It probably comes as no surprise to learn that I am a bit of a social media junkie.
I have accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google Plus, Pinterest … I think that’s all for now. Most of the time I hang out on Facebook and Instagram; they’re my favourites.
I like to follow people and pages that interest me; most return the favour.
If someone “likes” or “follows” me, I will generally follow back – the exceptions are usually foreign males, and people who promote wraps or other businesses that I have no interest in.
So chances are, if your page is full of gym, sports, cars and the like, I probably won’t follow – it’s just not my cup of tea. The same goes for brands that are relevant to parents of babies; sorry, not interested. And as for the account that followed me recently called StripperBarShow? Yeah. Not following.
I get excited and go all “fan girl” when a big brand, celebrity or well-known blogger follows me – and of course I’m happy to follow them back (if I’m not already).
But here’s the thing.
Why Do People Unfollow on Instagram?
I’ve noticed some of these “big” social media accounts play the Follow-Unfollow game.
And I *really* don’t like it. It’s a blatant grab for followers, because once you return the favour, THEY. UNFOLLOW. YOU.
I only know this because I have downloaded a Followers app on my iphone.
Now ordinarily I don’t really care if people unfollow me. They have their reasons: maybe they are just cleaning up their account; maybe they are sick of #kittyspam; or hate my style posts. Whatevs. That’s cool.
But I have one Australian uber-blogger (not naming any names) who has followed me on Instagram – and then promptly unfollowed me – after I have followed back.
Once I could understand. However this has happened at least FOUR TIMES – within a couple of months. Now can you see why I call it the follow-unfollow game!
Because this is a high profile blogger with a large following, I’m assuming they have somebody else looking after their social media accounts. So it’s probably not them personally that is playing the game, but some hired hack.
I can only guess as to why these people unfollow on Instagram – they are trying to build maximum following.
Well it backfires with me because if they unfollow me, I turn around and unfollow them.
I think this whole follow-unfollow game is really poor form.
Or am I getting ticked off over nothing?!
Ingrid @ Fabulous and Fun Life says
The follow-unfollow game on Instagram is a pet peeve of mine too! When someone with 21K+ followers yet only following 200 starts following me I know that as soon as I follow them they will unfollow me. If I love their account I will follow them regardless but if not I don’t.
Janet Camilleri says
Wise advice Ingrid … yep it seems a bit underhanded to me and I feel like I’m being “used” …
Lyndall says
I agree with you Janet. I only follow people who interest me and who follow about as many people as they have followers. I get that some people will unfollow me at some point, that’s OK, but this blatant grab for followers is just NOT COOL!
Janet Camilleri says
To be honest I rarely follow celebrity or “big” social media accounts. I’m more interested in real people π .
Snoskred says
I’ve been doing a Bloglovin’ experiment this month. It is important to say up front, I have my own custom RSS reader on the home server, so I do not use a third party program like Bloglovin’ to follow my blogs.
I wanted to see if I could find more bloggers I enjoyed if I looked at the blogs of the followers of blogs already on my blogroll. Over the past couple of weeks, I have followed over 900 blogs over there and I have found some brilliant new blogs.. but the follow backs are few and far between. That’s ok because I wasn’t doing it for follow backs.. I’ll post a few thoughts on the experiment on 29 September and then my list of new found blogs on the 30th.
What is the name of the app? π What programs can that app tell you about? I’m assuming Facebook and Instagram – two which I really don’t use at all – but any others?
I agree with you, it is poor form to unfollow. However I’m not sure how effective the follow people until they follow you concept is, given that people who follow back are few and far between in my (recent) experience. π
Janet Camilleri says
I’m using a free app called Followers+, it only does Instagram … I think if I upgraded to the paid version it would do other platforms though. I’m looking forward to your post at the end of September about your experiment!
Min@WriteoftheMiddle says
That would tick me off too!! I have no idea about it though because the only social media where I notice unfollows is Facebook! Not sure if I want your app – I might get too upset if I see what is REALLY going on! lol
Janet Camilleri says
I keep hearing stories too that it’s not always accurate, ie it SAYS people have unfollowed you but they actually haven’t …
JF Gibson says
I don’t get too hung up on follower counts, numbers and statistics. I tend to follow things I like and then unfollow if I don’t feel like they are adding value to my feed anymore. But, this is poor form and a part of the social media game that annoys me. Yes they probably have someone else handling their social media for them, but if they have built a personal brand such as a blog I think this is as unauthentic as you can get. They reason they do it (if I put back on my dusty social media consultancy hat) is that the ratio of followers to following is important to brands and sponsors. Someone who has huge following and isn’t following many is seen as having a higher brand reputation. And don’t get me started on that ‘logic’.
Janet Camilleri says
Yes I think that’s a silly kind of logic too – to my mind a fairly even ratio of following/followers would indicate somebody highly engaged with their social media community. I think you’ve hit the nail on the head with the word “unauthentic” – that’s probably why it bugs me so much. I’m all about being authentic, genuine, sincere and keeping it real!
Jody at Six Little Hearts says
This made me laugh!
I have the same app and love it. I have had those very same experiences – possibly the same uber-blogger! I do the unfollow too if I am unfollowed first. I don’t think I have ever unfollowed someone off my own back but I dump people like lightning if they unfollow me!
There is so much of this account building technique on Insta and if I get a new follow from someone with 17k followers who is only following 200 accounts themselves, then I don’t play along.
There are a few bloggers who grow larger all of a sudden and popular with brands and then unfollow the smaller guys who helped them get there in the first place. This is really unfortunate when I see this.
Janet Camilleri says
Glad I’m not the only one Jody π … I hate how these folk are “using” social media. I prefer to follow and be followed by real, genuine people.
Sally@Toddlers on Tour says
I hear you and totally agree – I am noticing similar games particularly on Twitter. I think it’s an App they have installed. Like the ones that send that generic message follow me on Facebook too.
Janet Camilleri says
Funnily enough it doesn’t bother me anywhere near as much on Twitter, but then I don’t really like Twitter so that’s probably why π
Vanessa says
I think it’s annoying and if they’re outsourcing their SM they should stop as that stuff will damage their blog/brand/themselves.
Someone followed me on IG recently that had “blocked if you don’t follow me” in their profile and I’m thinking “block away!!!”
I was looking at an app to see when people are most active but it seemed to only show me the people who were unfollowing me and I don’t care about that.
Janet Camilleri says
Wow! I can’t believe that comment you got on IG – as you said, “block away”!
Deb @ inner compass designs says
I noticed this too. The first few times I was kind of flattered thinking someone “big” liked my stuff but once I realised they unfollowed soon after I became suspect of any biggie who I am not already following/connecting with. I have a similar app and love it because it also lets me see who recently followed in case I missed checking someone out, also let’s me see that the idiots I block at being removed from my list.
Janet Camilleri says
Yes, it’s great for noticing followers we might have previously missed π
Melissa {Suger} says
Thanks to the point to this post lady, I have a bit to say on this subject actually!
I experimenting with one of those apps that tracks follow and unfollows and has the option to unfollow accounts that aren’t following back and all that jazz a few months ago now. What. A. Disaster. This stupid app even managed to unfollow my own SISTER. Awkward. Suffice to say that app was promptly binned and I am still coming across accounts that I swore I follow but no longer do. The worst. So there’s that.
But also, I like to think that my blog pages the followers are for potential collaborators and those people and brands I want to build a relationship with. This is easier to do now that I have my personal account, but I won’t give a follow for a follow. A like for a like. I think if I’m not interested than I’m the wrong person to have on their page anyway. I’m useless.
BUT that said, if someone regularly likes or comments on my posts I like to pop over and visit them where they live and say hi. If something takes my fancy I like or comment. But I won’t follow unless there’s something there that really captures my imagination. Jadah from Simple Green Smoothies covered something akin to this in her presentations at PBevent.
So yes, I hate the follow, unfollow game (I noticed it’s in action pretty heavily on Twitter at the moment – add me again lady I’m blocking you!). It’s just one more way that bloggers are super creepy on social media (another Jadah reference). So yes, agreed. And if it was me, no more follows for that blogger. Are they kidding!?
Janet Camilleri says
I’ve heard that can happen (ie it unfollows/shows unfollows that didn’t really happen etc). Yes, I’m getting more selective about who I follow now too. Every now and then I do a binge follow on IG but if they haven’t followed me back in a few weeks OR I’m not enjoying/noticing them in my feed, I delete them … yup I’m not following THAT blogger again either!!! But it was fun to see how they KEPT doing it!
Hugzilla says
Urgh, and this is why I don’t participate in those “like for like” threads on FB. The number of times I would go and like 20 or 30 pages and get maybe 5 or 10 back. Rude. Won’t do them anymore and don’t care about my pitiful FB numbers. Destined to be a loser forever. LOL!
Janet Camilleri says
I doubt it Zilla – you have such a witty way with words. Love what you did with your sponsored post on a microwave – well done!
Malinda @mybrownpaperpackages says
I am totally with you on this, I hate it! I tend to only follow back people who interest me and I want to see their feed. And if I am skeptical to why someone followed me I check their following/followers numbers – if they have high followers and low following they will usually unfollow you straight away
Janet Camilleri says
Smart thinking Malinda, I will have to start doing that.
Deborah says
No, I hear you. I don’t tend to notice who follows me or likes me etc… I have VERY few Facebook likes (like 200 or something) and same with Instagram. I have 3 twitter accounts so am never really sure who I’m following or who’s following me from any specific account.
I guess I don’t engage enough over SM anymore that I care that much…. though I used to. I loved Twitter and once spent every commute to and from work tweeting.
Nowadays I only care if someone I think I know doesn’t follow me and I can’t send a DM cos then you sound kinda pitiful telling them they need to follow you so you can message them! (If that makes sense!)
Janet Camilleri says
Yes, what IS the etiquette around that? I have a few people I know that aren’t following me on IG or FB and I’m totally shocked and devastated … but don’t know whether to say something or not … because I’m not sure if it’s on purpose, or just an oversight!
Rebecca Bowyer says
That’s nuts! I can’t imagine what the motivation is – it’s not like there’s a follow cap on Instagram is there? I hit the follow cap on Twitter recently so used Crowdfire to weed out enough so I could follow more accounts that I’m interested in, but nothing systematic like that! #TeamIBOT
Janet Camilleri says
There’s a follow cap on Twitter?! Clearly I’m not addicted to it!
Fran says
Me too. I rarely follow the big ones on Instagram. I check new followers feed before following and have started using an app called followers. Even medium sized accounts are doing the follow-unfollow so I unfollow too.
Janet Camilleri says
Fran I think that’s the same app I’m using.
Shannon@ my2morrows says
Urghh… This really annoys me amd you are right it’s happening so much now. i just try and stay true to myself and will only follow back if it’s relevant to me and takes my fancy. And likewise I only want those following me who think My stuff is their cuppa tea so I don’t get hung up on the un followers. I think I’d work myself into a frenzy of I had that app. Xx
Janet Camilleri says
I think that’s the best way to be Shannon π
EssentiallyJess says
That’s kind of rude. I wonder what people are thinking sometimes? Everything appears to be driven by a ‘me-first’ mentality, and there’s no thought given to what you could actually get out of a relationship with people.
I get frustrated by the messages I get to my EJ facebook page. “I’ve liked you, please look at my page.” But they never interact, it’s all just about boosting numbers.
Janet Camilleri says
I like to leave a message to say I’ve liked, with my page link, in the hope they’ll check it out and like it but it’s cool if they don’t.
Zoe | A Quirky Bird says
Oh Janet, it’s so crazy. Lately I’ve been feeling like a “loser” because it looks like I follow people to be liked. because I follow 400 more than follow me. I just don’t have the time for it.
I met someone who had unfollowed me because I hadn’t worked with her, which is fair enough. I had already unfollowed her back. We liked each other in RL so now follow each other, till when?
It’s all a bit high school.
Zoe xx
Janet Camilleri says
Yes! High school, that’s it exactly!!!!
mara says
My account is a professional account and I get really tired by this unfair game
I don’t followback anyone
but I have to mention that some years ago, I had a personal account on IG, it wasn’t like that
I really prefer to have few real followers and few followed, quality over quantity,ever!
Annie Warren says
Yeah… this got on my nerves so badly, I started doing something really out of character for me. I started calling them out. Publicly. I post a comment on one of their most recent photos. I don’t get nasty or aggressive because I don’t want to look like the ‘bad guy’. I leave a comment like…
“Just wondering if following an account one day then UNfollowing it the next is your strategy to build up followers? If it is…. it’s pretty sucky. YOU follow us, we follow back, then you unfollow. I guess it works because most don’t notice. It seems to be a growing trend, but I think it’s very misguided. Social media is about connecting, not numbers and trying to look important.”
Funny thing is, every time I do this I get a message back, apologising, re-following and explaining how it was a mistake or someone else’s fault. For me it’s not about getting their follow back. It’s about making them think twice about doing it next time. Either way….. it’s gratifying and just a bit offun watching them squirm! Hahaha
Janet Camilleri says
Love it Annie! I will have to give it a whirl π