A follower to following ratio is the number of followers your profile has relative to the number of profiles you are following. This is also called sometimes as your “follow ratio.” Who cares about that, and is it important in some way? The answer is short, but not cut-and-dried: yes and no, at the same time. The follower to following ratio is more than the vanity metric – it can reveal your follower gaining tactics: like, for example, using the ‘follow/unfollow’ method or following everyone back. How to avoid such a first impression when someone is visiting your profile for the first time? How many profiles should you follow for your account to look professional? Let’s discuss and elaborate on that!
You don’t want to look like a follow/unfollow method enthusiast
Let’s be clear: you don’t want your potential followers and new readers to think “she/he is definitely a person who follows and then unfollows to gather a bigger audience”. Why “FU” tactic is so harmful, and what exactly is it?
“Follow/unfollow” is a technique that some Instagrammers use (mostly the ones who are new on the platform): they start following a bunch of people with hope they will follow back (there are even apps that do it automatically for them), and then unfollow them after a few days.
Using this technique looks spammish – and if people notice it, they’re less likely to follow you and see you as an authority in your niche. It doesn’t work in long-term strategy: it can be tempting because you may get instant gratification, but those new followers won’t be your loyal, engaged ones.
What the amount of profiles you follow says about you
The rule is simple: you should be following fewer people than there are following you.
Following is much different than engaging: you can follow 2 000 profiles but never engage with them at all. That’s why you should be picky and follow only those accounts you really look up to and those who make sense to you or your brand. Be selective – you want to give your energy and time only to the connection that can be valuable.
When it comes to official restrictions- Instagram limits your following when you reach 7 5000 followed accounts. Notwithstanding, this is a requirement rather than a recommendation. If you have, let’s say, for example, 2,000 followers, then we wouldn’t recommend following more than that – as it really can appear ‘spammy.’
Should you follow back?
What’s the point in following someone back if you know that you’ll hit “unfollow” within a month or two? Don’t follow people for no reason – don’t feel obligated to follow someone just because they liked your photos or followed you. If you follow EVERYONE back, it’s going to lead you to a very uninteresting, messy Instagram feed.
Three essential questions can help you decide whether you genuinely want to follow someone back:
- Is this the person I’d love to have in my community?
- Is this someone who could be legitimately interested in knowing me better or someone interested in collaboration/work with me?
- Is this profile somehow beneficial to my life? Does it inspire me, motivate me or educate me on topics I want to be better at? Does it offer some value? Do you indeed find it interesting?
What if my follower to following ratio is unfavorable?
What if your follower to following ratio is really adverse? It’s not the worst thing in the world – but maybe it’s time to start your digital cleansing? Start with the following audit. Look carefully at who you are following and be honest with yourself: do I truly enjoy content from all those people? If not, don’t hesitate to click “unfollow.” It’s surprisingly beneficial to do “the cleanup” once a year, twice a year, or how often you need it – the essential thing is to follow only those accounts that surely inspire you or the things you can relate to. If you’re a brand: it’s also strategic to follow profiles that share content you can reshare or engage with.
We know this post doesn’t provide an exact number for what this follower/following ratio should be and how many people you should follow. Because there isn’t one number fitting all of you. Hopefully, it’s taken you through an unusual thought-provoking process that you can use to find the right balance and not fall into the trap of following everyone back.
Stay tuned for upcoming posts – they will save your time (so you won’t be glued to your phone 24/7), and we’ll discuss all the efficient ways to grow your Instagram account without burnout. So many tips and tricks coming this way!