How to identify fake Instagram followers?

Fake Instagram followers are accounts that are often created for a single purpose - to increase the followers and engagement rate of other Instagram accounts. How many times have you stumbled upon an Instagram profile with thousands of followers, but their posts have less than 10 likes? This is an indication that the account has fake followers.

It's important to distinguish between fake Instagram accounts and fake Instagram followers.

Fake accounts may be created because some people use fake accounts to follow other Instagram users or view their content.

Fake followers are created for different reasons, usually to boost the number of followers of a larger, more popular account. Whether the account belongs to a brand influencer or a small business, many Instagram users buy fake followers to show that they have a larger audience.

In addition, fake followers can be bot accounts, a type of software that automatically interacts and increases the followers of a specific account. They can even be programmed to automatically follow accounts that interact with major "popular" accounts.

Signs of fake followers on Instagram

Unfortunately, there is no foolproof way to determine if an Instagram account has fake followers. However, there are a few signs to look for that usually indicate this. Here are some of the most obvious signs that an Instagram account has fake followers. You can also use these signs to check if followers are fake.

1. Mismatched numbers

"Abnormal" numbers are one of the biggest indicators that an Instagram account has fake followers. This includes followers, likes, comments and similar interactions. This applies especially to the number of followers and the number of accounts they follow.

For example, if they have 100,000 followers but only follow 200 Instagram users, it is unrealistic that these are real profiles. Such a disproportionate follower-to-follower ratio is not unusual for celebrity and well-known accounts, but it is impossible for new profiles.

Another sign that an account has fake followers is if they have a lot of followers but only a few likes per post.

2. Spam or general comments

A good way to identify fake followers is to read the comments under the account's posts. Accounts with fake followers usually don't post a lot of comments on their posts, and if they do, they are very general. Comments such as "nice photo", "great picture" or "wow" usually point to this.

Sometimes comments may be completely irrelevant or meaningless. They may also have nothing to do with the actual post. The purpose of these types of comments is usually to promote something. Comments on fake accounts sometimes seem overly forced and overly positive, as if the purpose of the comment is to convince you to buy a product or interact with the account in some way.

3. Unrealistic or empty profiles

Another telltale sign that the account you are viewing is a fake account is the lack of personal information in the profile. Fake Instagram accounts often have no profile picture, profile or posts. They also tend to use very long and generic usernames (for example, "user51611437"). These types of fake followers are likely to be bot accounts.

On the other hand, fake followers can have profile pictures of handsome men and women that make you think they are real. These fake followers put more effort into their profiles and they can even add a short bio and some posts. However, their profile pictures and posts are usually stock photos or photos taken from other profiles. Their bios are also often copied from other accounts.

Finally, some fake followers have private, locked accounts, so you don't see anything they post. A user's posts can say a lot about them. For example, fake followers usually have generic posts that are posted at the same time. If you notice that their posts contain discounts or promotions, it is an indication that it is not a real profile.

4. Low engagement rate

Fake fans usually do not interact with other profiles. When you go to their profile, see how many accounts they follow and how many people follow them. If you see a low number, it may be an indication that it is not a real profile. Even if their profile is private, you can still see the followers' follow rate.

If their account is public, you can see if they have posted any content. These types of profiles tend to publish generic posts and sometimes even promotional material.

Fake followers or fake influencer accounts can also have low engagement rates or low activity. Real influencers understand the importance of posting content regularly to retain followers and attract new ones.

Why do Instagram accounts buy fake followers?

In today's digital, fast-paced world, social media fame is largely valued.

The more likes, views, comments and followers an Instagram account has, the more likely it is to reach a large audience.

While regular accounts may not need a broader reach, influencers and small businesses can definitely benefit from being in the spotlight. That's why many wannabe popular accounts buy fake followers.

Fake followers who are Instagram bots can be programmed to work day and night to keep your account active. As mentioned earlier, bots can even follow you automatically if you interact with the fake follower's account.

The main problem with buying fake accounts is that they can create an unbalanced ratio. If you want to be an influencer but buy fake followers, you're not doing yourself a favor because you're not "influencing" anyone. These followers usually don't interact with the profile after clicking the follow button.