mysql - Better way to retrieve the Count of records -

i dealing small-scale website has tags identify genre of topic. every tag has followers similar so. when tag being entered, suggestions populate shows auto-completed tags along followers.

what best way design table these tags ease retrieval follower-count , manage tags.

1. 'tags'(    id int,    tagname string)     tag_followers(      tag_id int,    userid int) 

followerscount query :

 select count(*) tag_followers tag_id = (select id tags tagname = "games") 

.......

2. 'tags'(    id int,    tagname string,    follower_count int)     tag_followers(      tag_id int,    userid int)  

followerscount query :

select  follower_count tags tagname = "games" 

i had these 2 ideas. can't judge me in fast retrieval on long run. please me choose. also, if there better way above two, please suggest me. in advance.

i suggest first approach , query should like:

select count(1) tag_followers tf join tags t on tf.tag_id = t.id , tagname = "games"

if need count don't use count(*), use count(1). because count(*) consider columns while count(1) consider 1 column(first column) while calculating count.

steps needed in second approach:

1. first need select follower_count tags table
2. then need increment , update tags table , need to
3. insert tag_followers table.

but in first approach step 3 needed.