Becoming #Instafamous
The analysis of (in)formality in self-presentation on Instagram
Drawing on
Goffman’s (1990 [1959]) metaphor of stage, this paper
considers Instagram a frontstage environment where users are cautious of being watched and attune their performance to how they
want to be perceived via strategic self-presentation. This understanding of online performance is particularly pertinent in the
discussions of bloggers who turn to Instagram to promote their work to new audiences. Examining the self-presentation practices of
three fashion bloggers, this paper argues that to gain popularity on Instagram, bloggers utilize the features of formality and
informality in the construction of an authentic and likable self-image. Since in the photographs the bloggers’ professional life
is usually depicted as distant from their audience’s reality, the accompanying textual caption serves as a means of providing
balance for the overall image the poster seeks to present. Consequently, the caption abounds with features of informality, which
connote linguistic immediacy and imitate an intimate conversation with peers.
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.Self-presentation online
- 3.Methodology
- 4.Data
- 5.Analysis
- 5.1Communicative situation
- 5.2Content: Private and public topics
- 5.3Visual and linguistic realization
- 5.3.1Photos
- 5.3.2Captions
- 6.Conclusion
- Acknowledgements
- Notes
-
References