Offline fame and celebrity, not content quality, drive most follower growth

Evidence

Offline status affects how people are seen online, and vice versa. A famous person with an infrequently updated or mundane Twitter feed might have hundreds of thousands of followers, while an unknown person with sparkling wit could come to prominence on the service. Those who use and talk about Twitter like to promote the idea that good content is rewarded most, but it is clear that often sensationalism or celebrity is more likely to boost follower numbers. — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 261

Categorization

• XREF: Contradicts the ‘meritocratic platform’ ideology still common in creator-economy discourse today; echoes Bourdieu on how offline capital converts to online capital. — connects to: Follower counts conflate popularity with influence, visibility, and personal status — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update: Celebrity, Publicity,…, 213; Audience reception, not content quality, constitutes internet celebrity — Crystal Abidin, Internet Celebrity: Understanding Fame…, 92; Early tech-clique advantage on Twitter eroded once mainstream celebrities arrived — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update: Celebrity, Publicity,…, 208 (+2 more)