Title: AN APPROACH TO SUSTAINABLE INFLUENCER GROWTH: AUTHENTIC DELIVERY, SIMPLE PROFILES, AND CROSS-PLATFORM CONTENT DISTRIBUTION
Author:
Yevhen Velychko
Abstract:
Sustainable influencer growth is increasingly constrained by trust, platform governance, and the economics of attention. Creators who rely on short-lived tactics can achieve rapid reach but often experience volatile engagement, audience fatigue, and brand-fit problems. This article proposes and tests, at a small empirical level, an integrated approach to sustainable growth built on three levers: (1) authentic delivery that protects perceived credibility under commercial pressure; (2) simple, consistent profiles that reduce cognitive friction and strengthen identification; and (3) cross-platform content distribution that treats each platform as a distinct audience context while maintaining identity consistency. The empirical component is a structured content analysis of 20 peer-reviewed studies (2008–2025) spanning influencer credibility, disclosures, parasocial relationships, opinion leadership, and diffusion dynamics. Each study was coded for whether it provides empirical support for the three levers, which outcomes it links to them (e.g., trust, engagement, intention, electronic word of mouth), and what boundary conditions are reported. The coded synthesis indicates strong convergence: authenticity and credibility mechanisms are repeatedly associated with trust-related outcomes; simplified, consistent identity cues align with identification and attachment mechanisms; and distribution scale and diffusion patterns show that reach is systematically shaped by network structure and platform context. The paper closes by translating these findings into a practical, research-grounded workflow for creators who post across TikTok-style feeds, Reels, and Shorts, emphasizing sustainable routines over optimization “hacks.”
Keywords: Influencer growth; authenticity; profile simplicity; cross-platform distribution; short-form video; disclosure; trust; sustainability.
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