This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Ja
You've just posted your first few articles on Dev.to, feeling pretty good about sharing your programming wisdom with the world. Suddenly, ding - you've got followers! Ding ding ding - hundreds of them! You're practically the next Primeagen, right?
Wrong. So very wrong.
The Great Follower Mystery of 2024
Last week, I embarked on my Dev.to journey, armed with nothing but a keyboard and dreams of connecting with fellow developers. Within days, I had amassed over 600 followers. Amazing! Except...
- They all created their accounts like... yesterday. Which is faster than you can say "npm install"
- Their profiles are emptier than my git commit messages on a Friday work day.
- They engage with content less than a programmer engages with grass
It's like being the most popular person at a party where everyone is actually a cardboard cutout. Sure, the numbers look impressive, but try having a meaningful conversation with cardboard.
The "New User Experience" That Nobody Asked For
Dev.to apparently has this well-intentioned feature where they promote new authors to new users. In theory, this sounds great - help newcomers find fresh content! In practice, it's like setting up a blind date between two people who don't speak the same language and might not even be real people.
What We Actually Want:
- Real Engagement: I'd rather have 6 followers who actually read and comment than 600 who materialized from the digital void
- Quality Over Quantity: Show me to users who've actually filled out their profiles and participated in the community
- Meaningful Metrics: Maybe track "engaged followers" instead of just "followers who clicked a button once and vanished into the ether"
Suggestions for a Better Dev.to
Dear Dev.to, I love what you're trying to do, but maybe we could:
-
Implement a Basic User Validation System
- Has the user filled out their profile?
- Have they read at least 3 articles?
- Do they know what code is? (kidding, mostly)
-
Create a More Nuanced Recommendation System
- Match users based on shared interests
- Consider reading history and engagement patterns
- Maybe don't show my JavaScript tutorials to people who exclusively read Ruby articles
-
Show More Meaningful Metrics
- "Real Human Followers™": 3
- "Potentially Real But We're Not Sure Followers": 12
- "Digital Tumbleweeds": 585
The Silver Lining
At least I can tell my mom I'm "big on social media" now. Sure, my followers might all be digital mirages, but they're my digital mirages, dammit!
A Call to Action
To Dev.to: Let's work on making these connections more meaningful. Quality over quantity, always.
To my 600 ghost followers: If any of you are real and reading this, please leave a comment! Even a "đź‘»" will do. I promise I don't bite (though I occasionally write buggy code).
To actual developers reading this: Let's start a real conversation. What's your experience been like? Have you also experienced the great ghost follower phenomenon of 2024? Drop a comment below, and let's connect - for real this time.
P.S. To my new ghost followers who will inevitably follow me after this article: Hi! đź‘‹ Please consider becoming real people. The developer community could use more actual humans.
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Ja
Ja | Sciencx (2024-10-22T17:35:44+00:00) The Curious Case of Dev.to’s Ghost Followers: When Your Popularity Is Basically a Digital Flash Mob. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2024/10/22/the-curious-case-of-dev-tos-ghost-followers-when-your-popularity-is-basically-a-digital-flash-mob/
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