a disconnect. And this disconnect affects your people. The ones who live and work inside your business every day. Because they see the reality. They know the challenges and the progress being made. And when your posts don’t reflect that, it leads to dissonance. So how do you avoid this? It starts with balance. You have to be willing to share where you actually are. The good and the bad. Be transparent about where you are today while staying optimistic about where you’re headed. BUT transparency alone isn’t enough. Because if your internal culture doesn’t match the story you’re telling on social media, your words will fall flat. Yes, there’s a grace period as you work to align the two. But if you never take action, that grace runs out, and trust disappears. Social media is not just about projecting a perfect image. It’s about being authentic. And authenticity comes from the alignment between your words and your actions. So make sure they match. Because your reputation is on the line.

AI is great for scaling content, BUT it could also lead to losing loyal customers without the added human touch. Consumers could start viewing the content (and brand) as inauthentic. Consumers are becoming increasingly savvy, and they can often sense when content lacks a genuine human touch. This perception of inauthenticity can erode trust - the foundation of any strong brand-consumer relationship. AI-generated content may miss nuances in brand voice. A lack of context can lead to disconnected messaging. Over reliance on AI might signal a lack of investment in quality. The stakes are high. Just as consumers have abandoned brands after acquisitions changed their essence, they may turn away from those whose voices become mechanical and impersonal. Trust is hard-won but easily lost. As we embrace AI, let's not forget the irreplaceable value of authentic human connection and the ever present need for a human touch with AI. #BrandAuthenticity #DigitalMarketing #ConsumerTrust