As a content creator, there's a constant battle of trying to build your following and watch that count creep up -- or even better to explode.
But there's something to be said about having a small following.
I've been highly inconsistent on all platforms this year and basically stagnated in the 1,600s on Instagram and the 300s on YouTube. I've continued fighting that battle, trying to post consistently, and post content that makes people want to hit "subscribe."
I've lost some of the joy that comes with sharing content in the first place.
Creating Connections
The first thing I love about having a smaller following is that I can get to know my more active followers intimately! There are a handful of people that have been supporting me since the beginning and I truly feel we've become internet friends over the years.
Having a low follower count means having an easier time replying to every comment and DM. Being able to engage with their content back and following their adventures. No one is just a face getting lost in the crowd, but a select group of individuals all in the journey together.
Being Authentic
The other thing I love most about having a small following is how much it reduces my fear of posting content that might flop or be weird/dumb/boring. There's a lot less pressure to create "perfect" posts every time knowing that tons of people will see them.
It's much easier to experiment and be genuine, sharing exactly what I want to. My audience consists of people that truly want to see what I'm sharing, so I can show up as myself everyday. This is especially true in Instagram Stories, where I share more of my personal life and behind the scenes.
This blog is a perfect example! I don't really publicize my website much and, as far as I know, no one is following here and reading what I post.
It's so liberating.
This is my outlet to share rambling thoughts like this one without fear of being judged or criticized. It helps me exercise my creativity, thinking skills, writing, and sharing of original content. If one day this blog somehow blew up and a bunch of people read these old posts, I'd still be fine with it! It's fun looking back to see how much I've grown and this is a great log of where I've been at different points along that path.
Appreciating Growth
Lastly, I've noticed how much growth is exciting at this stage. I still appreciate every single subscriber on YouTube and do a little celebration when I see that number tick up by one. Currently at 388 and hoping to hit 1,000 next year!
When I'm at 100,000 subscribers, I can't imagine I'd feel that same joy for each person that decides to follow me. I love that the significance of each number is so much greater right now. Each follower is still the same -- an actual living, breathing person somewhere out there in the world that decided to follow me! Out of all the creators! I love seeing that so clearly.
It's much easier to visualize 1,000 people than it is to see 1,000,000. It's awesome to think about that number of people watching my online videos and interacting with them. Hundreds and sometimes thousands of people look at their screens to see something I've created. That's wild and beautiful and something I'm deeply grateful for everyday.
The way of being a content creator of course means that I do hope to grow enough to be able to support myself with all this. While I'm not saying having a small following is more fun or better, it's just another phase to appreciate and enjoy while it lasts. It's like the early years of a child's life: lots of nurturing, learning new things, having fun, savoring the now while looking forward to the future.
Hope you're making it through the week smoothly and looking forward to the sleepy, slow season coming.
Happy adventuring,
A
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