Реторика и комуникация в обществото, медиите и бизнеса

Rhetoric and Communication in Society, Media and Business

 DOI 10.55206/TBUF5494

Lyubomira Spasova

Trakia University

E-mail: lyubomira.spasova@trakia-uni.bg

 

Abstract: This study examines influencer communication as a form of digital rhetoric, focusing on the role of authenticity and trust as mechanisms of persua­sion in social media environments. A corpus of 120 influencer posts published on TikTok and Instagram was analysed to explore the relationship between perceived authenticity, trust, and user engagement, measured through likes, comments, and shares. It is hypothesized that elevated levels of perceived authenticity and trust in influencer communication are positively associated with increased audience engagement. Furthermore, it is posited that rhetorical strategies highlighting per­sonal experience, transparency, and an informal communicative style serve as effective persuasive mechanisms within the digital environment. The study em­ploys a mixed-methods approach combining multimodal and discourse analysis with quantitative content-based measures, including correlation analysis and one-way ANOVA. The results indicate statistically significant differences in engage­ment levels across posts with varying degrees of perceived authenticity and trust, with trust demonstrating a stronger association with engagement than authenticity alone. The qualitative analysis further reveals that authenticity in influencer communication is strategically constructed through personal disclo­sure, informal communicative style, and visual naturalness rather than functioning as an inherent attribute. These findings contribute to digital rhetoric and com­mu­nica­tion studies by conceptualizing authenticity and trust as contemporary mani­festations of ethos in influencer-mediated communication.

Keywords: influencer communication; digital rhetoric; authenticity; trust; ethos; multimodality; social media engagement; TikTok; Instagram.

 

Introduction

The development of social media and digital platforms over the past decades has led to significant transformations in public, media, and advertising communication. In this context, influencers have emerged as a specific type of communicative actors who combine the characteristics of media personalities, opinion leaders, and intermediaries between brands and audiences. [1], [2] In­fluencer communication increasingly functions as a form of persuasion in which influence is achieved not through explicit argumentation, but through the construction of trust, identification, and a sense of authenticity.

The relevance of this research problem is determined by the growing role of trust as a key resource in digital communication. Under conditions of informa­tion overload and heightened audience sensitivity to manipulative and overtly commercial messages, influencers employ rhetorical strategies that imitate in­formality, immediacy, and personal disclosure. [3], [4] These strategies can be interpreted as a contemporary projection of the classical rhetorical concept of ethos, in which trust in the speaker occupies a central position in the per­suasiveness of the message. [5] The scholarly significance of the study arises from the need to analyse influencer communication not only as a marketing in­stru­ment, but also as a rhetorical and discursive process. Although existing litera­ture frequently examines indicators such as engagement, purchase intention, and perceived credibility [6], [7], comparatively less attention has been paid to the mechanisms through which authenticity and trust are constructed through spe­cific linguistic, visual, and multimodal resources. This gap opens up the possi­bility of interpreting influencer communication as a form of digital rhetoric in which persuasion is realized through the combined use of verbal and visual means. [8]

The present study focuses on the analysis of the rhetoric of authenticity and trust in influencer communication on the social media platforms TikTok and Instagram. It aims to reveal how specific discursive and multimodal strategies contribute to the construction of an image of credibility and relational closeness that supports audience engagement. To achieve this goal, the study formulates the following research objectives: (1) to provide a theoretical review of the con­cepts of persuasive rhetoric, authenticity, and trust in the context of digital com­munication [9], [10]; (2) to identify the main rhetorical and multimodal strategies employed in influencer content [11]; (3) to analyse the relationship between markers of authenticity and trust and behavioural indicators of engagement [12]; and (4) to interpret the findings within the broader framework of international research on influencer communication. [13]

The study is based on the hypothesis that higher levels of perceived authenticity and trust in influencer communication are associated with higher levels of audience engagement. It is assumed that rhetorical strategies em­pha­sizing personal experience, transparency, and an informal communicative style function as effective mechanisms of persuasion in the digital environment.

Theoretical Framework

Rhetoric of Persuasion and Ethos in Digital Communication

The rhetoric of persuasion has traditionally been based on the interaction between ethos, pathos, and logos, with ethos – understood as trust in the speaker – occupying a central position in achieving persuasiveness. In classical rhetorical theory, most notably articulated by Aristotle, ethos is associated with the moral character, competence, and goodwill of the speaker, which predispose the audi­ence to accept the message. [14] In the context of digital communication, how­ever, this concept undergoes a significant transformation, as the image of the speaker is constructed not through direct, face-to-face interaction, but through technologically mediated, multimodal, and often asynchronous communicative practices.

Digital Rhetoric, Rhetoric in Digital Environments, and Virtual Rhetoric

Scholarly research on online communication reveals considerable termino­logical diversity in describing rhetorical practices in digital contexts, which necessitates a clear distinction between several closely related but non-identical concepts. Rhetoric in digital environments refers to the application of classical rhetorical principles and strategies within online platforms and social media, where the digital environment primarily functions as a channel for message dis­semination.

Digital rhetoric, by contrast, denotes an interdisciplinary field that exa­mines forms of persuasion, influence, and argumentation that emerge in and through digital technologies. It takes into account specific characteristics such as multimodality, algorithmic visibility, interactivity, and the active participation of audiences in the construction of meaning. In this sense, digital rhetoric is not merely “rhetoric online”, but a qualitatively new type of rhetorical practice shaped by the logic of digital culture and platform-based communication. Virtual rhetoric is associated with communication in virtual and simulated environments and emphasizes the role of mediated spaces in shaping publicity and interaction. Within Bulgarian scholarly tradition, this concept has been extensively de­veloped by Ivanka Mavrodieva, who conceptualizes virtual communication as a specific form of public practice with institutional, civic, and political dimensions. [15], [16] It is important to note that the works of Gunther Kress and Theo van Leeuwen do not provide an explicit definition of digital rhetoric. Their contribu­tion is primarily theoretical and methodological, linked to the development of multimodal discourse theory and social semiotics. This includes analyses of visual design, diagrams, data visualization, and the concept of modality as a socially constructed category of credibility. [17], [18] While these frameworks do not define digital rhetoric per se, they offer essential analytical tools for its study.

Digital Culture and Influencer Communication: Working Definitions

Within the scope of this study, digital culture is understood as a constella­tion of communicative practices, norms, and values formed under conditions of networked, platform-based media communication, in which meaning is produced through the interaction of verbal, visual, and technological resources. Influencer communication is defined as a purposeful and publicly visible communicative practice on social media platforms, through which individual actors construct trust, identification, and influence by means of combined discursive and multi­modal strategies. In this context, influencers function as specific rhetorical sub­jects whose persuasive power relies less on institutional legitimacy and more on perceived proximity and authenticity.

Authenticity, Trust, and Multimodality

Contemporary research indicates that influencer communication is charac­terized by the extensive use of parasocial strategies that create an illusion of immediacy, dialogicity, and personal connection. Authenticity has emerged as a central analytical category and is increasingly conceptualized not as a given or inherent quality, but as a rhetorical and communicative construct produced through specific linguistic, visual, and behavioural resources. Informal commu­ni­cative style, personal narratives, the display of “imperfection”, and visual naturalness are among the most frequently identified markers of perceived authenticity. Trust functions as a mediator between these communicative stra­tegies and the behavioral responses of audiences and can be defined as an ex­pec­ta­tion of reliability, competence, and benevolence on the part of the com­municator. [19] Empirical studies demonstrate that perceived credibility of influencers has a direct impact on audience engagement, attitudes, and intentions to act. [20]

The multimodal nature of influencer communication is of particular relevance for its analysis. Multimodal discourse theory, developed by Kress and van Leeuwen, conceptualizes meaning as the result of interaction among multiple semiotic resources, including language, image, gesture, and visual composition. [21] In social media environments, visual elements do not merely illustrate verbal messages but actively participate in the construction of authenticity and trust through bodily presence, facial expression, and visual proximity. In summary, existing literature on influencer communication has been dominated by mar­keting and psychological approaches, while rhetorical and discourse-oriented analyses remain comparatively underdeveloped. The present study positions itself within this scholarly gap by interpreting authenticity and trust not as sec­ondary effects, but as central rhetorical mechanisms of persuasion, realized through discursive and multimodal practices in digital environments.

Research Design and Methods

Based on the reviewed theoretical approaches and the findings of previous empirical studies, the present research formulates a set of hypotheses concerning the role of authenticity and trust as rhetorical mechanisms of persuasion in in­fluencer communication.

H0: Perceived authenticity and trust in influencer communication do not have a statistically significant effect on audience behavioural engagement on social media.

H1: Higher levels of perceived authenticity in influencer communication are associated with higher levels of audience engagement (likes, comments, and shares).

H2: Higher levels of perceived trust in the influencer are associated with higher levels of audience engagement, regardless of the platform type.

H3: Trust functions as a mediator between perceived authenticity and audience engagement, amplifying the persuasive effect of influencer content.

H4: Influencer content that employs multimodal strategies for constructing authenticity (a combination of verbal and visual markers) generates higher levels of engagement compared to content dominated by a single mode.

The formulated hypotheses require a combined analytical approach that integrates qualitative discourse and multimodal analysis with quantitative mea­sure­ment of engagement indicators. In this way, authenticity and trust are ope­rationalized as rhetorical and communicative constructs whose effects can be examined both interpretatively and statistically.

The study applies a mixed-methods research design that combines quali­tative multimodal and discourse analysis with quantitative analysis of be­havioural engagement indicators. Such an interdisciplinary approach is widely used in contemporary research on digital and media communication, as it allows for an in-depth examination of communicative strategies alongside empirical assessment of their impact on audiences. [22], [23]

Empirical Corpus

The empirical corpus consists of N = 120 influencer posts published by 12 influencers (6 on TikTok and 6 on Instagram) over a six-month period. The sample was selected purposively and includes profiles from two thematically related niches – Lifestyle and Beauty – which allows for comparative analysis while avoiding excessive thematic heterogeneity. The units of analysis are individual posts rather than audiences or influencers as individual subjects; therefore, no survey or questionnaire methods are employed. Audience impact is examined indirectly through observable engagement indicators, such as likes, comments, and shares, in line with established practices in influencer com­mu­ni­cation research. [24], [25]

 

Qualitative Analysis

The qualitative component of the study is grounded in the principles of multimodal analysis, which conceptualizes meaning as the result of interaction among multiple semiotic resources, including language, image, bodily presence, and visual composition. [26] The analysis focuses on verbal markers such as personal narratives, evaluative expressions, and direct address to the audience, as well as visual characteristics including facial expression, bodily visibility, and visual “imperfections”, which previous studies have identified as key resources for constructing perceived authenticity. [27], [28] In parallel, discourse analysis is employed to examine how influencers construct images of credibility, proximi­ty, and legitimacy through audience positioning and the use of implicit argumen­tative strategies. [29]

Operationalization and Quantitative Analysis

The main analytical categories – authenticity and trust – are operationalized through a coding scheme developed on the basis of existing scholarly literature. Authenticity is conceptualized as perceived sincerity and consistency between the presented self-image and communicative practices, while trust is defined as an expectation of reliability, competence, and benevolence on the part of the com­municator. [30], [31]

Each post is coded according to predefined indicators, allowing for the construction of composite indices of authenticity and trust, which form the basis for quantitative analysis. Behavioural engagement is measured using an engage­ment rate calculated from the number of likes, comments, and shares, normalized by the number of followers of the respective profile. Descriptive statistics and correlation analysis are applied to examine relationships between authenticity, trust, and engagement. [32], [33] Quantitative analysis is used to test the proposed hypotheses without making claims of causal relationships.

Methodological Limitations

The methodological limitations of the study are related to the exclusive use of publicly available content and the interpretative nature of some of the applied analytical methods. Nevertheless, the combined research design enables a nu­anced and in-depth understanding of how authenticity and trust function as rhetorical mechanisms of persuasion in influencer communication. [34], [35]

Results

The results of the study are based on the analysis of N = 120 influencer posts from the social media platforms TikTok and Instagram and allow for the identification of stable relationships between perceived authenticity, trust, and audience behavioral engagement. The analysis shows that the rhetorical strate­gies through which influencers construct images of authenticity and credibility are statistically associated with engagement levels, with the strength of these relationships varying depending on the platform context.

The analysis of the perceived authenticity index reveals a clear distinction between posts with low, medium, and high levels of authenticity. For the pur­poses of the study, perceived authenticity was measured using a seven-point Likert scale, where a value of 1 indicates minimal agreement with the presence of authenticity markers and a value of 7 indicates maximum agreement. The assessments were conducted at the level of individual posts based on a previously developed coding scheme and were aggregated into a composite index, which was subsequently used to classify posts into three categories: low, medium, and high perceived authenticity.

Posts with high levels of perceived authenticity are characterized by more frequent use of personal disclosure, an informal and conversational commu­nicative style, visual naturalness, and transparency regarding commercial intent. These characteristics correspond to the strategies described in the literature as forms of so-called calculated authenticity, in which the perception of spontaneity and relational closeness is the result of deliberate communicative practice. [36], [37] Posts classified as having high perceived authenticity register significantly higher engagement rates compared to posts with low levels of authenticity, where clearly recognizable promotional content predominates. The data presented in Table 1 show the mean values (M) of the engagement rate calculated for each of the three authenticity categories based on the analysed corpus.

 

Table 1. Mean engagement rates by level of perceived authenticity

Level of authenticity	M (%)	SD
Low	1.84	0.13
Medium	3.27	0.14
High	5.96	0.34

The data in Table 1 indicate that posts with high perceived authenticity achieve more than a threefold higher engagement rate compared to posts with low authenticity. A similar pattern has been reported in previous empirical stud­ies, which demonstrate that perceived credibility and the “humanized” image of the influencer exert a stronger influence on audience engagement than struc­tural indicators such as follower count or posting frequency. [38] Furthermore, re­search by Audrezet et al. (2018) suggests that authenticity functions as a mediating factor that reduces the perceived commerciality of the message and enhances its persuasive effectiveness. [39]

Results Related to the Trust Index

The results related to the perceived trust index reveal an even clearer and more stable relationship with audience behavioral engagement. For the purposes of the analysis, perceived trust was measured using a seven-point Likert scale, where a value of 1 indicates minimal agreement with the presence of trust markers and a value of 7 indicates maximal agreement. The obtained scores were aggregated at the level of individual posts and grouped into three categories – low, medium, and high trust – allowing for a comparative analysis of the relation­ship between trust and engagement indicators.

Posts exhibiting stable markers of trust – such as message consistency, demonstrations of competence, transparency, and direct audience address – re­gister higher levels of comment activity and more frequent sharing. These find­ings are consistent with the organizational trust model proposed by Mayer et al. (1995), which conceptualizes trust as a mechanism for reducing uncertainty in social interaction, as well as with the results reported by Lou and Yuan (2019), who empirically demonstrate the role of trust as a mediator between influencers’ communicative strategies and audience responses. [40], [41] The data presented in Table 2 show the mean values (M) of the engagement rate calculated for each of the three levels of perceived trust based on the analyzed corpus. A clear increase in engagement is observed for posts with high levels of perceived trust, which empirically supports the hypothesis regarding the central role of trust as a persuasive mechanism in influencer communication.

Table 2. Mean engagement rates by level of perceived trust

Level of trust	M (%)	SD
Low	1.84	0.16
Medium	3.27	0.12
High	5.96	0.49

Comparative analysis between the platforms TikTok and Instagram reveals platform-specific differences in how the relationship between trust and engage­ment is realized. On TikTok, higher levels of engagement are associated with content characterized by spontaneity, bodily visibility, and direct interaction with the audience. On Instagram, by contrast, more consistent engagement outcomes are linked to visual coherence, curated aesthetics, and more moderated forms of public self-disclosure. These differences correspond to the observations of Khamis et al. (2017), who argue that influencers adapt their rhetorical and communicative strategies to the norms and expectations of specific platforms. [42] In a broader scholarly context, the results align with trends identified in existing empirical research on influencer communication, which consistently highlights trust and authenticity as among the most stable predictors of engagement. The present analysis contributes to this line of research by interpreting these relationships through a rhetorical lens and conceptualizing them as mechanisms of persuasion realized through discursive and multimodal practices.

Correlation and Variance Analysis

The correlation analysis reveals statistically significant positive relation­ships between the perceived authenticity index, the perceived trust index, and the engagement rate. A moderate correlation is observed between authenticity and engagement (r = 0.48, p < 0.01), as well as a stronger correlation between trust and engagement (r = 0.62, p < 0.01). In addition, a positive correlation is iden­tified between the authenticity index and the trust index (r = 0.55, p < 0.01), in­dicating that perceived authenticity is statistically associated with the construc­tion of trust, without the two variables fully overlapping. Similar patterns have been reported in previous empirical studies, which identify trust as a mediator between influencers’ communicative strategies and audience responses. [43]

Table 3. Correlations between key variables (Pearson’s r)

Variables	Authenticity	Trust	Engagement
Authenticity	1.00	0.55**	0.48**
Trust	0.55**	1.00	0.62**
Engagement	0.48**	0.62**	1.00

Note: ** p < 0.01.

To examine whether differences in engagement rates among posts with low, medium, and high levels of perceived authenticity are statistically significant, a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted, taking platform context (TikTok / Instagram) into account. The results indicate a statistically significant effect of perceived authenticity on engagement (F _(2,117) = 14.62, p < 0.001). Post-hoc analysis using Tukey’s HSD test reveals that differences between all three groups are statistically significant, with posts characterized by high perceived authenticity exhibiting the highest engagement rates.

Table 4. One-way ANOVA results for engagement by level of perceived authenticity

 

Source of variation	df	F	p
Between groups	2	14.62	< 0.001
Within groups	117	–	–

A comparable one-way ANOVA conducted for levels of perceived trust demonstrates an even stronger statistical effect on engagement (F _(4,238) = 21.34, p < 0.001). Posts with high levels of perceived trust register significantly higher engagement rates compared to posts with low and medium trust. The analysis indicates an integrated influence of platform context, trust levels, and content characteristics on engagement.

Table 5. One-way ANOVA results for engagement by level of perceived trust

Source of variation	df	F	p
Between groups	4	21.34	< 0.001
Within groups	238	–	–

The obtained results should be interpreted as evidence of structured associations between the rhetorical characteristics of influencer communication and audience engagement, rather than as proof of causal relationships. In this sense, statistically significant differences in engagement across varying levels of perceived authenticity and trust support the understanding that rhetorical stra­tegies associated with the construction of ethos in digital environments function as factors that increase the likelihood of engagement without determining it un­equivocally. [44], [45] These findings are consistent with the empirical observa­tions of De Veirman et al. (2017), who argue that perceived credibility of in­fluencers exerts a stronger influence on audience responses than structural characteristics such as follower count or posting frequency. [46] Similar conclu­sions are drawn by Lou and Yuan (2019), who identify trust as a key mediator between influencers’ communicative strategies and audience behavioural re­sponses. [47]

From the perspective of qualitative analysis, the ANOVA results cor­respond to the observed discursive and multimodal patterns in which personal disclosure, informal communicative style, and visual naturalness function as resources for constructing authenticity and trust. These strategies are described in the literature as forms of calculated authenticity, through which influencers manage impres­sions of proximity and sincerity without abandoning the commer­cial character of communication. [48], [49] In summary, comparison between the effects of authenticity and trust indicates that trust has a stronger differentiating impact on engagement effectiveness. This finding aligns with the classical model proposed by Mayer et al. (1995), according to which trust reduces perceived uncertainty and facilitates decision-making. [50] In the context of influencer communication, this suggests that authenticity acquires persuasive power pri­mari­ly when supported by stable markers of trust, a conclusion that is also consistent with contemporary empirical research. [51], [52] At a broader theo­retical level, these results support the interpretation of influencer commu­nication as a form of digital rhetoric, in which persuasiveness is realized through the interaction of discursive practices, visual strategies, and social expectations. [53], [54]

Discussion of the Research Findings

The interpretation of the quantitative and qualitative results in relation to the formulated research hypotheses demonstrates a high degree of consistency between theoretical expectations and empirical observations. The analysis makes it possible to discuss the roles and relative weight of authenticity and trust as rhetorical mechanisms of persuasion in influencer communication. With regard to Hypothesis H1, which assumes that higher levels of perceived authenticity are associated with higher levels of audience engagement, both the correlation analysis and the one-way ANOVA provide empirical support. The statistically significant differences observed between posts with low, medium, and high levels of perceived authenticity, as well as the moderate positive correlation be­tween the authenticity index and engagement rate, are consistent with the find­ings of De Veirman et al. (2017) and Audrezet et al. (2018), who emphasize the importance of perceived authenticity for positive audience responses. [55], [56] Hypothesis H2, which posits that trust has a stronger relationship with engage­ment, receives even clearer empirical support. The stronger correlation between the trust index and engagement, together with the higher statistical effect of trust observed in the ANOVA results, points to the central role of trust as a mechanism of persuasion. These findings are in line with the classical model proposed by Mayer et al. (1995), as well as with contemporary empirical research by Lou and Yuan (2019), who conceptualize trust as a mediator between commu­nicative strate­gies and audience behavioral responses. [57], [58] Hypothesis H3, con­cern­ing the mediating function of trust between authenticity and engagement, finds indirect support through the identified correlational relationships. The positive association between authenticity and trust indices, combined with the stronger influence of trust on engagement, suggests that authenticity acquires persuasive force primarily when supported by perceived credibility. This con­clusion extends the empirical observations of Lou and Yuan (2019) and calls for a more refined conceptualization of the interaction between these two categories. [59] With regard to Hypothesis H4, qualitative analysis of discursive and multi­modal strategies provides an additional interpretative framework. Posts in which verbal markers of personal disclosure and conversational style are combined with visual naturalness and bodily visibility demonstrate higher levels of engagement. This observation is consistent with multimodal discourse theory [60] and with the studies of Marwick (2015) and Abidin (2016), which describe authenticity in social media as a strategically constructed rather than spontaneous phenomenon. [61], [62]

From a qualitative perspective, the findings confirm the understanding of authenticity as a rhetorical and communicative construct realized through spe­cific discursive and visual practices. The observed markers – personal disclosure, informal style, visual imperfection, and transparency regarding commercial intent – correspond to the concept of calculated authenticity formulated by Marwick (2015) [63] and further developed by Abidin (2016). [64]

Comparative analysis of authenticity and trust indicates that trust exerts a stronger and more effective influence on engagement than authenticity considered as an independent category. Posts with moderate levels of authenticity but high levels of perceived trust often achieve higher engagement than content characterized by high authenticity but low credibility. This result is consistent with the model proposed by Mayer et al. (1995), according to which trust func­tions as a mechanism for reducing uncertainty, as well as with broader empirical research on influencer communication. [65], [66]

Platform-specific differences between TikTok and Instagram further high­light the contextual nature of rhetorical influence. While engagement on TikTok is associated with spontaneity, bodily visibility, and direct interaction with audi­ences, more sustained engagement on Instagram is linked to visual consistency and a curated form of authenticity. These differences support the argument advanced by Khamis et al. (2017) that influencers adapt their rhetorical and communicative strategies to the norms and expectations of particular platforms. [67] In a broader scholarly context, the findings contribute to existing literature by interpreting authenticity and trust not merely as psychological or marketing constructs, but as rhetorical mechanisms of persuasion realized through dis­cursive and multimodal practices. In this way, influencer communication can be understood as a form of digital rhetoric in which ethos emerges as a dynamic and context-dependent category.

The study also has certain limitations related to the exclusive use of pub­licly available content and the interpretative nature of some analytical methods. Nevertheless, the combined quantitative and qualitative approach provides a solid foundation for future research, which may incorporate experimental de­signs, longitudinal analyses, or comparative cultural perspectives. In conclusion, the discussion demonstrates that authenticity and trust function as interconnected yet analytically distinguishable rhetorical mechanisms that shape the effective­ness of influencer communication in digital environments.

Conclusion

The present study examines influencer communication as a specific form of digital rhetoric in which authenticity and trust function as key mechanisms of persuasion. By applying a combined quantitative and qualitative approach based on content analysis, the study demonstrates that perceived authenticity and trust are not merely descriptive features of influencer practices, but structuring factors that are systematically associated with audience behavioural engagement. Analy­sis of the corpus of N = 120 influencer posts shows that content charac­terized by higher levels of perceived authenticity and trust achieves significantly higher levels of engagement.

The conducted correlation and variance analyses indicate that trust has a stronger and more stable effect on engagement than authenticity considered as an independent category. This finding supports the understanding of trust as a central mediating mechanism in influencer communication and highlights its role in reducing perceived uncertainty in digital environments. The qualitative multi­modal and discourse analysis complements the quantitative results by demon­strating that authenticity should not be understood as a spontaneous or “natural” quality, but rather as a rhetorical and communicative construct realized through specific verbal and visual strategies. In this sense, the study confirms that in­fluencer authenticity is the result of deliberate management of public self-presen­ta­tion and adaptation to platform-specific norms and expectations.

On a theoretical level, the study contributes to existing literature by conceptualizing authenticity and trust as contemporary manifestations of ethos in digital environments and by integrating these concepts within the framework of rhetorical theory. In doing so, it extends the predominantly marketing- and psy­chology-oriented focus of prior research and proposes a rhetorical perspective for the analysis of influencer communication.

From a methodological standpoint, the study demonstrates the applicability of content-based measurement and combined quantitative and qualitative analy­sis for the investigation of digital communication practices, without reliance on survey-based or experimental designs. This approach opens avenues for future research that may expand the analysis by incorporating additional platforms, cultural contexts, or alternative research designs.

In conclusion, authenticity and trust function as interconnected yet analy­tically distinguishable rhetorical mechanisms that shape the effectiveness of influencer communication. Examining these mechanisms within a rhetorical and multimodal framework contributes to a more nuanced theoretical and empirical understanding of contemporary forms of persuasion in digital communication environments.

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[53] Kress, G., & van Leeuwen, T. (2006). Reading images: The grammar of visual design (2nd ed.). Routledge.

[54] Fairclough, N. (2010). Critical discourse analysis: The critical study of language (2nd ed.). Routledge.

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[58] Lou, C., & Yuan, S. (2019). Influencer marketing: How message value and credibili­ty affect consumer trust and purchase intention. Journal of Interactive Advertising, 19(1), 58–73. https://doi.org/10.1080/15252019.2018.1533501.

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[61] Marwick, A. (2015). You may know me from YouTube: (Micro-)celebrity in social media. In P. D. Marshall & S. Redmond (Eds.), A companion to celebrity (pp. 333–350). Wiley Blackwell.

[62] Abidin, C. (2016). Visibility labour: Engaging with influencers’ fashion brands and OOTD advertorial campaigns on Instagram. Media International Australia, 161(1), 86–100. https://doi.org/10.1177/1329878X16665177.

[63] Marwick, A. (2015). You may know me from YouTube: (Micro-)celebrity in social media. In P. D. Marshall & S. Redmond (Eds.), A companion to celebrity (pp. 333–350). Wiley Blackwell.

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Dr. Lyubomira Spasova is a lecturer in business communication, public rela­tions, and standards of academic writing. She is a Chief Assistant Professor at the Depart­ment of Social Sciences and Business Language Education, Faculty of Eco­nomics, Trakia University, Stara Zagora. Her research interests include principles of persuasion, advertising communication, and business communication.

 

Manuscript was submitted: 06.01.2026.

Double Blind Peer Reviews: from 06.02.2026 till 07.03.2026.

Accepted: 08.03.2025.

Брой 67 на сп. „Реторика и комуникации“ (април 2026 г.) се издава с финансова­та помощ на Фонд научни изследвания, договор № КП-06-НП7/23 от 08 декември 2025 г.

Issue 67 of the Rhetoric and Communications Journal (April2026) is published with the financial support of the Scientific Research Fund, Contract No. KP-06-NP7/23 of December 08, 2025.