Don’t Cut Corners to Grow Followers Online

Success doesn’t always happen overnight; and even if it did, we all need time to develop the character and capacity to maintain it.

By Jennifer R. Farmer

I recently learned of a plastic surgeon, Dr. Katherine Roxanne Grawe, who allegedly filmed and live broadcasted some medical procedures on TikTok. The State Medical Board of Ohio voted unanimously on July 12, 2023, to permanently revoke her medical license. My thoughts are with her patients, and Dr. Grawe herself because no one goes to medical school, or nursing school for that matter, with the intention of being barred from practicing one day.

And even as I acknowledge this unfortunate situation, I recognize that this experience is a teachable moment for the rest of us. There is tremendous pressure to grow one’s social media following. Growing your platform can increase investments in your organization or company, boost book sales, and increase our online reach. Having a lot of followers on social media can be conflated with credibility in the eyes of new followers, customers, or clients, though I caution us to really examine whether this is the case. Having a large platform is nice, but the real focus should be on developing a strong brand and reputation.

It is obvious that not everything is meant for social media. When one works in the medical or legal professions, or when one is bound by privacy concerns, sharing too much online can be distasteful, unethical, and dangerous. And yet, people do it to gain followers and influence. I’ve also seen leaders be intentionally controversial as a strategy to stand out or even go viral.

While being controversial may temporarily help a person gain followers, there are ways to increase your online reach and presence without compromising your future self. Being consistent, posting regularly, giving your audience something that meets a defined or undefined need are all excellent ways to grow your online audience or strengthen your brand.

The most important takeaway however is that growing your platform takes time. Be wary of people who cut corners or promise to take you from 0 to 100 overnight. Success doesn’t always happen overnight; and even if it did, we all need time to develop the character and capacity to maintain it.

I like to remind myself that I am in a competition with only myself. The same is true for you. This is your race to run, and your brand to carefully manage. Be diligent and patient. You do not need to turn to gimmicks or questionable tactics to grow your platform. Focus on building a strong brand, one day and one post at a time.