Teachers as influencers and personal brands on Instagram: double-tapping language ideologies in the attention economy

Informed by the platformization and (micro)celebrification of language teachers as social media influencers, this study examines the underexplored nexus of influencer culture, language ideology, and entrepreneurial self-branding in ELT. It analyzes the self-positioning of 48 Instagram edu-influencers creating English language content for Turkish-speaking audiences. Using the Discourse Historical Approach within Critical Discourse Analysis, the study explores their self-positioning and dissemination of language ideologies through metadata (handles, bio statements, and profile pictures) and video content (the 10 most-viewed reels, n = 480). Findings reveal that edu-influencers position themselves as dynamic entrepreneurial intermediaries—relatable learners, authentic users, and expert teachers—bridging learners with commodified native speakerist ideals. They contribute to Instagram's success as a platform while leveraging platform-specific affordances and multimodal content to promote their professional brands, blending linguistic, economic, and social dimensions into performative acts that reinforce linguistic hierarchies. Contributing to discussions on platform logic and teacher identities, this study positions edu-influencers as key actors in ‘the platformized ELT ecosystem’, raising critical questions about embodying, performing, reifying, and disseminating language ideologies.