In the digital marketing realm, we often hear individuals associate high follower counts on social media as a symbol of success. While it is hard to not admire the follower counts of worldwide consumer brands like Gucci on Instagram or Duolingo on TikTok, it is important to take a step back, look at the bigger picture, and consider factors that come into play when it comes to follower count.
We understand that it is easy to equate follower count with your brand’s success, but it is critical to keep in mind that it does not.
Whether you’re an emerging brand or decades-old family owned business, it is important not to get caught up in setting unrealistic expectations. Naturally, worldwide brands have higher follower counts. While it is something to admire and aspire to achieve, it is imperative to remember that these brands have had intentional social media strategies in place for years in tandem with their worldwide recognition.
The truth is, follower count is not the be-all and end-all of a successful social media strategy. Numerous accounts buy followers, disregard content strategy, and throw quality to the wayside. These culminate in ghost followers. Ghost followers are inactive, unengaged, and oftentimes, they are also bots.
Let’s say you come across a brand’s social media account with hundreds of thousands of followers. At first glance, their profile impresses you – they have a high follower count, may be verified, and seem to have a steady social media footprint. As you scroll, you come across their posts and see signs that are all too-telling of ghost followers: little-to-no likes and hardly any comments.
Take a moment to reassess your thoughts on that brand’s account. Sure, the follower count is great, but nobody’s emotions are provoked to engage with the content.
What truly matters, more than your follower count, is engagement. When your audience is reacting to your posts, sharing your content with their friends, and tagging you in their content, those are all signs of an engaged audience – and that’s something money can’t buy. Your audience feels connected to your content, whether that’s through admiration, inspiration, or relatability. As your audience engages with and shares your content with their friends, it leads to a domino effect, which organically produces audience growth and increased engagement.
At Kaptiv8, we intentionally work to craft a social media strategy for your brand that is best suited and tailored to not only your objectives, but your target audience. By leveraging your brand’s identity, marketing goals, and the traits that make your brand stand above the rest, we relentlessly work to propel your brand efficiently and effectively.
So, at the end of the day, what truly matters to you: a high, unengaged follower count, or a smaller, highly-engaged, loyal audience? The choice is yours – choose wisely.
