why likes and followers matter




Hey guys!

What a headline.
To be honest, I never thought I would be the person to write a post telling you "why likes and followers matter".

Yet here I am, about to tell you.
If you are shaking your head in disbelief, or are about to call me 'shallow', please hear me out.
I can back this up.

So - why do likes and followers matter?

Isn't everybody laughing about those people who want +256 likes for their selfies?
Or who think they are famous because they have +472  followers?
Doesn't that all sound super ridiculous?

It probably does.

But when it comes to the business side of things,
it's anything but ridiculous.
In fact, it's one of the most important aspects.

Why?
Because likes don't just say "oh nice selfie, you've got a good face - here's a thumb!" when you use social media for work.
No, they can actually determine one's career. 
Hell, even one's income.

I have a feeling that those of you, who work in or with Social Media, are probably already nodding their heads.

And if you don't get what I'm talking about - good for you, you're probably leading a normal life.

But let me explain by giving you my personal example.

I run a music website.
And in order to collaborate with the artists we see featured on this website, there are three important factors:
1) my skills: of course, just like in any other job, you need to have a set of skills in order to get the attention of those people you may want to work with.
2) my audience: a lot of the times when I request to interview an artist/a band, the labels and managements behind the musicians want to know how many people visit my website.
3) my social media statistics: those labels, promoters and managements are also interested in the numbers and interactions we have on Twitter, Facebook and all the other platforms.

When I first started working in music, the only numbers that mattered were the views and visits on a website.
But with Social Media being such a huge part in our everyday lives, the amounts of likes and followers keep getting more important day by day.



So why do likes and followers matter to me?
Because those numbers paired with my skills decide whom I get to work with.

And why should you care, you might ask?
Well, you don't have to care. It's probably only really my problem.
But, if you enjoy this website and maybe came across music you now listen to in your free time, 
then this might matter to you.
If you want us to continue to grow - we need likes and followers.
If we grow, you'll benefit from it because you'll get to watch interviews with some of the biggest acts around.
If only a handful of people cared about house in the sand, I would've never been able to chat to Olly Murs or photograph Ed Sheeran
But, because there is a bigger interest in this page, we get to do and share these cool things with you.

So how can you make a difference?
By following those on Social Media, who deliver content you enjoy.
By clicking the "like" or "thumbs up" button when they post something.
By commenting, retweeting or subscribing.

Those actions don't cost you anything and it usually takes less than five seconds to do them.
So be a hero and like, follow and comment.
This counts for all creators on Social Media such as musicians, photographers, videographers and PR agencies. Not just for us bloggers.


I hope this post has been either relatable (because you "know the struggle") or interesting (because maybe you have never thought about the importance of a "silly like").
Either way, I hope you enjoyed reading this and might consider hitting that like button some more.

Of course I would absolutely love to hear your opinion on this and I'd also be happy to answer any questions you might have.


Just because it makes sense, here are our social media links. ;)
You can follow, like or just lurk - either way, we appreciate your time.


www.instagram.com/houseinthesand.com/houseinthesand



p.s: in case you were wondering - I'm wearing my amazing The Photo Ladies hoodie in the photos.
You can learn more about this fantastic collective by visiting their website.



Thank you for your visit!















Credits // Text & Photography: Vanessa Jertschewske

4 comments:

  1. So much YES for this post. I don't make money (yet?) from my Youtube channel but obviously I know from friends how important views/likes etc. are for making money. And after all, in a traditional job when working as a freelancer you also sort of depend on other people's "likes" - without other people's help/contacts/mouth to mouth propaganda, it's hard to earn new customers. So why would it be different for online creators? I hope people realize this more and that online creators get more recognition for their work and aren't written off as "not really working" anymore.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love this comment!
      I think "likes and follows" often are described as such ridiculous and unimportant things, when in reality they can be the "make or break" for a lot of opportunities. So I guess, after all, it's our job to tell people otherwise.

      Thanks for taking the time to comment! And like and follow because you're fabulous!

      Delete
  2. Yes Vanessa! It's crazy how much we rely on readers to take a second to hit the Like or leave a comment or whatever. It saddens me how it's the norm for music blogs/websites to receive no comments or attention of any kind for their content. It sucks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think a lot of people don't even know how important it is.
      Let's be honest, if I wasn't a blogger, I probably wouldn't even understand the importance of "likes and followers", so maybe by explaining it, we can get everyone involved?
      Anyway, it's great to know we're all in this blogger madness together!

      Delete

Let me know what you think! :)