Identity Construction in Intercultural Communication on Social Media: A Case Study of Two Influencers on REDnote

Department of English and Communication, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China

^* Corresponding author: claire0503.wang@connect.polyu.hk

Abstract

People from different cultures frequently interact with each other due to the increasing popularity of digital platforms. Given the background of globalization, influencers with an intercultural background actively navigate various identities to attract global audiences. While plenty of previous studies have explored the identity construction and self-branding practices on social media, research into influencers’ self-branding strategies in intercultural communication, especially on non-Western platforms like REDnote (a commonly used social media platform in China), is still scarce. This study analyzed the identity construction and self-branding strategies adopted by two influencers on REDnote, revealing the commonalities and distinctions in self-branding strategies between influencers from different cultural backgrounds. The results suggest that the self-branding strategies in terms of intercultural communication employed by both international influencers and Chinese influencers on social media focus on authenticity, relatability, and cultural hybridity. The international influencers utilize “foreignness” as a marketable contrast, whereas Chinese influencers emphasize metropolitanism by demonstrating their skills or expertise in certain fields.