Chris TrottierDec 3, 2022

Yesterday, I told a lot of disappointed folks that follower counts are often inaccurate.

A few chimed in that home instance follower counts are always accurate. This is not true either.

Scenarios for why home instance follower counts could be inaccurate is if instance:

1. Turns off follower count data
2. Gets re-installed
3. Migrates to another server or different software
4. Deliberately misrepresents follower counts

Bottom line: do NOT use follower counts as any core KPI metric!

Show threadChris Trottier

I mean, follower count is an altogether awful KPI metric no matter what social media site you use.

On Twitter, Instagram, TikTok etc. you could *always* fake follower counts.

They were always used to try to convince the gullible that certain accounts were always more important than they actually were.

It's just that on the Fediverse, it's now easier than ever to pop the illusion than follower counts are important metrics -- simply because the data is so inconsistent.

That makes me happy.

Dec 3, 2022 at 8:57pmWeb
Show threadChris TrottierDec 3, 2022

A lot of folks are like, "Entertainers need a social graph to get hired!"

That's still available on Twitter if you want it 😉

But consider: maybe *some* social media doesn't always have to be used to flog your act or product or whatever thing you're selling.

Maybe you can use *some* social media to instead interact with genuine humans instead of an abstract "audience".

Look at the loss of an accurate social graph as a different kind of opportunity.

Show threadMariya DelanoDec 3, 2022

@atomicpoet you’ve put it well.

I’m a marketer and I initially joined Mastodon just to see what the fuss was about and to get a sense of where social media was going.

Within minutes my purpose for being here shifted. The value of Mastodon is closer to Reddit than to Twitter. It’s a place to learn, see what intelligent people are working on and talking about, and maybe even connect and talk to those intelligent people.
I’m here to soak things up like a sponge.

Show threadChris TrottierDec 3, 2022
@mariyadelano I have no doubt that the Fediverse will be useful for many marketers. But like all tools, not everything is a proverbial hammer.
Show threadMariya DelanoDec 3, 2022
@atomicpoet exactly. So far it seems that the marketers in my network who are on here all have the same mindset.
In fact, I’ve noticed that many of us feel liberated here since we don’t have to worry about pleasing algorithms or “acting” to get more followers and comments
Show threadDanielle, The Head AlchemysticDec 4, 2022
@mariyadelano Yes! Here, it is about conversation, networking, and sharing. Being an actual community! It is a breath of fresh air. IMHO! 😁👋🏾🧡 @atomicpoet
Show threadOblomovDec 4, 2022
@atomicpoet ultimately, if you really want that social graph, you can reconstruct it even on Mastodon.
Show threadVirginia MurrDec 3, 2022

@atomicpoet

So many businesses & even non-profits interpret follower counts as somehow meaningful--and yet, it's the worst kind of fallacious popularity metric.

I worked at a non-profit (briefly before I quit for ethical concerns) where the CEO bought a bunch of followers & "views" and then she presented the data to the Board as evidence of "improved reach." She got a sizable raise for it.

Stunningly unethical? Of course. But, it's also stunningly common.

Show threadCharles RoperDec 3, 2022
@VirginiaMurr @atomicpoet Part of the problem there is that those who can call out that sort of BS don't get promoted to enough boards.
Show threadChris TrottierDec 3, 2022
@charlesroper @VirginiaMurr The other problem is people love it when numbers go up, not when they go down 😉
Show threadCharles RoperDec 3, 2022
@atomicpoet @VirginiaMurr People that report numbers going up get promoted. Vicious circle.
Show threadVirginia MurrDec 3, 2022

@atomicpoet @charlesroper

Absolutely true, though I'll never quite understand it, TBH.

When I realized how many fakes were on Twitter, I ditched approximately 5,000 followers. Keeping the acct small, informative, and *real* was my goal. It made everything better.

Show threadVirginia MurrDec 3, 2022

@charlesroper @atomicpoet

Absolutely true in my example. The board was a bunch of older (wealthy) gentlemen--none of whom have a social media presence, let alone a basic understanding of fakes & the ease with which a person can falsely amplify their accounts &/or messaging.

Show threadAdam DallianceDec 3, 2022
@atomicpoet Don't forget: Subscribers using the RSS feed instead of the activity-pub inbox-subscription.
Show threadChris TrottierDec 3, 2022
@pre Yep!
Show threadTerry Hancock (Director/Producer)Dec 3, 2022
@atomicpoet
Of course, if what you care about is REAL followers (not follower numbers that might be faked), it's a very different situation, and the Fediverse is MUCH better!

There's also the fact that the algorithm by promoting certain "popular" or "paid promotion" accounts, perforce suppresses accounts who rely entirely on their organic social graph ("word of mouth"). So, even if the followers are "real", they may never see your posts, and so, never interact.
Show threadDemocracy Must SurviveDec 3, 2022
@TerryHancock @atomicpoet apologies on my ignorance. What is the “fediverse”?
Show threadChris TrottierDec 3, 2022
@OligarchsMustNotWin @TerryHancock You're using it! Welcome to the Fediverse!
Show threadDemocracy Must SurviveDec 3, 2022
@atomicpoet @TerryHancock oh shit. Thanks. I’m a Twitter transplant boomer, so still getting the hang of things here.
Show threadTerry Hancock (Director/Producer)Dec 4, 2022
@OligarchsMustNotWin @atomicpoet
Fediverse is the name for the federated networks that Mastodon accesses, and they include more than just Mastodon instances. I'm typing this post on my Misskey instance, for example.
Show threadDemocracy Must SurviveDec 4, 2022
@TerryHancock @atomicpoet Thanks. I’m not super ‘techy’ so I appreciate the help in learning more about this app, and easing my transition away from Musk’s blue bird.