Why People Follow (or Unfollow) Creative Accounts
I surveyed 100 people who follow creative accounts (think pottery, painting, design, you name it) to figure out what makes them hit follow, and what makes them bail.
The Unfiltered Breakdown
Utility
People don’t want perfection. They want usefulness. Tutorials and tips were the top content people look for, followed by behind-the-scenes process posts and content that feels personal. Product photos were near the bottom.
Appearance
Looks matter but only up to a point. A polished feed helps, but if the content isn’t original or feels disconnected, it won’t stick. Personality and educational value ranked just as high as visual appeal when it came to engagement.
Authenticity
Authenticity isn’t optional. Once an account starts sounding like an ad, people leave. Too many promos, recycled posts, or a vibe shift from relatable to cringey = unfollow.
Rhythm
Consistency helps, but it’s not everything. Vanishing for weeks is a red flag, but daily posting isn’t necessary if your content actually says something.
Attention
People are watching (and interacting). A lot more often than you think. If engagement feels low, the content might not be giving people a reason to care.
Process
And yes, process content still hits. People want to see the mess. The in-between. The weird stages. Don’t wait for perfection before sharing.
TL;DR
In short: teach something, show the process, be real, and post like a human.
Upcoming
Want the full breakdown? I’ll be sharing all the raw data from the survey (including every question and response) in the next post.
