They Simply Follow without Contributing Anything
People on the Internet want everything for free.
That is why so many people have free access to so many blockbusters on the Internet. Do you not believe me? Many free movies that are still in theaters can be accessed through the plunder site, especially if you live in India, the Philippines, or Thailand.
There, I just gave you a picture of why you have passive followers. Because people want everything for free. I’m just kidding with you, haha.
There are some other reasons why in this writing community, you gain passive followers…
==================================================================== =====
1. It just happened in the comment section
Yes, sometimes your own comment in someone else’s comment section got you a follower. Perhaps you mentioned something with a lucrative element in it, and someone noticed the comment and decided to follow you. This isn’t something I made up; it happens to me all the time.
Sometimes, if you put insightful or funny thoughts, it attracts people to look at your page. This kind of bet is on every social media platform. The answer always depends.
But most of the time, I don’t think they follow you in a sustainable way. Consider it good fortune. Don’t bother doing it again to gain followers. Just focus on being a genuinely nice person who appreciates society. You simply won a lucky bet.
2. They follow you because you ask them to
This happened all the time in the early days of the internet when people started their own YouTube channels and asked their friends to follow them, but it turned out that they only followed, not supported.
Sometimes, when you ask them to follow you, they intend to do so because they feel bad if they don’t.
If people who actually know you are able to do that, then imagine what strangers would do. You must understand that the internet operates in the most evasive manner when you need help the most. In my personal opinion, the internet reinvents the word “fake” and adds steroids to it.
The number of people who follow you will make you look cooler, but the insights you actually provide to others are what will make your work impactful.
3. You have several topics that have not actually resonated with your followers
This one is not really your fault. I’m telling you, this one is understandable. I mean, come on, man, not every day we have a bright-light topic to share with you. Sometimes we write to do self-therapy, put out the stress, and have fun.
Don’t get too focused on what is really going to make you famous because it will never happen in a blink. It’s better to have a baby step, work hard, and use sustainable tactics rather than burn out after a week.
Here is my menu:
- Problem-solving genre article
- Self-help/self-development genre article
- Money genre article
And if I cannot deliver these three, then I will change the money genre article to a random thought article. I’ve been there before and posted 4 to 5 articles a day, and it left me with back pain and a bad mood.
4. Dying topics
It’s more like they already knew about the subject before they read your article. They also know you have a good point of view and that the side hustle presented in the article wasn’t an easy one, so they see where you’re coming from and decide to follow you.
Yes, in short form explanation, it’s because they feel bad for you.
I mean, I would do the same thing too, especially for those who write more than 4000 words and only gain 16 claps… 6 claps from me. I think this kind of things would happens if you write about oversaturated topics as well especially if it has already been delivered effectively by people with more clout.
This one is a pure opinion, but for me, it not only makes you so overshadowed but also makes you look like you are in second-grade kind of vibes…
…sorry…
5. They feel like you abandoned them.
Ok, I agree that everyone wants to have different treatment because everyone wants to feel special. However, I found that some people followed you to express their desire to collaborate with you, but they found it hard to ask.
They know questioning that stuff will appear unethical, especially if you act differently than they expect. It’s like arguing with foreigners who begin with “Well, in my country, we have to…” and finish with “I guess I will never understand then.”
Or
You started moving in a different way than they had expected. Like, they follow you because you write about cooking, but when you started writing about alcohol and cigarettes after 3 months, they felt like they lost you. Also, you never talk to each other closely.
**Final verdict**
This is why so many people have suggested “niche down” from the very beginning, and I understand why now. If you have successfully gathered many people to follow and engage with you, it is way harder when you have no clear direction.
Every beautiful face person has over 10,000 Instagram followers, so why would anyone bother following me instead? Lucky for me, this is Medium. Yes, a beautiful profile picture has an effect on followers, I wrote an article about that based on my research (A/B testing).
But to put it blankly, that kind of move from people stopped on follow, they will not move to views or read. They engage with you because they are interested in you as a person, not because they are interested in the authenticity of your writing.
Okay, believe it or not, you can convert passive followers into active followers if you really want it. Here’s how:
- Get in touch, make your first move to talk, and ask for opinions about your article by commenting on their article politely. Make the bridge gently and carefully. Show your intention softly and look how the response.
- Make a list of the people who clapped and commented on your article, and make the summary after you have published more than 8 articles. After that, separate those who clapped & read from those who didn’t to make sure whether your follower is totally inactive on Medium or not.
- Look at the “published” section on your page, calculate the total article with the higher reader, and make that kind of article. But remember, if the theme of the most-read article is based on self-help, then please consider not making that up. People will notice.
- Learn to let go. Trust me, sometimes… we have to learn to let go and move on.
It’s great to have people follow you; it shows appreciation for your work, but only if it is real, genuine to your purpose on Medium, having people actually read your writing.
If you understand what I’m saying, then you can decide.