Engagement vs Follower Count
In influencer marketing, there are two indicators that we always keep in mind when planning an advertising campaign - engagement and number of followers.
The enticing number of followers
When it comes to influencer marketing, numbers really do matter. A follower count is the number of people who have chosen to see someone's content and consciously follow their social media presence.
These people - someone's followers - can be considered as a large society over which the given influencer has some influence. Its content reaches them and can promote all sorts of things. There is a direct connection with a large number of potential customers.
However, having a large number of followers does not necessarily mean that they are engaged with the relevant content.
We all agree that a large number of followers is seductively attractive. After all, we are social creatures who seek the validation of community. The more followers someone has, the more established their position is in the internet environment.
Nowadays, there are manipulations of the number of followers such as "buying followers" and we should consider wisely the possibility of someone being fraudulently popular. As we said, the two metrics important for social networks are engagement and number of followers. Having seen the importance of followers, let's also turn to engagement in the digital space.
While having a large following can increase the visibility and credibility of both the influencer and the promoted brand, it is engagement that truly drives meaningful interactions and business results. Engagement means an active and engaged audience, which is more valuable in the long run.
However, a high number of followers can be useful in other cases such as entering a new market or increasing awareness.
When we talk about influencer marketing campaigns, we always set goals based on the audience that can be reached. The two metrics we care about are engagement and follower count. But what will bring our efforts to fruition? Is it the impressive follower numbers or the small but engaged and dedicated group of followers? In this blog, we will look at the strengths and weaknesses of the two components - engagement and follower count - and judge which is your direction.
Engagement, on the other hand, cannot be manipulated. It is the unit of measurement that is on a pedestal in Instagram and other social networks. Engagement reflects followers' active engagement with an influencer's posts. Likes, comments and shares add to the engagement rate.
A high engagement rate means that the content is resonating with the given account's followers. Thus, discussions, comments and an active reaction to the content are provoked. This fosters a sense of community. This active audience feeds Instagram's algorithm, increasing the engagement rate of one's social media profile. Engagement rate tells you how many people are paying attention to what an influencer is saying. If he has a large number of followers, but a low engagement rate, then very few of his followers are really excited about his presence.
Some influencers achieve great engagement with a smaller number of followers. These are the so-called "niche influencers" who devote all their content to a certain topic. Thus, the people who follow them choose their profiles because of their content, which also reflects their personal interests.
Engagement - quality over quantity
The right choice
In conclusion, we can say that for a successful influencer campaign, the two factors - engagement and number of followers - are of fundamental importance. To ensure that you get the right amount of awareness and engagement that your campaign needs, you can trust the influ.ai team.