Authenticity vs. Authority in Personal Brand Storytelling
Aitana Lopez is an international model who travels the world, sipping coffee in sun-drenched cafés one day before posing in snowy mountains the next.
Her 350,000 Instagram followers drool over her aspirational life.
Brands pay her thousands for partnerships.
Aitana’s influence is real. But she isn’t human.
AI isn't new but its hyper-realness is.
And soon these personas won’t be limited to model-types.
Meta says, we can expect a wave of AI-created personalities tailored to specific industries and audiences. This opens the door for:
AI business coaches who synthesize strategies from every business book and real-world case study to offer custom advice.
AI fitness trainers that map out tailored plans and pop up on your phone with real-time encouragement during workouts.
AI mental health accounts who source insights from every modality, while sparing people the discomfort of opening up to another human.
This shift is true for hyper-specific niches, too, from horse riding and painting, to restoring vintage cars. As we’ve seen with Aitana, AI personas can build communities, offer tips, and share interactive content that feels personal. But feeling connected is not a replacement for being connected to something real.
Backlash from human users prompted Meta to roll back some of its AI accounts a couple weeks ago. But they’ll be back, and more realistic, Meta promises.
The outcry screams a big picture message online business owners can’t ignore:
People want what synthetic content can’t offer—realness.
This moment is a call for entrepreneurs to sharpen their viewpoints, express them honestly, and share stories with the depth and nuance.
So the question now is: How?
This is the first of a two-part StoryCraft series to help you answer that question.
Not in a nice-in-theory “just be yourself” kind of way.
But in practice for professionals using personal brand storytelling to grow online.
Part One is about articulating the nuances of your perspective and raw experiences without costing you professional credibility or giving you a vulnerability hangover.
This will lay the groundwork for crafting authentic brand identity in Part Two.
Longevity online will come down to stories that are honest, that speak to real experiences, and reflect integral values and beliefs.
Let’s get into how to do that in your real-life marketing.
What is Authentic Content For A Personal Brand?
Merriam-Webster offers several definitions of authenticity:
Not false; truth; real.
True to one's own personality, spirit, or character.
Worthy of acceptance or belief as conforming to or based on fact (truth).
One of the reasons authenticity feels so hard to pin down in content creation is because it means different things to different people.
By definition, authenticity is being true to your truth.
For person A, showing up authentically could mean a bold red lip and a black blazer.
For person B, it might mean no makeup and sweatpants.
For person C, it could mean a bold red lip and sweatpants.
Authenticity is more than beats the eye.
It’s the relatable voice of person behind it that makes it real.
Authentic expression is a byproduct of being clear on our values, perspectives, short-comings, and attributes — not as we wish they we're but as they are.
"Authentic content" is to any form of media, like a blog post, video, or social media post, that is honest, genuine, and reflects the true voice and perspective of its creator, going beyond simply promoting a product or service, and aiming to build a genuine connection with the audience based on shared values or interests.
Barriers to Authenticity in Personal Branding
“Just be yourself” is among the most shallow advice out there because the message doesn’t match the culture. The reality is there are many barriers to authentic expression that have nothing to do with being “fake.”
Maybe you’ve been dismissed, criticized, marginalized, or even punished for expressing what feels true to you.
What’s real for you changes over time. You don’t believe things you once thought we’re capital-T truth. (These changes make for great stories).
Protective mechanisms like people-pleasing and fear of judgment step in to shield us—but also confuse us — is it really me when I say I don’t want to show up on camera, or is that what I’m telling myself so I don’t have to go outside my comfort zone?
Reflection is a must for authenticity — and I don't say that lightly or tritely.
We can only be as authentic as we know ourselves.
Authenticity vs. Authority in Personal Brand Storytelling
There are a lot of reasons why authenticity is easier said than done for professionals using content to grow online, but the one I hear about the most — and contend with the most in my business — is the fear that personal transparency undermines professional credibility.
“Why would anyone listen to me if I struggle?” is a question I’ve been asked dozens of times when I’m brainstorming story ideas with clients.
It’s a valid concern.
Over the years, authenticity online has been conflated with oversharing.
This is not only intimidating if you’re an introvert (like me), it can also backfire from an authority-building standpoint.
Studies show that people evaluate credibility based on a balance:
Warmth (Approachability and reliability)
Competence (Trustworthiness and capability)
Excessive personal disclosure skews this balance, making a person seem relatable but potentially less capable of helping us.
Authentic Stories Clarify
Of course, this doesn’t mean we should stick to facts and hacks in our content.
A LinkedIn survey found that 67% of professionals appreciate authenticity in content but prefer when it’s paired with actionable insights or expertise.
This is why storytelling content works so well.
It strikes the balance between warmth and competence for authentic content that’s enjoyable to consume.
When it comes to content creation, knowing how much is too much to share and what experiences would be helpful to others has less to do with bearing it all and more to do with clarity around the events that shaped your values, beliefs, and approach to applying your expertise in real life.
In marketing, we don’t share stories for the sake of being real, we share them for the sake of communicating a point that will help others.
Oftentimes we gain that clarity from surviving low moments, which is why authentic storytelling and vulnerability get lumped together.
But they are not the same.
Oversharing vs. Vulnerability in Personal Brand Storytelling
In 2011, Mel Robbins found herself too hungover to get her kids to school on time—again. That moment of shame became the catalyst for the 5-Second Rule, the concept of her bestselling book that started as the trick that got out of bed.
When we hear authentic story like this, a few things happen in our brains:
Oxytocin is released, building trust and connection.
Mirror neurons fire, we see ourselves in the storyteller’s experience.
We pay attention, not just to the “hook” but for the whole thing.
At face value it looks that's happening because the story is vulnerable.
But openness is only a part of the equation.
The other is credibility illustrated through her real-life experience.
It’s the combination of openness and practical execution that makes for relatable, authentic, vulnerable storytelling.
The low moment gave her the insight for a helpful tool others can use, which is why she shared it and why we believe her.
Vulnerable stories aren't about recounting the details of the "bad" thing that happened, but rather using that moment as context for the real story:
How you reacted
What you learned
How you’re moving forward (imperfect action counts!)
If you’d like to see another real-life example of vulnerable storytelling, please enjoy:
StoryCraft Prompts For Authentic Storytelling
At StoryCraft, we use a two-part approach to authentic brand storytelling. 1. Mine Your Life for Stories 2. Use Them to Show How You Help Others. These storytelling prompts are designed to support you in sharing stories that voice your expertise engagingly. To become a better storyteller, take five minutes this week to reflect on your answers in a notebook, in the shower, or doing dishes.
1. What are three things you want people to truly understand about your work, industry, or style? Which one would you share first, why?
2. What’s something you see others in your field or industry doing that doesn’t feel right to you? Did you ever approach it that way too? How do you prefer to do it differently now?
3. Is there a piece of “it’s popular because it’s true” advice in your industry? How do you know it’s true from your own experience?
4. When you feel most fulfilled at work, what values (freedom, creativity, wealth, etc.) are typically present?
How To Tell Authentic Brand Stories
It’s brave to put yourself out there in hopes it’ll help others. Especially when you’re new to sharing your stories. But, with practice, the process of identifying and writing stories is the most self-empowering way to share your expertise authentically with the people who need to hear it most.
Thanks for reading. I’ll be back next Thursday, where we’ll dive into creating an authentic brand identity and how to share it through story.
Until then…
Happy Storytelling,
Cyndi, your storytelling content marketer.
