Social media platforms are the biggest communication media and influencers in the youngest generations. Compared to the previous generations, which were limited to traditional communication broadcasts, the power of spreading information on these platforms can be beneficial or prejudicial depending on who do you choose to be influenced for. To me, following IG’s like @obviousagency and @ __houhou__ are important because they share positivity, spirituality, mental health, self-care and female narratives.
The Social Media IG ObviousAgency is owned by a Brazilian creative media agency, creating content for the platform focusing on female narratives. To promote women’s work and enhance female voices, the platform’s content works with the podcast Bom Dia Obvious, led by the executive director and CEO Marcela Ceribelli.
She is one of my main opinion leaders because she brings a wide range of media experts, journalists, and social media influencers to discuss politics, human rights, well-being and equity and leads the conversation in a very easy-going way, such as having a chat with a friend.
The IG @___HouHou__ is owned by the Brazilian Veronica Alves, a Graphic Designer, Tattoo Artist, Writer, Shaman focused on spreading spiritual knowledge through rituals, tarot reading, amulets, enhancing the connection with mother nature and its natural medicines with herbs and self-care specialized for women. Veronica brings out my Pisces (Star sign) mystic and spiritual side.
Every minute we scroll down our social media feed, our minds react to what we read and watch. We are exposed to so many feelings that it is important to filter the amount of time we spend in front of our screens and, even more importantly, choose what kind of information we want to see. According to the article Influencers on Instagram: Antecedents and consequences of opinion leadership,
Opinion leaders can be defined as individuals who have a great amount of influence on the decision making of other people (Rogers &Cartano, 1962) and on their attitudes and behaviours (Godey et al.,2016). Opinion leadership is related to what extent an individual is perceived to be a model for others, the degree to which the information provided by him/her is considered interesting and their persuasiveness. (L.V. Casaló et al., Journal of Business Research 117, 2020, p.511)
Both share content empowering women strength besides the patriarchal society we were raised and get oppressed by. I chose to be influenced by these opinion leaders because they reflect what I want to build for my future and those around me: compassion and empathy. They always use more than one source, and the discussions happen in order to acquire more knowledge and to understand different narratives, always prevailing respect by the differences.
