Lessons learned: Social media influencers inspire collective action through strong relationships
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Individualism, or the idea that people’s lives are mainly shaped by their personal choices, strongly influences what people think is possible. This mindset is often reinforced, both intentionally and unintentionally, by influencers on social media. That makes sense, because it often feels easier to encourage people to change their own behavior than to convince them that society itself can change. But ultimately, collective solutions are needed to fix the roots of our biggest problems. So how can influencers help people believe in collective action?
A recent study explored this question using two experiments and a field study on Instagram. In the experiments, participants were randomly shown posts about climate protection. Some posts included messages about the power of collective action (for example, “Together we can make a real difference!”), while others did not. Researchers then measured participants’ beliefs in collective action, their intentions to act, and the strength of their connection to the influencer. This relationship was measured using statements like “I would love to meet them in person” and “They make me feel comfortable, like being with a friend.”
In the field study, a real influencer posted climate-related Instagram stories that included messages about collective action and then invited followers to complete a survey. Some participants saw the message once, some saw it more than once, and some did not see it at all.
What they learned: Messages about collective action were most effective for people who felt a strong connection to the influencer. In the experiments, these messages increased beliefs in collective action and intentions to act, but only among people with strong connection to the influencer. In the field study, the messages also increased these beliefs more broadly, and repeated exposure made the effects stronger.
Why it matters: Building collective political power online is key to creating real social change. This study shows that strong messaging alone is not enough. The relationship between influencers and their audience plays a critical role in whether people believe in collective action and are willing to take part in it.
➡️ Idea worth stealing: To inspire collective action, partner with influencers who already have strong, trust-based relationships with their audiences. For more insights on how to do this, subscribe to our creator playbook.
What to watch: How influencers and their partners experiment with new ways to shift people’s beliefs about what collective action can achieve.
