Not gonna lie, this one gets real. Jay Schwedelson and Daniel Murray go beyond the usual follower-count talk to break down what really matters when it comes to audience size—and what doesn’t. Social proof, ad credibility, platform strategies, and how to avoid looking like a ghost town brand all come into play. Whether you’re trying to grow a brand or just not embarrass yourself online, this one’s got some gems.
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Best Moments:
(00:40) The real reason Jay preps for Q4 months in advance—even if he procrastinates holiday shopping
(01:55) Why followers still matter when it comes to legitimacy and social proof
(02:54) Jay checks business credibility by LinkedIn followers, not websites
(03:49) YouTube Shorts outperforming subscriber-heavy accounts—and why that proves the algorithm has changed
(04:30) Why big brands run multiple burner accounts on social to maximize reach
(05:15) Running ads? People will click your profile—and your follower count influences their trust
(05:45) Followers unlock newsletter and broadcast features you can’t fake
(06:00) Set a baseline number to avoid looking sketchy—and stop chasing vanity metrics
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Check out our 100% FREE + VIRTUAL EVENTS! ->
Guru Conference - The World's Largest Virtual EMAIL MARKETING Conference - Nov 6-7!
Register here: www.GuruConference.com
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Check out Jay’s YOUTUBE Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@schwedelson
Check out Jay’s TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@schwedelson
Check Out Jay's INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/jayschwedelson/
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MASSIVE thank you to our Sponsor, Marigold!!
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