Author's Note

As a long-time social media user, I have personally observed how platforms such as Instagram and TikTok have changed how people interact, communicate, represent themselves, and build connections in the virtual world. Since Instagram and TikTok have entered my life, I have been especially fascinated by the culture of influencers and how individuals convey their personal lives to appear relatable and authentic. The motivation to study social media in my academic work also surfaced when I was asked to research TikTok trends and influencer behavior, which exposed me to the business side of content creation. My evaluation of the role of influencers in trends, communication with the followers, and development of engagement helped me understand that online relationships are frequently well-organized. This experience made me more critical about the emotional aspects of influencing and being influenced. It eventually has brought me to consider parasocial relationships, authenticity, and emotional attachment in lifestyle fitness influencer culture, to gain a better insight into how influencers and followers co-construct relationships and meaning through their daily social media interactions. I would like to apply this knowledge to my future role as an influencer marketer.