If you wish to grow your online presence, Facebook is a good option. With nearly 3 billion users, this platform shows no signs of slowing down.
However, if you wish to grow on the platform, it’s key that you know its terminology. On Facebook, “followers” mean something different than they do on a platform such as X (Twitter) or Instagram. For those looking to expand their digital footprint quickly, an option to consider is to buy Facebook followers via Apple Pay, which can instantly enhance your social credibility and visibility. This article delves into the significance of Facebook followers and explores how they can impact your social media strategy and business growth.
What Does Following Mean on Facebook?
Facebook is a platform associated with “friending.” You send someone a friend request, they accept it, and then you can see their content on your feed. This concept is simple enough for most people. However, Facebook decided to add more nuance to personal profiles and added a “subscribe” feature, which evolved into “follow” in 2013.
A person can follow someone’s personal profile or page. Let’s examine the differences.
Followers Vs. Friends on Personal Facebook Profiles
When someone friends you on Facebook, it’s a two-way street. The person will see your updates on their wall, and vice versa. Also, you will appear on their friend’s list, assuming the list is set to public.
Meanwhile, a follower is a one-way street. If someone follows you, they receive updates from your feed, but you don’t see theirs. They are not in the “Friends” category, instead being on the “Followers” tab.
A person can follow a personal profile by visiting the profile and tapping “Follow.” Alternatively, they may send the account a friend request. Even if the person doesn’t confirm the request, the person who sent it is now a follower.
Some public figures or internet celebrities may use their personal Facebook as a fan page. They may only allow people they know personally to be their friends, but depending on the privacy settings, followers can still view, like, or comment on their posts. If the profile owner wants to make a post about their personal life, they can easily switch their post settings to friends-only.
What if a public figure or e-celeb lets their fans friend them? Followers are still influential, as friends are limited to 5,000. Meanwhile, followers are unlimited.
It should also be mentioned that when someone friends another person, they are automatically followers of each other. However, a person can unfollow another while still remaining friends. For instance, you know someone personally and are good friends with them, but you can’t stand their hot takes on Facebook.
Followers Vs. Likes on Pages
Pages are a little different.A brand or public figure creates a business or fan page. Someone can “Like” the page and receive updates related to it. A person’s like will also show on their profile.
Meanwhile, following a page is a similar principle, but there’s a difference. Followers are more private. If you follow a page, you will receive updates, but your followers will not be on your profile.
Why would someone follow and not like a page? There are several valid reasons. First, a person may follow a page because they are embarrassed by enjoying it. Say all your friends think a band is “cringe,” but you actually like them. You may follow their page to be low-key about it.
Another reason is that the page is divisive. The most obvious example is a political page. You can follow a political page while keeping your likes politic-free.
Why Does This Matter?
With all that said, why do followers on Facebook matter? It’s simple; they’re social proof. If someone finds your profile or page, they may see you have a large number of followers. As a result, they may assume that people follow your page because the content is high-value.
Another reason you should have many followers is that it’s important to the algorithm. When your page has many followers, the algorithm may recommend it to more people. Usually, Facebook’s algorithm will get it right, too, showing your page to people who have an interest in your content.
You can build a following by posting great content and finding your niche. We hope this article was helpful to you.