For more than two decades, I have watched social media evolve—from the early days of blogging to launching the Nokia Blogger Relations Program, and through the rise of every platform that promised to democratize influence. Throughout it all, one principle has remained true to me: it is not how many followers you have, but who they are that matters.
Today, leaders in the creator economy are finally echoing this view. A recent article highlights how follower counts are becoming increasingly irrelevant. Platforms dominated by algorithm-driven feeds no longer guarantee that your audience will even see what you post. Simply having a large following does not translate to reach or meaningful influence.
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This shift has been building for years. Many creators have long understood that follower totals are a poor measure of actual impact. Now, platform algorithms prioritize engagement, watch time, and the quality of interaction over subscriber numbers.
What drives success today is relationship, trust, and authentic engagement. That is why micro and nano creators are thriving, why niche expertise often outperforms broad reach, and why brands are increasingly seeking creators who know their audiences and understand what keeps them engaged. This mirrors what I have always believed: a tightly connected community built on shared value is far more powerful than a large but disengaged following. This is exactly what we did with the Nokia Blogger Relations Program in 2005, and why it’s often referred to as the seminal archetype of influencer relation programs.
As the creator economy continues to mature, the advantage will belong to those who prioritize authenticity over accumulation, connection over collection, and substance over vanity metrics. The era of follower counts as currency is ending, and influence is finally being measured by impact—as it should be.