Fans and Follows: How to Not Be the Worst 

I know it’s trendy and super cool to have a page dedicated to your copslay, be it on Tumblr, Facebook, Instagram, or other social media networks. I get it. I have a page for each, plus this entire fucking website that includes links to those pages in every article because I like to be seen 🙂

One of the cool things about cosplay pages is that we get to interact with each other by sharing feedback, tutorials, and progress updates with fellow cosplayers and people who are just interested in our craft. This is awesome; there’s no denying that. However, there’s something that’s been bugging me for a while, and that’s when cosplayers immediately regard anyone who likes, comments, shares, etc. their page or their pictures as a “fan.” I mean this in the sense that they talk down to their followers and generally display a sort of “Oh, look at all the little people!” type of attitude. I find it extremely off-putting.

If I may be messy for a moment (doesn’t matter, gonna be fucking messy anyway. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯), a real life example would be a cosplayer I know who has less than 100 likes on her Facebook page after nearly two years of pushing her content on people and parading around as a megastar. I don’t know how to put it lightly, so I’m just gonna go ahead and say that, if over the span of two years, you’re working really hard to push your page and you have yet to break 100, maybe you need to rethink your marketing strategy or step up your cosplay game. I know likes and follows don’t matter at all for some (they shouldn’t, mostly), but if your goal is to acquire some sort of fame, you cannot continue to do the same ineffective thing over and over while expecting different results. Additionally, pretending that you’re a superstar when everyone can see how little play your page actually gets is just really sad and cringe-inducing. Needless to say, this person does have not an existing fanbase, and adds insult to injury by speaking down to the two people per month who comment on her photos, referring to them as fans and adopting this odd manner of speech in which she refers to them as “sweetie” and “hun” when she doesn’t speak this way in real life. It’s condescending, insincere, and comes off as mildly self-aggrandizing. If your goal is to acquire a substantial fanbase, I can guarantee that you aren’t going to get it by treating everyone you come across as though they’re a starstruck admirer, nor will you achieve it by passing yourself off as some ultra cosplay deity. Treat people like, you know, fucking people. Fellow cosplayers are your peers. The quickest way to turn someone off and earn yourself a lower follower count is by acting like a diva when it’s completely and utterly unjustified. It’s totally cool to desire some sort of notoriety , but acting like you’re the Beyoncé of this scene when all someone said was “nice cosplay!” is not the way to go.

The best way to get and keep those oft-coveted page likes and followers is to:

• Have fun. I fucking swear, that’s the main thing. If you aren’t having fun, it shows. Nobody wants to be a part of your attempt to reach the stars when you’re constantly posting about how frustrated and hopeless you feel. It’s not cute.
• Get good. Yeah. Like. That’s another huge factor, and it baffles me when people don’t grasp it. Challenge yourself to do better. You can’t keep doing the same thing you’re always doing and expect people to stay interested. Push the envelope, buddy.
• Be yourself. It sounds cheesy, but it’s true. Adopting a fake persona is weird as fuck, and it’s bound to get tiresome after a while. People can pick up on authenticity, so you might as well just be yourself. Honesty is the best policy. If you aren’t a huge Pokemon fan, don’t act like you are. If you don’t regularly refer to people as “hun” and “sweetheart” don’t start doing it online. It’s weird.
• Engage. This seems like a no brainer, but I don’t like leaving room for error. You wanna get and keep followers? Build connections? Make friends? Then you have to actually talk to them. You can’t just ignore people who are actually trying to talk to you. Get to know people. Open up. Don’t go pouring out family secrets or anything, but like, just talk. It’s easy.
• Be interesting. That’s easier said than done in some cases, but like, try to post interesting content. Find your niche. People probably don’t care if you just bought a smoothie, but there’s bound to be a decent number of people who care about your latest prop or cosplay idea. You get it.

That’s about it! Basically, don’t act like you’re god’s divine gift to cosplay, be yourself, be realistic, talk to people, and you’ll be set! Hope this helps anyone looking for that type of advice. Happy cosplaying and stuff ^_^
~DeLa Doll
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DeLaDoll

DeLa Doll is a culture writer, cosplayer, and artist based in Florida. She has been writing professionally since 2016, with some of her work being featured on sites like HuffPo and /Film. She is an advocate for meaningful diversity and representation in media, a gamer, a mom, and an avid user of DIY hair dye.