LOS ANGELES — If you're ever curious what Ella Halikas is up to these days, her social media is a great place to start looking.

“There definitely doesn’t go a day where I don’t post a story," she said from her desk at home. "If I don’t post, definitely check on me because there’s something wrong.”

The model and content creator has spent the better part of the last two years building quite the following online. Her niche is content that inspires confidence in others.

“I like to motivate and help others feel confident in their skin and push that message out there," Halikas said. "And I created a following from nothing about a year ago. I just think people wanna see that desperately more than ever.”

Using the pandemic-fueled surge of viewers on apps like TikTok and Instagram, Halikas is part of a new wave of influencers leveraging social media to promote a unique view of body positivity and body neutrality.

Body positivity is widely considered the idea that all people deserve to have a positive body image, regardless of how popular culture views ideal shape and size.

Body neutrality, though, is a little different. Instead of focusing solely on loving your body no matter what, body neutrality is about celebrating what your body can do for you.

Both though play important roles in the development of self confidence.

“It’s impactful for people to start seeing that and see that change in the industry," Halikas said. "It's more, I love my body for what it can do for me, more of an appreciation.”

These are things that are not always associated with social media.

Psychologist and author of "The Body Image Book for Girls," Charlotte Markey has been researching body image for over 25 years and says in most cases social media apps can be detrimental to overall body image.

“People tend to present their best selves, and they look their best and are living their best lives," Markey said. "It’s hard for us to see that and not compare ourselves and feel kinda bad.”

But that's not always the case.

Over the last year, a new trend of body positive and body neutral content creators like Halikas is changing the narrative.

“They have platforms, so if people gravitate towards that social media, it has the potential to be a much more positive influence," Markey said.

And that's definitely true in Halikas' case. From modeling in Sports Illustrated's swimsuit edition to letting her followers in on her everyday life, her content and journey are an example that social media can play a much larger role in societal change.

“What I’m doing is just one tiny part," she said. "It’s really up to us influencers and creators to post about it and talk about it and get these brands to take notice.”