Hi, I am Stephanie, founder and creative strategist at Maude House, and let me say the quiet part out loud. Follower count is a vanity metric that looks shiny on the outside and does absolutely nothing for your bottom line if nobody engages with you.

Marketers love to chase the big numbers because they feel impressive. But here is the truth. A tiny audience that cares is worth more than a massive audience that scrolls right past you.

Why engagement matters more than followers

If you have 10,000 followers and only five people interact with your content, that is not an audience. That is a crowd of people who forgot they even followed you. But if you have 500 followers and they consistently like, comment, share, save, and show up for you, that is influence. That is community. That converts.

Engagement tells you:

• People care
• People are paying attention
• People trust your voice
• People want more

Engagement leads to brand awareness, loyalty, and actual revenue. Followers alone cannot do any of that.

Engagement is free market research

Every like, comment, share, and save is data. It tells you what resonates, what misses, and what your audience wants more of. When you listen to engagement signals, your content becomes sharper and more strategic.

How to increase engagement intentionally

Post relevant and valuable content

Your audience will not engage with fluff. Give them something that teaches, entertains, inspires, or solves a problem.

Ask questions and start conversations

Posts that invite participation perform better. Make your audience feel like part of the story instead of passive observers.

Use visuals

Photos, videos, and graphics grab attention faster than text. Visual content keeps people on your page longer and increases the likelihood of interaction.

Respond to comments and messages

Engagement is a two way street. When people take the time to interact, meet them there. It builds trust and keeps them coming back.

The bottom line

A big following looks cute, but engagement is what builds actual brand power. Focus on creating a community that cares, not an audience that collects dust. When your content resonates, your numbers grow for the right reasons.

If you want more unhinged but valuable insights on social strategy, branding, and building influence that actually converts, join my newsletter. It is where I tell the truth the internet does not always want to hear.