In a world where social media influence can be easily manipulated, recognizing fake followers and likes is critical for brands that want to truly benefit from influencer marketing. In this article, we will look at this problem and present several methods by which we can deal with it. Let's get started!
Why buy fake followers and likes?
For some, purchased followers are nothing more than a shortcut to fame. Why work for years to build your dedicated audience when it can happen within a few clicks?
For others, bigger numbers mean more credibility. This brings with it many positives - different status in society, attraction of many new brands, more opportunities for development in their chosen career. All of this sounds extremely attractive and unfortunately makes buying likes and followers a very common practice.
How to spot fake followers and likes?
It became clear that accounts with non-authentic audiences do exist. But how can we recognize them? Here are some pointers to help you tackle this task.
- Discrepancy in engagement rate
When a profile has a large number of followers but low engagement (the ratio of likes, comments, shares), that's a real red flag. Authentic influencers typically maintain an engagement rate of around 1-5%, depending on their size and niche. If an influencer with 100,000 followers regularly gets less than 500 likes, there's almost certainly something fishy going on with them.
- General or spam comments
The comments section is usually extremely revealing. True followers leave thoughtful comments related to the post, its description, or the influencer themselves. Fake followers, in turn, often leave generic comments like "Beautiful!", "Awesome!" or just a series of random emojis. If most of the comments look like spam, this could indicate a problem.
- Spikes in follower growth
A sudden spike in follower growth can mean buying followers. Organic growth is gradual, while purchased followers usually come in large batches over a short period of time.
Of course, sometimes a post or profile goes viral in a very short time, and that can lead to a spike in followers. But in such cases it is usually perfectly clear what has caused this sudden popularity. Therefore, it is important to always do detailed research on profiles.
Why is buying followers not a good idea?
When brands work with influencers who have fake followers and likes, it leads to a number of negative consequences:
- Wasted budget: Brands pay for campaigns with specific goals that can't be achieved when the influencer's followers simply aren't real.
- Low engagement rates: Fake followers rarely interact with the content of the influencer they “follow”, leading to poor engagement rates and a failed campaign.
- Damaged reputation: if the audience finds out that the brand is working with an influencer who has a questionable following, it can damage the brand's image.
When influencers decide to buy fake likes or followers, this also leads to trouble:
- Low trust from the real audience: people easily recognize profiles with fake followers. This leads to a loss of credibility and alienates the real audience.
- Algorithms punish fake followers: Social networks use sophisticated algorithms to determine which profile to show to more people. When they detect fake followers, they can lower the visibility of the profile, reducing the chances of organic growth. In some cases, the account itself may even be deactivated.
Tips for working with influencers
If you want to work with influencers but are concerned about the possibility of coming across inauthentic ones, don't worry. There are a number of proven methods that can prevent this and ensure you have successful and well-received campaigns. Here are some of them.
- Focus on engagement, not follower count
When choosing influencers, focus on engagement, not follower count. An influencer with 10,000 active and engaged followers is more valuable than one with 100,000 disengaged or fake followers.
- Look for niche influencers
Niche influencers tend to have a more genuine following. Their communities are often more loyal and engaged because they are united by specific interests, making them less likely to buy fake followers.
- Ask for detailed statistics
Before committing to a campaign, ask influencers to provide their inside stats. True influencers have metrics that demonstrate their impact, including relevant reach and engagement.
- Work with an agency
Working with an agency ensures that you connect with verified influencers who have a real and engaged audience. Agencies have analytics tools and expertise to detect fake followers and protect you from ineffective partnerships. This saves time and resources, giving you a better return on investment.
In this article, we looked at the negatives of buying fake followers and how it affects influencer marketing campaigns. And if you want to know more about the most important metrics when running a campaign, check out our article.