Not only does follower number literally measure popularity; it also implies a level of influence, visibility, and attention. Veronica Belmont can tweet something like “For future reference, a vodka tonic before cardio kickboxing is probably not the best course of action” and have it read by more than half a million people—more than the reach of some television shows. Because number of followers connotes such status, some people actively court new followers by cultivating an audience, frequently replying to followers, and tailoring tweets to their followers’ interests.

Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, loc. 213