In the universe of digital marketing, the purchase of followers on Instagram is a controversial practice, but many users seem not to understand, in fact, the impact ¡ ̄ or not ̄ OF this modality.In full 2024, where relationships matter more than numbers, it is still common for brands and influencers to seek an easy shortcut to increase the reach of networks. Vanity, added to a social pressure for validation from greatness, has made this method commonplace.
On the surface, buying followers seems to be harmless and only offer status, but the truth is that there are a number of problems and weaknesses that, as a rule, reduce the potential of digital communication to a scam, masking metrics and compromising public trust. To understand this point, just think about the concept that influencer marketing provides to social networks. An ethical planning of the Instagram profile will always be built on connection, authenticity and credibility.
The truth is that quantity, as impressive as it may be at first glance, is not a sure indicator of influence or effectiveness - especially when manipulated. It seems obvious, but ultimately, who loses is influencer marketing.
Engagement vs. Digital Status
The study “The 2024 Influencer Marketing Report”, by Sprout Social, shows that almost half of consumers (49%) make purchases motivated by influencers, reflecting the intention stimulated by genuine interaction. However, the “faro” of Internet users is already clear about advertisers inflaming accounts with robots.This year, a global survey by Adyen and the Center for Economic and Business Research (CEBR) revealed that 1% of users who buy on social networks are hesitant for fear of suffering fraud.
Thus, when there is a manipulation in the reach of profiles, consumers tend to question the legitimacy not only of the influencer who discloses, but of the company that hired him. The purchase of followers creates an illusion of popularity that can lead to frustrated campaigns, as it exchanges the reliable interaction with the public for a deviation of route that does not sustain long-term engagement and still weakens the relationship of trust between brands and customers.
Reaching the target audience in the right way, so that they are interested in the influencer and the company in an authentic way, requires effort, but clear strategies can serve as indispensable elements for reliable and concrete actions.
How to differentiate and choose the ideal influencer?
Differentiating an authentic profile from the one that “ bought” influence is an initial step and requires attention to some details. Two key indicators help detect this behavior: the irregular engagement rate, that is, if an influencer has thousands of followers, but a very low level of likes, comments and shares; and suspicious and generic interactions, which are repeated frequently or seem to have been written by artificial intelligence.
It is possible to observe the importance that the influencer applies to their followers, considering the level and quality of the dialogues. Comments without return or lack of manifestations of the profile itself on recent posts can symbolize the lack of real commitment to the audience.
But beware!Influencers also suffer fraud
There is a big difference between influencers who buy followers and those who suffer from automated comments from robots: a practice that is beyond the control of the professional and that does not imply the deliberate manipulation of numbers. Recognizing this distinction helps to avoid hasty judgments and allows brands to select partners based on fairer and more relevant criteria.
Influencer marketing believes in the full authenticity of the content creator, because what it offers users is the real reason to build a secure relationship.Today's consumers have a critical eye.They are fully able to perceive the difference between quality and quantity influencers.When choosing advertisers, brands must take into account the metrics that really matter: concrete engagement, content quality and the ability to establish a transparent connection.
