Scroll, post, repeat—getting stuck in the loop of tracking social media numbers is easy.

Social media feels like a race sometimes, doesn’t it? Everyone’s counting followers, views, and engagement metrics as if they’re the only things that matter.

But here’s the truth: while numbers matter, they don’t tell the whole story. Let’s break it down and look at what really drives success on social platforms.

Does having large social media numbers mean more business? Nope! While having a massive following looks and sounds great, it is not an accurate measure of success.

How do You Measure Success?

Social media is a communications tool. It does not drive direct sales. When it first became a rage and now a necessity, many people became enamored with its sheer number of followers.

It did become a numbers game, and many believed that the higher their social media numbers, the more money they would make. Is this true?

Yes and no. Having a good following is a good thing, and it can lead to higher conversions and increased sales, but it is not directly correlated.

Social media measures influence and brand awareness on the social web. When done correctly, you will facilitate engagement and interaction with your audience.

It is not an advertising platform. The same way you would not walk into a cocktail party and tell the guests that they need to buy your red widget; you should not be only promoting your products or services on social media.

Measure engagement by the number of comments, shares, and likes.

Social Media: A Cocktail Party Analogy

Let us go back to the cocktail party analogy. What do you do at a party? You socialize. You introduce yourself, ask questions, answer questions, engage in conversation (not promote), find common ground, etc.

At some point, you might get around to what you do for a living. If the person you are speaking with at a party is interested in what you do for a living, they might ask you questions (or vice versa).

Will they hire you at the party? Probably not, but they will remember you from your social interaction.

And maybe three months or three years later, especially if you continue your “relationship” after the party, there is a good chance they will hire you or refer someone else to you.

Social Media is About Relationships

Social media marketing is no different. It is not about selling. It is about establishing relationships and getting people to know, like, and trust you.

When you continually provide value to your audience and establish yourself as your industry expert, they will be more likely to listen to you when you do have something to sell them.

Social media marketing is about being social, communicating, establishing relationships, educating, learning, listening, and being both proactive and reactive.

Social Media: Quality vs. Quantity

Is it better to have smaller social media numbers engaged with your content or a larger following that is not?

Would you rather have 30,000 followers or prefer to have active conversations with 6,000 genuinely interested in your brand?

Do not focus solely on the numbers. Focus instead on the quality of the followers rather than quantity.

It is the relationships you build and the connections you make with your social media followers that will have the most impact on your bottom line.

The more engaged your audience is, the higher the chance of converting them into paying customers.

Getting Back to the Social Media Numbers Game

The more people you influence, the higher the number of social media followers you have and the higher the potential of having more people know, like, and trust you.

Why does this sound so vague?

The reality is that even if you have 80,000 followers on Twitter, there is no easy way to know how many of those 80,000 are actually listening to and reading what you are sharing.

Think, instead, of the number of followers or viewers of your content is more indicative of your level of influence and a gateway to future business growth.

How to Engage Your Social Following

Being successful on social media is not about just looking popular and having large social media numbers. It is about making meaningful connections and developing relationships with current and potential customers.

Consider an analogy with a farmer where he first plants a seed. Your seed is to provide information that interests your target audience.

When a farmer plants a seed, it takes time to grow. This is the same for social media. Do not expect to make a sale as soon as you make a connection.

It generally takes between five and seven touches with a business before a consumer decides to make a purchase. However, it can also take more.

Give your potential customers a good reason to buy from you and not your competitors. What makes you different than them? What is your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)?

Make sure you have a solid understanding of the pain or problem your brand solves. Take the time to nurture your audience by continuing to create and share relevant, engaging, and valuable content.

Social media marketing takes time, so make sure to use it wisely. Do not spend your time and resources on getting higher numbers of followers.

Instead, nurture your relationship so that your potential customers will buy from you when they are ready.

originally published 10/23/2020; Updated February 17, 2025, to update content.