Instagram is a great place to share, connect, and even run a business. But not all followers are real. You might see an account with many followers and wonder if they’re genuine. Fake followers on Instagram don’t interact. They don’t like or comment.
This is important because real followers are active. They engage with what you post. Fake followers just make your follower count higher. For people who use Instagram for work, trust is key. As of 2023, Instagram currently has 2.35 billion active users. It’s crucial to know who is looking at and liking your content.
In this article, we’ll show you how to find out who’s fake on Instagram. We’ll give you easy steps and free tools to help you do this. Let’s make sure we keep things honest on social media.
Contents
What are Fake Followers?
Fake Instagram followers are accounts that are not operated by real individuals. These could be accounts set up by companies that sell boosts in follower numbers, or they might be bots—automated programs that can like and comment on posts.
It’s important to understand that these bots are not real people engaging with your content, and there is no human behind their actions.
Having fake Instagram followers can make an influencer’s social media presence look more impressive at first glance because they have a wider reach and higher engagement rates. But this is misleading.
For businesses, the impact is direct: investing in influencers with fake followers can mean wasting marketing dollars on campaigns because these fake followers or bots cannot generate real sales.
True influence comes from connecting with your 100% real Instagram followers, who are interested in what you have to say—and who might be interested in purchasing the products you recommend or represent.
Why People Buy Instagram Followers?
Some people think having many followers is all you need to be popular on social media. So they buy followers, hoping it will make them look famous fast.
But being popular on social media isn’t just about how many followers you have. You need to be someone who can influence and connect with people. You need to grow your followers in a real way, not just buy them.
When you buy followers, your account looks off. You might have a big number of followers but very few likes or comments. Anyone who takes a closer look can see that something doesn’t add up.
Real success on Instagram comes from real people who follow you because they like what you share and say. Fake followers won’t do that. They’re just numbers, not real fans.
How to Check Fake Followers on Instagram?
Look for these signs to spot fake Instagram followers:
#1) Check Engagement Levels
A big clue that an account’s followers might be fake is their engagement rate. Real accounts typically have an engagement rate of about 1-3%. So, if someone has thousands of followers but only a few likes per post, it’s a sign many followers might be fake.
See if there are any comments on the posts. If there are, do they seem genuine? Generic comments like “Nice post” or repetitive emojis could be from bots.
An account with real followers will have likes and comments that match up more closely with their follower count.
#2) Analyze the Username
The username can often be a giveaway when it comes to spotting fake followers. Usernames with a jumble of letters and numbers that don’t form a coherent name might be randomly generated by bots.
If you see similar patterns across different usernames, like a string of unrelated words followed by numbers, these could be automatically created by software.
A genuine user usually has a username that’s either their real name, a variation of it, or something that represents their persona or brand.
Real users take time to create their online identity. If the username looks like it was made in a rush with no thought, it could be fake.
#3) Inspect the Profile Photo
The profile photo is another important aspect to consider when determining if a follower is fake. If the profile still has the default Instagram avatar, it may be a fake account. Real users usually upload a profile picture.
Check if the profile photo matches the account’s content. An account claiming to be a local bakery but using a stock image of a model could be a red flag.
Use a reverse image search tool to see if the profile picture appears elsewhere on the internet. If the image is common on stock photo sites or associated with different identities, it’s likely not genuine.
#4) Look at the Posts
Real users typically post regularly. If an account has many followers but very few posts, it could be a sign that the followers were purchased.
Mostly, the content on these profiles is irrelevant, and low-effort Accounts with fake followers often don’t invest much in content creation.
Check when the posts were made. If an account gained followers quickly but has posts that are very recent or all uploaded at once, it’s a red flag.
Genuine accounts usually have a history of interaction and content that reflects the user’s personal or brand story over time.
#5) Monitor the Activity
The activity on an account can give you clues about whether its followers are fake. Look at the comments on the account’s posts.
If they seem not related to the post, it must be a fake profile. Fake followers on Istagram often leave generic comments, like “Great post” or a string of unrelated emojis.
These accounts might like many posts in a short period, which is unnatural behavior for a typical Instagram user. If an account is following a massive number of other accounts but has very few followers, it might be a bot.
Risks and Consequences of Fake Followers
Having fake followers can lead to serious problems. It might seem like a good idea at first to pump up your numbers, but it can damage your reputation. People trust real interactions, and when they discover fake followers, they might not trust you anymore.
Fake followers mess up your analytics, too. If your followers are real, your data on what your audience likes and likes will be correct. This makes it hard to make good decisions about your content and grow your real audience.
Instagram is getting good at finding and removing fake accounts.
If they find them on your profile, you might get in trouble. This could be as small as losing fake followers or as big as restricting your account.
Does Instagram Remove Fake Followers?
Instagram is good at finding and stopping fake accounts. They keep making their system better to catch and get rid of these profiles.
If Instagram sees something that doesn’t look right, like accounts that follow and unfollow a bunch of people really fast or like a lot of posts too quickly, they’ll do something about it. They might warn the account or take away the fake followers.
Brands know how to look for real influence. They check how far an influencer’s posts go and how people interact with them. They do their homework because they want their ads to work. They don’t want to spend money on followers who won’t ever buy what they’re selling.
For people who really care about their social profile, fake followers are a bad idea. Instagram is always on the lookout for fakes, and if they catch you, it could hurt your account for a long time.
FAQs
Will having fake followers get my account banned?
Instagram may limit the reach or features of accounts with fake followers as it violates their Community Guidelines. Repeated violations can lead to account suspension or banning.
Do fake followers affect my engagement rate?
Yes, fake Instagram followers can negatively impact your engagement rate because they don’t interact with your content, which can hurt your account’s performance and appeal to potential brand partners.
How can I grow my Instagram following authentically?
Focus on creating high-quality content that resonates with your target audience. Engage with your community by responding to comments and participating in relevant conversations. Use hashtags strategically and collaborate with other users to expand your reach organically.
Conclusion
It’s clear that real followers are the key to success on Instagram. Fake followers might look good in numbers, but they don’t help in the long run. They don’t talk about your posts or buy what you’re selling. Growing your Instagram for real might take longer, but it’s worth it. Share things people like, talk to your followers, and be there consistently. This is how you build a following that means something.
