Maria's PR Tips

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There’s a fine line between honesty and oversharing, one that’s gotten blurrier in the age of digital intimacy. From “Get Ready With Me” grief confessions to tearful TikTok car rants, we’re living in a time when vulnerability gets engagement. But where do we draw the line between authenticity and exposure?

This post is for the creators, the brand-builders, the journal-keepers-turned-influencers. You want to connect. But you also want to stay whole.

💔 Why Vulnerability Feels So Right (and So Risky)

In today’s online culture, we reward the real. The more honest you are, the more “relatable” you seem. As Wamprechtsamer writes, “Transparency is often equated with trustworthiness in the digital public sphere.” It makes sense, when someone shares something raw, we feel closer to them. Like we’ve been let in.

But transparency isn’t just a window. It can be a floodgate.

You open up, and suddenly the world assumes access. Every DM is a question. Every silence is suspicious. And your identity is now a narrative other people feel entitled to edit.

Controlled transparency isn’t about hiding, it’s about framing. You choose what you share, why you share it, and how that story fits into the world you’re building.

🛠 The Art of the Frame

Vulnerability doesn’t mean telling everything. It means offering a window with intention. Think of it like lighting in a movie scene: what you choose to illuminate shapes how people interpret the moment.

A 2024 study on online PR by Waseem et al. found that “users interpret transparency as context-dependent, trusting brands more when disclosure is purposeful rather than performative.” The same holds true for individuals. People sense when vulnerability is thoughtful… and when it’s just a thirst trap in a sad font.

Ask yourself:

• Am I sharing this to connect, or to cope?
• Does this align with the values I want to project?
• Am I ready for feedback, or do I still need privacy?

If the answer is “I don’t know,” it’s okay to pause. You don’t owe the algorithm your heart in real-time.

🧩 Authenticity Isn’t Rawness. It’s Coherence.

Being “authentic” doesn’t mean live-streaming every breakdown. It means being consistent. Montecchi’s 2024 study found that perceived transparency increases trust when audiences feel the information fits a broader, believable story. Not everything you share has to be heavy, but it should make sense within your larger voice.

If your brand is soft and reflective, your vulnerability might be a quiet journal excerpt. If your tone is bold and comedic, it might be a chaotic “hot girl mental health spiral” vlog. Either way, the container matters as much as the content.

🧠 Protecting Your Peace

The internet loves a good trauma plot, but healing isn’t a performance. You can be open without offering yourself up for dissection.

Start small:

• Use past tense instead of present when talking about sensitive topics.
• Share the insight, not the injury.
• Set personal red lines: topics you’ll never discuss publicly.

And if you do choose to go deep, let it be on your terms. As Wamprechtsamer reminds us, “Transparency in online contexts must negotiate between visibility and control.” You are not a confessional booth. You are a curator of your experience.

💬 Your Turn

What’s one boundary you’ve set around your online presence that’s made your life better?
Or, what’s something you’re still figuring out how to share?

Drop it in the comments, and let’s talk about the art of being real… without unraveling.