Too beautiful to like? Study finds highly attractive influencers get fewer likes on social media
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In an era when beauty standards on social media are becoming increasingly extreme, a new study suggests that being too beautiful might actually hurt one’s online popularity.
A research team led by Andrew Edelblum at the University of Dayton and Abby Frank at the University of Oregon found that influencers perceived as “extremely attractive” received fewer likes and follows than those with moderate attractiveness. The team presented hundreds of participants with mock posts from fictional fitness influencers and analyzed their engagement patterns.
The results, published on research-based news site The Conversation, describe the phenomenon as the “beauty backfire effect.” According to the researchers, highly attractive individuals are often viewed as less relatable or realistic in digital environments. They noted that this trend was especially pronounced in the fitness influencer category.
The findings challenge the long-standing marketing principle of “sex sells.” While earlier studies suggested that physically attractive models increased click rates and brand favorability, this experiment revealed that moderate attractiveness tends to evoke more empathy and engagement.
Tone and attitude also played a crucial role. Posts in which influencers used a humble tone and shared personal limits or failures attracted significantly more likes, while those flaunting perfect bodies or talents saw a sharp decline in favorability. “Humility can be a powerful communication tool for influencers who might otherwise seem ‘out of reach,’” the researchers said.
Gender differences were also evident. Follow-up studies showed that highly attractive female influencers experienced stronger negative reactions compared to their male counterparts. The team attributed this to the “social tendency to judge women’s looks more harshly.”
The study highlights how, beyond physical appearance, authenticity and relatability have become key drivers of influence in the social media era. The researchers plan to expand their work by exploring how variables such as race, disability and cultural background affect the beauty backfire effect.
This article from Kormedi.com, Korea’s top health care and medical portal, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.