Web of Lies: Drivers and Consequences of Social Media (In)Authenticity

Developing an authentic social media presence leads to more opportunities for meaningful self-expression through interactions with a firm’s social media content. This paper is the first to identify the key drivers of authenticity in social media. To do so, two studies are conducted, one qualitative and one quantitative. The results offer evidence that social media authenticity is influenced by corporate social responsibility, fit, sales orientation, content quality and complaint management. Further, the findings indicate that social media authenticity has a mediating influence on consumer outcomes.