The Era of Numbers is Over.. Why the Number of Followers is No Longer Important in the World of Content Creators?

SadaNews - The number of followers on social media platforms is no longer the decisive criterion for the success of content creators, as algorithms now almost completely control what is shown to users, according to several executives in the content creator economy.

Today, simply posting a new update does not necessarily mean it will reach followers, as algorithms have become the primary controllers of content distribution.

Amber Vins Box, the CEO of the LTK platform, states that 2025 marked a clear turning point, where the algorithms became the final decision-makers, diminishing the traditional importance of follower counts, according to a report published by TechCrunch and seen by Al Arabiya Business.

This shift is not new to content creators; Jack Conte, the CEO of Patreon, warned about this phenomenon years ago, but its impact has become more apparent now, with influencers and live streamers adapting to this new reality.

According to company officials, creators have begun seeking new ways to maintain their relationship with their audiences, some aiming to counteract the poor content produced by artificial intelligence, while others are producing massive quantities of content in an attempt to dominate the algorithms themselves.

The LTK platform, which relies on affiliate marketing to connect content creators with brands, is fundamentally based on audience trust in the influencer.

With growing concern over the fracturing of the relationship between the two sides, this model appears to be at risk.

However, a study conducted by Northwestern University revealed an unexpected surprise: a 21% increase in trust in content creators over the course of one year.

Box explains that artificial intelligence has driven users to seek out "real humans" with genuine experiences, which has encouraged the audience to intentionally follow specific content creators.

According to the same study, 97% of marketing managers plan to increase their influencer marketing budgets over the next year.

Despite this, controlling the relationship with the audience remains a significant challenge.

Some content creators are turning to building paid communities or platforms that are less governed by algorithms, while others, especially in live streaming and video, are relying on growth hacking strategies.

One of the most prominent strategies is what is known as "clip armies," where content creators recruit groups of teenagers via platforms like Discord, offering them payment to cut and distribute short clips of content across various platforms.

These clips may spread widely regardless of the account that publishes them, as long as they capture the attention of the algorithms.

Experts view this phenomenon as similar to the evolution of meme accounts, but it may ultimately lead to an oversaturation of platforms with repetitive and low-quality content.

This has led the term "slop" or "poor content" to earn the title of word of the year from Merriam-Webster's dictionary.

In contrast, data indicates that users are becoming more inclined to spend longer periods in smaller, more specialized digital communities, such as Strava, LinkedIn, and Substack, in search of genuine interaction away from the noise of algorithms.

Experts expect that content creators with specialized interests will achieve greater success in the coming phase, while replicating the models of "big stars" with hundreds of millions of followers will become increasingly difficult.

Algorithms have become adept at providing precise content tailored to the interests of each group, limiting a single content creator's ability to spread in all directions.

Observers believe that the content creator economy is not limited to entertainment; it extends into various fields, from agriculture to industry, where some creators have successfully transformed their channels into authentic and influential brands in reality.

Despite ongoing fluctuations, this economy remains resilient and adaptable, drawing on its long experience in dealing with algorithmic changes, affirming that real influence is not measured by the number of followers, but by the depth of the relationship with the audience.