Authentic Audience Growth with Chloe Williamson: Why Engagement Matters More Than Follower Count
In today’s digital landscape, wellness professionals are constantly told they need more followers to grow their businesses. But as visibility strategist Chloe Williamson makes clear in her conversation with Cate Stillman, follower count means nothing without one essential ingredient: authentic engagement.
Whether you’re a podcaster, a wellness pro, or a brand trying to collaborate, the real question is no longer “How many followers do they have?” but “Are those followers real—and are they listening?”
This episode breaks down exactly how to grow an audience rooted in trust, resonance, and real human connection.
The Illusion of Big Follower Counts
Chloe highlights a truth most creators quietly know but rarely say out loud:
Many large accounts aren’t as influential as they appear.
Some inflate numbers with:
- Purchased followers
- Bot engagement
- Fake profiles
- Viral content that doesn’t build loyalty
A big number can look impressive, but it doesn’t translate into conversions—especially for long-form content like podcasts, interviews, or high-ticket wellness offers.
As Chloe puts it:
“Someone can look amazing on paper, but if their audience isn’t real or isn’t engaged, they won’t get you results.”
Authenticity Is the New Currency
The most important question for any collaboration isn’t size—it’s alignment.
Authentic engagement comes from:
- Consistent content
- Genuine conversation
- Shared values
- Real humans interested in transformation, not just entertainment
For wellness pros building trust, this matters even more. People seeking healing, guidance, or coaching want connection—not performance.
Small Audiences, Bigger Impact
One of Chloe’s most liberating insights is that smaller, niche-aligned audiences are often more powerful than large generic ones.
Micro-audiences:
- Convert at higher rates
- Listen more deeply
- Are more likely to join programs
- Value long-form content like podcasts
- Take action on recommendations
Chloe emphasizes:
“Leveraging audiences even smaller than yours is a really good way to grow—because they’re real, and they want to hear you.”
This is good news for wellness pros who feel intimidated by big influencer culture. You don’t need 100k followers—you need the right 1,000.
How to Spot Authentic Engagement
Chloe shares practical markers of real influence:
✔ Real comments, not emojis
Genuine interaction beats passive scrolling.
✔ Consistent conversation
Communities talk back.
✔ Long-form engagement
People actually watching interviews or listening to podcasts.
✔ Transparent values
Real people follow real humans—not brand masks.
✔ Niche depth, not viral fluff
Sustainable audiences grow from shared purpose.
The Path to Real Growth
If you’re a wellness pro, your marketing becomes exponentially easier when your audience is made up of humans who trust you—not bots who boost numbers.
Chloe’s roadmap to authentic audience building includes:
- Showing your face
- Telling real stories
- Choosing collaborations based on alignment
- Prioritizing long-form content
- Building community through service
- Valuing trust over trends
It’s a refreshing shift from the pressure to appear “big.”
The Bottom Line: Authenticity Wins
This conversation is a wake-up call for anyone building a wellness business:
You don’t need fake numbers.
You need real relationships.
And as Chloe reminds us, those relationships are more often found in small, genuine communities—not in inflated follower counts.
