The Shifting Sands of Social Media: Dan Sherrard-Smith on Content Over Follower Counts

In a recent LinkedIn post, Dan Sherrard-Smith discusses a significant shift in the social media landscape, particularly on platforms like LinkedIn, arguing that the era of prioritizing sheer follower numbers is over. Sherrard-Smith posits that the algorithms are evolving, placing a greater emphasis on content relevance rather than the size of an account’s audience.

As Dan Sherrard-Smith notes:

Social media is dead. I’ve spent 3 years building 70,123 followers. They matter far less than they used to.

This assertion challenges the long-held belief among many creators and businesses that accumulating a large follower base is the primary metric for success. Sherrard-Smith suggests that the focus has moved from who you follow to what the platform believes you *want* to see, a fundamental change in how content is surfaced and consumed.

The Algorithm’s New Priorities

Sherrard-Smith highlights how the LinkedIn algorithm’s evolution is central to this change. He explains that the platform is no longer solely curating feeds based on direct follows. Instead, it’s increasingly driven by an AI’s prediction of user interest.

According to Dan Sherrard-Smith:

What surfaces in someone’s feed now isn’t the accounts they follow. It’s the content the platform thinks they’ll care about.

This shift, he argues, democratizes reach. The implication is that even individuals or brands with a modest following can achieve significant visibility if their content resonates strongly with the target audience. This is a departure from the past where a large existing audience was often a prerequisite for widespread impact.

From Follower Counts to Remarkable Content

To illustrate this point, Sherrard-Smith shares an anecdote about a client who, despite having fewer than 200 followers, managed to achieve over 50,000 impressions with a single post. This resulted in a substantial increase in followers within a week.

Dan Sherrard-Smith points out the key takeaway from this scenario:

She didn’t have a big audience. She had one remarkable post. The algorithm did the rest.

This case study underscores Sherrard-Smith’s central thesis: the power of a single, well-crafted piece of content can now outweigh the cumulative effort of years of follower acquisition. The algorithm, in this view, acts as a powerful distribution engine for high-quality, relevant content.

Implications for Founders and Experts

Sherrard-Smith frames this development as positive news for entrepreneurs and subject matter experts who may not have the resources or time to build massive followings conventionally.

He argues:

The founders who win aren’t the ones with the biggest lists. They’re the ones able to articulate an idea clearly, for their ideal clients.

This perspective suggests that authenticity, clarity, and a deep understanding of one’s target audience are now more critical than ever. The ability to create content that genuinely speaks to the needs and interests of a specific group can bypass the traditional barriers to visibility.

In conclusion, Dan Sherrard-Smith advocates for a paradigm shift in social media strategy, moving away from a numbers-game approach towards a focus on creating impactful, algorithm-friendly content. The message is clear: relevance and quality now trump quantity in the evolving digital communication landscape.