Does follower count matter in 2025?

I’ve been seeing predictions from people saying that follower count will not matter in the coming years.

I see their point.

Social platforms are becoming more discovery platforms.

Kinda like how you can create a TikTok account and get distribution (or on the receiving end, tailored content in yuour feed) without having a following (or following accounts).

The X “for you” page is the default setting for everyone.

LinkedIn has been distributing content beyond just followers.

And there was a solid run where Instagram was pushing Reels really hard — even if you didn’t have a following.

But I still think there's a ton of weight that comes with having an established following.

Prospective customers, partners, fans, and community members will still use follower count as a social proof.

When someone learns about you, the firs thing they’re going to do is go to your account.

They’re going to scan your bio, content, and follower count.

So yes, it does and will matter moving forward.

But I think another metric that will become more valuable is "who also follows this account".

When someone lands on your page and click “followers”, they will want to see which of their friends/connections also follow you.

It's an easy way to signal trust and credibility.

The simplest way to increase this is by doing daily community management.

If someone replies to your post, get back to them.

This will reinforce the behavior and make it more likely that they engage with your future content.

(this is how you build Superfans btw)

And the more then engage with your stuff, the more their network will see you pop up in their feeds more often.

The more people see you in their feed, the more likely they will follow (if the content is good).

So in short, you should aim to:

1) Increase engagement on your content

2) Increase your number of Superfans

3) Increase your overall following

I'd define a Superfan as the ideal person/profile who you are aiming to reach. This could be community members, customers, users, potential partners, etc.

Essentially, people who love (or would love) what you're building.

Increasing your audience of Superfans will also signal to their networks that you're worth following.

Instant social proof and validation.

Some resources on how to do this: