What does...
As an author with a psychological twist, and into comedy, I thought I would explore this area
Let's begin with the lady herself... Could +Britney Spears be sitting in her beautiful mansion right now, sipping on some green tea, thinking "um, I wonder how many people have circled me today...?" I suspect not. She is probably sitting back, relaxing and planning for her next sell out tour - I doubt she is saying..."*Gimme More*...followers..."
BTW...I googled for that oneliner :D
So why would us more normal folk want to have more followers...?
Here are a few suggestions...
1. It feels good - I tend to avoid using the word "ego" (as it is just the Latin word for "I") but some would say "followers are good for the ego".
Ok, there are issues with having an overinflated ego, but one Buddhist teacher said you've got to have one before you get rid of it!
So, more people following does have an internal affect i.e. they feel somethingabout people following them.
And we like to be listened to.
2. It helps to set goals - if you have the intention of having an additional 1000 people circle you within the next two weeks, you take action and work towards achieving it.
As we well know, people who set goals focus their attention in that direction. It also feels good to achieve them.
Check out Edwin Locke's theory here: http://goo.gl/y4YOc
3. We can give back to more people - When we reach a more "comfortable position" many choose to help other people do the same.
Many people enjoy that feeling too.
4. Is Google+ feeding you in some way? - there are consequences to having more followers and some people may stop, and be happy.
This is interesting, why would some people want to reach 1million+ people and others be happy with 1000.
This comes down to self needs - if for instance, someone has their social validation from another source (and it is a "felt" experience)
then they may not care about having it on Google+ as well.
5. The self determines the level of need - this is an individual thing. It is different for everyone, based on their own lives at the time.
So, if this does not apply to you and you are already happy that is excellent. It will, however, apply to those whose needs are not satisfied.
If we use numbers as a "reference point" to our selves, then it matters. If we don't, it doesn't.
6. To find the people who want a higher level of interaction with you (and maybe even buy your products/services) you may well need more followers.
It takes a while to find people who are like you and that like you. The broader the network the more likely you will find the gems.
7. The more success you have, the more you get....which takes us to....
Success to the successful
Have you noticed this in life yourself?
People who get some success seem to attract it.
In something called systems theory -which came out of the work of cybernetics, Stafford Beer (http://goo.gl/RdpZI) being one of the fellows who pioneered it - there is a concept:
Success to the successful
(check out an article I found for more: http://goo.gl/KyVbC)
When this self reinforcing feedback loop is in place, those who have already got success keep getting more successful.
You know, just like when people are standing around looking at the sky, more people join them to see what is going on!
So, for instance, on Google+ people who are seen with a higher number of circles are more likely to be followed.
Simple.
If many people are attracted to you, it is likely that this will attract more people to you as it socially validate their thoughts/feelings/attraction.
There is an assumption that there are enough people to circle enough people, of course, but as we know Google+ has hardly even started to lift off yet:
http://goo.gl/uwIca (an article I did around Roger's Innovation Adaption Curve).
Do numbers really matter?
So, this got me thinking as to why so many of us, including myself, even care about the number of people following us?
I mean, if I was walking down a street and I had 3958 followers I would probably call the police or the Pope.
Or even worse, what if they were "circling me". I digress....
And so many people on Google+ have a HUGE following on here.
We know it is not all about the numbers; there has to be both good quality in the people who have circled you and for many, quality engagement with them.
So, we have the good old issue of "quality or quantity".
Quantity without any engagement really wouldn't be much fun at all.
+Bearman Cartoons says it would be an error not to engage, especially on your own posts!
But numbers really do matter
h/t +Jaana Nyström for opening my eyes to this...
"In social media, your audience has the same motivation it’s had for thousands of years.
They want to share information with the friends and family that will give them the reputation of being a valuable person to interact with.
So give it to them."
Dan Zarella - (http://danzarrella.com/#)
there is some great information on Pinterest here as well,
and i promise never to troll on it again I just need to understand it better +Eric Rice :D
And of course, some celebrities (i.e. those "celebrated by people"- circled) who get taken off the suggested users list (#SUL) even ask who they need to give sexual favour to, to get back on it (+Steve Ward)! It would be good to hang with you one day and here if it worked out.
Applications of having more followers...
Education and entertainment - if you are looking at the possibilities of using Google+ to educate people (in any way), to entertain them,
or any other engagement there are new emerging ways to make that part of your life, and with it even make a living.
+Brock Predovich's launch of www.plushang.com is one that will be explored by many.
Hey, who knows, maybe Britney could use it to monetize how manages having so many followers herself!
Ok maybe not, but...
There could be Google+ers on here that could take a lead on this....
I'd want to listen to the lovely +Amanda Blain telling us about running a successful start-up...and much more!
+Guy Kawasaki telling us the top ten tips for getting consulting work, as he seems to have with great people like #evernote
+Linda Dee you could educate people on their diets, transforming their energy levels at the same time
+Eren Mckay you could be teaching people to sing, your voice is like an angel
and the wonderful +Daria Musk is already there
But would people want to pay to listen to their art...this will be fun to explore...
Sponsorship deals - +Mike Shaw has a well deserved following due to his stunning photography and landed corporate attention as well.
He probably would not have done this with 500 followers as he would not have had the social validation in numbers that attracts people.
Clubs - this is an idea I had this week, not for brands, but for people on Google+. What club would you want to run and maybe even earn money from?
Once enough people think they can learn something from you, or it could be they are entertained,
then you could have an inner circle that joins your club and even "subscribes" to you material, as if you were a magazine.
The list will be almost endless!
And sometimes people want more circlers just to feel connected to more people to whom they relate. +Susanne Ramharter
So, numbers do matter for many people. Quality matters as well.
Number do matter as quality will emerge through the higher numbers.
More followers will tend to "feel good" as people are listening to you more.
And we like that.
As far as Britney goes, she has made her following in the world already so Google+ may not be on her radar so much.
For us, as we connect to more people through every interaction we are "pelting out tunes" that we hope resonate with people who circle us.
I suspect +Britney Spears has many other social engagements to attend but I would be pleasantly surprised if she got in touch due to a post on Google+!
And that would, of course, socially validate me to some extent as well.
Especially because I wrote something she could be interested in reading...http://goo.gl/bOVR2
Thanks for all your support :) +Visnja Zeljeznjak provided the forum for inspiration today and +Johan Horak gave the needed encouragement ;)
I love the interactions I have with you and the writing is just my way of connecting.
Thanks to +Rahul Roy for suggesting the following:
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Thomas Morffew12:10 PM
I bet you a tenner that if someone asked her what she thought about G+ she would go, "Huh?"
martin shervington12:12 PM (edited)
+Thomas Morffew I would tend to agree with you old chap ;) Although it is a fun idea to think of her "tapping you up" for a share on a post though :P
Brock Predovich12:11 PM
Wow, amazing post +martin shervington great info, thank you so much for the mention. I'll be sharing this!
Sheila B. DuBois12:13 PM
+martin shervington I don't think she even cares. as I don't think she completed this profile. I think her Public Relations over Social Media did. and I don't even follow her!
martin shervington12:13 PM
Thanks +Brock Predovich and I truly love the plushang.com venture. VERY cool indeed. I thought something could emerge but didn't know who it would be from ;)
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