In today’s society, media presence is everything. Who follows who, how many likes your post gets and how many views your story has amounts to a large part of what we consider influential and successful. Follower counts are an easy way (follower shopping) to tell if an account is well-liked, and more often than not, we see celebrities with millions (or sometimes billions) of followers. But what about real-life sectors that are trying to turn over profits and generate new customers? These businesses have to fight harder, stronger and faster for attention and are under constant competition to gain the most likes, followers and shares.
So is 20k followers a lot for businesses in the hospitality and tourism industries, or is it simply a starting point for them? Successful social media marketing can play a tremendous role in the development of a business. Its ability to reach global scales and new audiences can largely affect the popularity of an industry. But does all the effort, time and money that it takes to create a social media presence generate real-life sales and customers or is it all simply a waste of time?
Having followers is never a bad thing. It means that your business is making a name for itself and creating a presence. As the phrase goes, “Any publicity is good publicity”, so having followers, whether it’s few or millions, can only be a good thing. However, the more you have, the more attractive your brand, business or page will seem to new onlookers. It’s a cycle of the more followers you have, the more you will gain.
There are two types of followers, Passive and Engaged. And the thing with follower shopping is that you risk running into passive followers, and although having a high follow count can be deemed a good thing for your page, these are the types of followers you wanted to be avoiding. The key concern with passive followers is that they are simply following the page for a follow back. They have limited to no interaction with posts and stories and ultimately have no benefit for your business.
Although all followers are considered beneficial, these are simply there for show. They have no positive impact on your account or your business and ultimately can damage your reputation by having no interaction or active participation. The type of followers you want to be gaining is the “engaged” followers. These are the people who like, comment and share your content.
These followers help achieve higher revenues, more extensive demographics and overall a better reputation for your brand. They help your business grow and reach real-life targets. Their level of interaction on your account no only shows a high customer count, but it shows that your customers are actively liking, supporting and proud of your company. This not only brings in new likes and follows but increases store turnovers and brand popularity.
In order to get the correct follower shop, running your page to the right clientele is essential. So your social media marketing strategy must be top-notch. It should avoid targeting passive followers and aim for the engaged. Focusing on your target audience allows you to create a specific look and theme for your page that is not only ideal for current followers but eye-catching and intriguing for new customers as well (because social media is all about how attractive your page is to others).
To focus on your ideal client, it is smart to look at similar business and see how they are targeting their advertisements. This will give you an insight it what sort of themes, products and locations are popular within your area and are excellent ideas to turn into an income.
Interacting with your followers is vital for obtaining a positive image within your brand as it highlights your customer service skills and your commitment to your follower shop. Luckily there are multiple brilliant ways to achieve reaching your new audience. With Instagram releasing new and initiative features yearly, it is easy to demonstrate, communicate and grow your account in interactive, fun ways. One of Instagram’s most favourable updates allows you to attach poll, quiz and “ask me anything” stickers to posts and stories.
Adding these features to your business’ stories is not only going to keep customer engagement high but is likely to increase communication, allowing customers to voice concerns, ideas and praise (It’s also a quick and easy way to gather instant data for your company!). It is possible to add a “calls-to-attention” in advertisements. Using these is a quick and efficient way to ensure that customers not only see your offers and deals but can readily and securely go to your website without having to leave the app.
Another ideal updated feature Instagram has that can be very beneficial for your company is the use of the explore page. The updated version of this page lets individuals discover new people, places and companies effortlessly. This aspect of Instagram means your company can flourish and reach new customers with very little work on your part. Follower shopping give you the opportunity to increase, likes, followers and viewers. But the key thing to remember when developing your Instagram page is that it does not matter how many followers you have but how beneficial they are to your business.
As usual, it is quality over quantity that matters. Your page may be beautifully displayed and organised to perfection, but if it is not aimed at a specific demographic or has an obvious product being offered, then potential customers may not be attracted to your account. Your follower shop needs a genuine interest in what you are advertising in order to successfully and helpfully develop your page.
So the question isn’t “Is 20k followers a lot?” because the answer will be yes, but rather how useful and reliable are those 20 thousand followers? As long as they are engaged, happy customers actively participating with your account, then yes 20 thousand people are far more of an advantage than 100 thousand followers who have no real commitment to helping your business grow it a successful company.
