When new companies contact us for social media guidance there are two superficial things they seem to always want: more Twitter followers and tons of Facebook likes.

In reality, it’s not how many Twitter followers or Facebook likes that matters, but instead social engagements and actual conversions. A Twitter user can have 50 followers, post a catchy article, and get 100 retweets out of nowhere. Did their followers influence this? Probably not. The use of targeted hashtags and high ranking in search engines is far more likely.

Businesses must focus on delivering interesting, helpful content so customers can make informed decisions. Offering information is an instant relationship builder. Additionally, since social media is like fishing, content serves as bait. Without content, how are you going to catch customers?

The moral of the story is that Facebook likes and Twitter followers are a sign that social media marketing efforts are working, however the goal should not be to simply increase likes and followers. What matters more is conversions and increasing revenue. In essence, would you rather have $100,000 in the bank or 100,000 followers on Twitter? Exactly.