What Profile Access Counts and Follower Growth Numbers Really Indicate

Profile access counts indicate how strongly viewers of a post wanted to learn more about a brand. Follower growth numbers indicate the extent to which that interest developed into an ongoing relationship. These two metrics should be treated as representing different stages, or depths, of interest.

Why These Two Metrics Should Be Viewed Separately

Profile access counts and follower growth numbers are both metrics that reflect "actions triggered by a post," but the weight of these actions differs. A profile visit represents a momentary expression of interest, while a follow represents a clear intent to continue receiving information going forward. As discussed in Why High Engagement Rates Don't Always Lead to Results, looking only at the volume of reactions to a post causes you to overlook this difference in the depth of interest.

What Profile Access Counts Indicate

Profile access counts show how many times viewers of a post felt they wanted to "know more" and went to check the brand's account. This is an early-stage metric for measuring whether the content of a post was engaging enough to capture interest. Even if it doesn't lead to a follow, it serves as evidence that interest in the brand was generated. While this number alone can't tell you whether it led to a follow or a purchase, it does provide a way to judge whether a post had the power to capture interest.

What Follower Growth Numbers Indicate

Follower growth numbers show how many of the people who visited the profile decided they wanted to continue receiving the brand's updates. Whether a profile access converts into a follow depends not only on the content of the post but also on the information presented in the profile itself and the accumulated history of past posts. As discussed in Designing KPIs for Influencer Initiatives — How to Combine Reach, Engagement, and Branded Search, which metrics to prioritize should shift depending on the phase of the initiative, and follower growth numbers should be positioned as the metric for assessing whether interest has developed into an ongoing relationship.

Scope of This Article

This article addresses the difference in meaning between profile access counts and follower growth numbers. It does not cover specific tactics for improving follow conversion rates or methods for enhancing profile pages.

Conclusion

Profile access counts and follower growth numbers are both metrics that indicate interest, but they represent different depths of that interest. We believe that rather than weighing both equally, treating them as metrics at different stages and using them accordingly is the best way to accurately capture the true effectiveness of a post.