Following

Following is the number of accounts a user has chosen to follow on social platforms, such as Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram. Following an account allows a user to view and engage with the social media posts for accounts they follow.

Following is simply a quantitative number and is not typically used to track performance. However, it can potentially be an important metric when it comes to consumer perception.

Social media is about engagement and community. People will follow a company’s account to learn more about the company and engage with their content. If a company does not choose to follow others, it might give the perception that they are only interested in sharing their content and not reciprocating. Choosing to follow users on social platforms signals a company’s interest in others and is seen as a positive.

It can also be helpful in expanding reach and visibility. Specifically, following relevant and complementary accounts allows for new opportunities to expand visibility to a wider audience and potentially cross promote products and services through this digital relationship.

Facebook’s following functionality works differently than the other platforms. A business page is only able to follow, or “like” another business page, and cannot follow personal pages. For personal pages, a user automatically follows someone once a friend request is accepted. Personal pages can follow companies and public pages without sending a friend request.