1. A database system for identifying topical authorities in a social media sharing platform implemented using a server system, the database system configurable to cause: identifying a first user of the social media sharing platform as being associated with a post stored in a database of the database system, the post capable of being shared with users of the social media sharing platform; identifying a topic associated with the post; determining, based on one or more factors, that the first user is a topical authority with respect to the identified topic in the social media sharing platform, the topical authority being a contributor of information associated with the identified topic, the one or more factors being related to profile information of the users of the social media sharing platform; adding, responsive to determining that the first user is the topical authority with respect to the identified topic, the first user to a designated list of topical authorities; determining that an indication of interest associated with a second user of the social media sharing platform is associated with the identified topic; displaying, on a device of the second user: a first recommendation that the second user follow the first user in the social media sharing platform, the first recommendation indicating that the first user is the topical authority, the first recommendation being displayed in association with a selection operable to cause the second user to follow the first user, and the post; determining that the second user has selected the selection; and displaying, responsive to determining that the second user has selected the selection, on the device of the second user: a second recommendation that the second user follow the topic and one or more further topics associated with the first user, the second recommendation being displayed in association with an explanation of the second recommendation.