Which is More Important in Social Media Marketing: Engagement or Follower Count?

Let’s be real: everyone loves the look of a big follower count. In a world of high flashy numbers and follower milestones, it’s easy to believe that more followers means more success. But here’s the truth: high follower counts don’t automatically mean more success.

It’s actually engagement—those likes, comments, shares, and saves—that separates a successful, on the rise, brand from one that's just popular.

It’s not about having thousands of people scrolling by; it’s about having people who actually stop, like, comment, and care about what you’re posting.

Here’s why engagement is the real hero of social media marketing and how you can make it work for your brand.

1. Engagement = Action

Having a ton of followers sounds nice, but if those followers aren’t interacting with your content, they’re probably not buying what you’re selling either. When people engage, it means they’re paying attention—they’re interested. This connection, built through meaningful interactions like comments and DMs, is way more valuable than silent views.
Quick Tip: Drop a strong call-to-action (CTA) in your posts. This is my favorite way to encourage your audience to join the convo! Ask questions, get feedback, and invite them to take the next step with you.

2. Loyalty Over Popularity

Believe it or not, a smaller group of super-engaged followers can be more powerful than a massive, non-talkative audience. These are your ride-or-die fans, the ones who trust your brand, come back for more, and spread the word. They’ll recommend you, support you, and give you insights into what they love about your brand. This is the foundation of a loyal community, not just a follower count.

Quick Tip: Share content that speaks to your people. When you share stories, tips, and moments that resonate, your audience feels connected. And connection is the breeding ground for loyalty.

3. Algorithms Love Engagement

Ever wonder why some posts blow up while others with similar follower counts fall flat? It’s all about engagement. 

Social media algorithms love active content, so when people engage with your post, the algorithm takes it as a sign that your content is worth sharing more widely. 

In short, more engagement = more reach = more genuine followers.

Quick Tip: Try out different types of content—like videos, carousels, and polls—and see what sparks the most engagement. The more varied your content, the more likely the algorithm will work for you.

4. Engagement is Free Feedback

Your audience’s engagement is literally free insight into what they want and love. Each comment, share, or save is a little nudge telling you, “More of this, please!”

Paying attention to these signals helps you change up your content, so you’re always giving your followers what they actually want (and not just what looks cool).

Quick Tip: Take a look into your analytics and look at what posts get the most engagement. Focus on recreating those types of content rather than just aiming for higher follower numbers.

5. Engaged Followers are Your Hype Squad

When people are truly engaged, they don’t just support your brand—they spread the word. They’re the ones sharing your posts with friends, chatting to others about what you’ve got selling and tagging you in their stories. These people are gold because they bring you new fans without any extra effort on your part. It’s like word-of-mouth on social media steroids.

Quick Tip: Give your audience a reason to share by creating relatable, valuable content. Run challenges, create shareable, relatable content, or even highlight their posts to make them feel part of the journey.

The Bottom Line

When it comes to social media, engagement always wins over follower count. Engaged followers build community, help spread the word, and give you real feedback. By focusing on engagement, you’ll grow a brand that’s not just popular but meaningful and will consistently grow.

So, forget the numbers game. Instead, ask yourself, “Am I connecting with the people who matter?” Focus on building those real connections and prioritize engagement. Take my word for it and watch how it transforms your community—no big follower count needed.

By Pam Bartholomew