{"id":39791,"date":"2024-09-27T16:40:20","date_gmt":"2024-09-27T16:40:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/?p=39791"},"modified":"2024-09-26T03:05:20","modified_gmt":"2024-09-26T03:05:20","slug":"your-followers-are-not-your-fans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/your-followers-are-not-your-fans\/","title":{"rendered":"Your followers are not your fans"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dear Musicians, don&#8217;t be fooled by a follower frenzy! A million likes can&#8217;t fill a venue.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">True fans are your ride-or-dies, the ones screaming your lyrics at shows, rocking your merch, and hitting repeat on your latest track.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They&#8217;re the key to a killer music career, keeping you afloat financially and letting you focus on what truly matters: making music!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So ditch the follower vanity and cultivate a crew of real fans who fuel your passion (and your bank account).<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_83 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a34b19758f71\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a34b19758f71\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/your-followers-are-not-your-fans\/#why-chasing-fans-beats-building-a-follower-army\" >Why Chasing FANS Beats Building a FOLLOWER Army<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/your-followers-are-not-your-fans\/#followers\" >FOLLOWERS<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/your-followers-are-not-your-fans\/#fans\" >FANS<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/your-followers-are-not-your-fans\/#the-pitfalls-of-equating-followers-with-fans\" >The Pitfalls of Equating Followers with Fans<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/your-followers-are-not-your-fans\/#1-crickets-in-the-comment-section\" >#1. CRICKETS IN THE COMMENT SECTION<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/your-followers-are-not-your-fans\/#2-the-sold-out-show-mirage\" >#2. THE SOLD-OUT SHOW MIRAGE<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/your-followers-are-not-your-fans\/#3-marketing-in-the-dark\" >#3. MARKETING IN THE DARK<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/your-followers-are-not-your-fans\/#can-follower-count-predict-venue-capacity\" >Can Follower Count Predict Venue Capacity?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/your-followers-are-not-your-fans\/#ditch-the-followers-cultivate-the-fanbase\" >Ditch the Followers, Cultivate the Fanbase<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"why-chasing-fans-beats-building-a-follower-army\"><\/span><b>Why Chasing FANS Beats Building a FOLLOWER Army<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s the difference between what a follower and a fan is:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"followers\"><\/span><b>FOLLOWERS<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-39792\" src=\"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/followers.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"266\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A social media follower is like someone in the cheap seats at a concert.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They\u2019ve shown up, but they\u2019re not exactly front row, singing along and waving their lighters (or phone flashlights these days). They might not even be there for the whole performance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes, they\u2019ve subscribed to your social media accounts and might have occasionally seen some of your posts on their feed. However, following you doesn\u2019t necessarily translate to them actively engaging with your posts.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Their reasons for following are fickle: a catchy tune, a viral moment, or maybe they just accidentally hit that button. Engagement is like catching lightning in a bottle &#8211; it depends whether the content hits that sweet spot of attention-grabbing for them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They might like a post here and there, maybe even share one if it strikes their fancy. Overall, their support is unpredictable.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"fans\"><\/span><b>FANS<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-39793\" src=\"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/fans.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A true fan is more than just a lurker on your social media page. They&#8217;re the ones actively jamming to your content, showering it with likes and comments, and sharing it with their friends.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They&#8217;re deeply invested in your music, connecting with your message and rocking out to your sound. True fans become your real-life supporters, filling venues, repping your merch, and keeping your music on repeat.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They&#8217;re the foundation of your career, the loyal crew that provides stability and lets you focus on what truly matters &#8211; creating the music you love.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"the-pitfalls-of-equating-followers-with-fans\"><\/span><b>The Pitfalls of Equating Followers with Fans<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-39796\" src=\"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Your-Followers-Are-Not-Your-Fans.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"315\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the age of social media, many musicians fall into the trap of mistaking follower count for a dedicated fanbase.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While a massive following might look impressive, it doesn&#8217;t necessarily translate to packed shows or a thriving career.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Imagine a concert venue with thousands of empty seats filled with &#8220;like&#8221; buttons. That&#8217;s essentially what a follower base without true fans represents.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As I\u2019ve said, followers might passively see your content, but they&#8217;re not actively engaged. And if you continue to equate the two then you\u2019ll definitely be experiencing problems on your way to success.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1-crickets-in-the-comment-section\"><\/span><b>#1. CRICKETS IN THE COMMENT SECTION<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Focusing on your follower count can lead you down a dangerous path of creating generic content that appeals to everyone and no one.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While you might analyze your followers&#8217; diverse interests, trying to cater to all of them dilutes your message.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The result? Bland content that doesn&#8217;t resonate with your true fans, leading to a disconnect and a deafening silence in your comment sections.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2-the-sold-out-show-mirage\"><\/span><b>#2. THE SOLD-OUT SHOW MIRAGE<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Big follower numbers are exciting, but they can&#8217;t be the only metric for success.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Imagine dreaming of sold-out shows based on followers alone, only to face disappointing ticket sales and merch numbers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take for example rapper Lil Baby who surprised fans when he canceled 10 dates last year for his 32-city tour.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reports suggested low ticket sales might be the culprit. Apparently, venues like Memphis and Seattle, with months until showtime, were reportedly less than half sold.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This begs the question: how can an artist with such a seemingly dedicated online following struggle to fill arenas?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lil Baby is undeniably influential, but a closer look reveals a potential disconnect between online popularity and real-world support. That&#8217;s why grounding your expectations in various sources is key.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Look at your past performance and current engagement to get a clearer picture. This way, you&#8217;ll avoid discouragement and stay motivated by focusing on what truly matters: connecting with your fans and building a sustainable career.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3-marketing-in-the-dark\"><\/span><b>#3. MARKETING IN THE DARK<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Imagine throwing money at generic ads that miss your biggest supporters. Without understanding your true fanbase, that&#8217;s exactly what happens.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your message might reach some, but it won&#8217;t connect with the people who truly matter: the ones who buy your music and fill your shows.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This disconnect wastes resources and leaves you frustrated.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"can-follower-count-predict-venue-capacity\"><\/span><b>Can Follower Count Predict Venue Capacity?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While a massive follower count doesn&#8217;t guarantee sold-out shows, it still signifies a growing fanbase.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chris Riva, analyzing data from Vivid Seats and Instagram, found a positive, non-linear relationship between the two. This means both follower count and venue capacity tend to increase together, but not necessarily at the same rate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not all followers are created equal. Growing from 1 million to 2 million followers might not translate to a bigger venue, whereas jumping from 10 million to 11 million might. This is because the earlier stages of growth often attract more dedicated fans who translate to ticket sales.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Riva&#8217;s analysis highlights this point. Noah Cyrus, with over 6 million followers, played at 9:30 Club, a venue in Washington D.C. with a 1,200 capacity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was a seemingly small choice.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meanwhile, Dayglow, with just 200,000 followers, played the same venue. This just shows that Dayglow had much more true fans in their follower count than Cyrus.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This situation demonstrates that while follower count can indicate popularity it doesn&#8217;t guarantee equal active fan support like buying tickets.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"ditch-the-followers-cultivate-the-fanbase\"><\/span><b>Ditch the Followers, Cultivate the Fanbase<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-39795\" src=\"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Ditch-the-Followers-Cultivate-the-Fanbase.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Ditch-the-Followers-Cultivate-the-Fanbase.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Ditch-the-Followers-Cultivate-the-Fanbase-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Ditch-the-Followers-Cultivate-the-Fanbase-1024x614.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Ditch-the-Followers-Cultivate-the-Fanbase-768x461.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In essence, follower count remains a relevant metric, but it&#8217;s just one piece of the puzzle. You gotta make sure you look at every corner first \u2013 the engagements, merch sales, ticket sales, and attendance to any public and free shows you have.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Understanding the true engagement and dedication of your fanbase is crucial for musicians to connect with their audience and build a sustainable career.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Focus on building a loyal fanbase by creating meaningful content and engaging with the people who truly matter.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n<p><b><i>James Hill<\/i><\/b><i>\u00a0is a veteran of the music industry. He first worked at Warner Reprise Records then later joined Interscope\/ Geffen Records where he managed producers and songwriters and got his first platinum record for Keyshia Cole\u2019s The Way It Is. He is now helping indie artists with branding and manufacturing through his company\u00a0<\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer follow\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\"><span class=\"s1\"><b><i>Unified Manufacturing<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/a><i>, a CD\/DVD,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/vinyl-pressing\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer follow\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">custom vinyl records<\/a>\u00a0and merch company in LA.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dear Musicians, don&#8217;t be fooled by a follower frenzy! A million likes can&#8217;t fill a venue. True fans are your ride-or-dies, the ones screaming your lyrics at shows, rocking your merch, and hitting repeat on your latest track. They&#8217;re the key to a killer music career, keeping you afloat financially and letting you focus on [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39791","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-artist-tips"],"contentshake_article_id":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39791","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39791"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39791\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39801,"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39791\/revisions\/39801"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39791"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39791"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unifiedmanufacturing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39791"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}