Today, we’re looking at one of the most tempting traps in digital marketing—social media follower counts. It feels good to hit 5,000… 10,000… or even 50,000 followers. But that number alone doesn’t tell you if your content is landing with your audience. And if it’s not, it’s not helping your station—or your advertisers you’re touting these numbers to.
Why Follower Counts Are Overrated
Follower counts are easy to celebrate. But what do they actually mean? Most platforms don’t even show all your posts to all your followers. If your content doesn’t generate engagement (likes, shares, comments), it gets buried—and fewer people see it moving forward. Advertisers are starting to get wise to this. They’re asking better questions: “How many people engage with your posts?” and “What kind of responses are you getting?” And, they rightfully should if they are putting their money behind you. Those are the questions we should be asking ourselves, too.
The Social Media Metrics That Actually Matter
When it comes to social media, here’s what you should really be watching:
- Comments – Are people interacting with your content or just scrolling past it?
- Shares and Reposts – Is your audience helping spread your message?
- Saves – Are they seeing enough value to want to come back later?
- Video Views and Completions – Are they sticking around for the full story?
- Engagement Rate – This is the real star: total interactions divided by total reach or followers.
These metrics tell you if people care about what you’re putting out—not just that they happened to see it.
What You Can Do This Week
Here’s your quick action item for this week:
- Look at your last 10 social posts. Which ones got the most interaction?
- Which ones flopped—and why?
- Pay attention to the type of content, the tone, the time of day, and the call to action.
Then try posting one thing this week that’s designed to spark engagement—ask a question, run a poll, go behind the scenes, or just make it more personal. Don’t just announce. Invite conversation.
Wrap-Up
Social media isn’t a billboard—it’s a conversation. Ever notice how popular posts have the most comments – which are more often better than the post? So, your follower count is just the starting point. If people aren’t engaging, those numbers don’t help your brand or your bottom line. This week, focus on creating content that invites interaction. Because that is the metric that matters.
We want to help your radio station grow and succeed online. That journey starts with an amazing website that keeps visitors coming back often. Reach out to us to start your path to online success, or schedule an appointment to see our tools in action.