The Followers Era is dead, so why do we still care about it?

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One of the biggest mistakes you can make right now is to live and die by the follower count.

Yet, we can’t seem to shake the good old days (10 years ago) when a follower actually meant something.

Why?

• Because followers are easy to measure.

• They reward us with little dopamine hits every time we hit a milestone.

But while one group still clings to the numbers, the other is trying to game the algorithm.
So what are we left with?

A system that’s no longer built around relationships and a bunch of creators (and marketers) trying to chase a version of the internet that doesn’t exist anymore.

Let’s talk about what’s actually changed and what to do about it.

Why the value of a follower has (arguably) diminished:

• Fake or disengaged followers are everywhere

• Audiences care more about who they’re connecting with than how many people are following them

• Poor audience targeting (creators don’t know who they’re actually speaking to)

• More choice = more fragmentation

• Platform-dependent behaviour: people follow you on one platform, binge-watch you on another

• Algorithms now prioritise relevance over relationships, and don’t guarantee your followers will see your content

• Limited organic reach makes it harder to convert followers into real fans

• Audiences are craving connection, not content for content’s sake

• Monetisation models (like TikTok Creativity Program or YouTube RPM) now reward watch time, not audience size

So what’s happening here?

We’ve entered a hyper-niche era, driven by powerful algorithms that are serving up highly personalised content to users regardles of whether or not they follow you.

If content is being delivered on a platter, the follower count loses its purpose.

Which brings us to...

The Era of the Algorithm

Urban Outfitters’ Head of Marketing and Comms, Cyntia Leo, put it perfectly at the Social Media Week conference in NYC:

“Creators help us be in the algorithm, not just on the platform.”

This doesn’t mean you need to keep up with every trend or stress over every tweak to the algo.

But it does mean you need to deeply understand your audience.
Like, really understand them.

Here’s how you can start:

1. Topic Alignment

Creators: What are the conversations your audience is already having? How can you enter the chat seamlessly, not force your way in?

Brands: Align with creators who are already in the conversations you want to be part of.

Example: Aussies Toni and Ryan have built one of the biggest shows in the country by doing something surprisingly simple…actually listening to their audience.

2. Lead With a Content-First Approach

Creators: You probably already do this well. Now, it’s about communicating that to your next media or brand partner. What’s your angle? Why does your audience care?

Brands: Ask yourself: Who is your audience really? Not who you want them to be, who are they telling you they are? What are they watching, sharing, laughing at? What are they quietly obsessed with?

Example: Skims does this brilliantly, from aligning with the NBA and Olympics to rising stars like Sabrina Carpenter, to launching a physical store on Sunset Boulevard and celebrating it with a pancake takeover at the drive-in across the road. They’re tapping into the simple pleasures we’re all craving right now.

3. You Don’t Have to Always Be Selling Something

Creators: Your edge is knowing how to speak human. So think about how to be a creative partner to a brand, not just a billboard.

Additionally, despite all the growth in the creator economy, many brands still feel clunky on social media. You’ll see legacy companies post what feels like an internal presentation deck on their YouTube channel and wonder why it’s not landing.

Brands: We’re seeing more brands launch newsletters (like Substack) where selling is secondary to storytelling. It’s about meeting audiences where they already are — and showing up as a voice, not just a vendor.

Example: 
In April 2024, Rare Beauty launched a Substack newsletter. Instead of pushing products, they’re using it to bring fans behind the scenes, like team interviews, product development insights, and conversations around mental health. It feels less like a brand broadcast and more like a personal check-in from someone you trust.

Followers used to open doors, but now your content does all the talking.

Instagram 

• added an enhanced cropping feature to its Edits app, and shared pro-tips to optimise video quality.

• now lets you easily adjust the colour of text placed in Reels.

• added auto-transcription for voice messages in DMs. You can also now send longer 5-minute voice messages.

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