Follow 4 Follow Anyone? My thoughts On The F4F Culture

Hi Everyone!

So just to warn you, this is likely to be a controversial post. The subject of which is the F4F/sub4sub culture. This post may come across as a rant. It isn’t meant that way. Neither is it aimed at anyone in particular. I’d also like to ask that, while everyone is entitled to their own opinion, if you wish to express yours in the comment section, please keep in mind the feelings of others. So with all that being said…

I have received a growing number of follow4follow & sub4sub requests (on Instagram & YouTube). Some of these take the form of ‘follow4follow?’ others are along the lines of ‘I really love your account! Follow for follow?’ These in particular annoy me. The person has stated that they like my account. But, they don’t like my account enough to follow it. Unless… I follow them first.

Is it just me or, reading between the lines, does this actually say ‘I’d like to have you as a follower & in return, I’d be prepared to follow you’? Lets assume you were to follow them. How do you know that they won’t unfollow you a week later?

Let’s take another example. I posted a picture on my Instagram account related to a YouTube video that had gone up that day. I received a comment saying something along the lines of ‘I’m a YouTuber too! I’d love it if you’d subscribe to my channel. I’ll subscribe back.’ Interestingly, I looked back at the comment for this post & it’s has been removed by it’s author! I recognised the name & checked my YouTube subscription & low & behold I was already subscribed. I swiftly unsubscribed.

There are also those comments that try to disguise with compliments the fact that they are, essentially, F4Fs. I received a lovely message from a YouTuber with a significant number of subscribers. She had taken the time to message me to thank me for being the only person in the whole week not to have asked her to check their channel out or subscribe to them. She then went on to say that as a result, she had gone to my channel, checked out my videos & subscribed!

We, by nature, seek the company of others. When at school we there’s an emphasis on being popular. This continues, all be it more subtly, into adulthood. I understand that naturally what happens in ‘real life’ transfers into ‘internet life’, as it is what the individuals in question know. What I don’t understand is the need to validate yourself by asking people to follow you. Is it not a little desperate? Personally, I would much prefer to converse with others & allow my thoughts & opinions (one of the reasons I love Twitter chats is that you get to chat to loads of people to talk to!) to be the reason people check out my material & if they like it, subscribe/follow.

I really hope this hasn’t offended anyone. I appreciate all points of view (you never know – there might well be something I haven’t factored in which changes my mind!).

Do F4Fs/sub4subs put you off?

Do you do F4Fs/sub4subs & if so, what are your thoughts & experiences?

Tania Xx