In today’s social media-driven world, having a large following on Instagram has become a status symbol. It is often seen as an indicator of popularity, success, and influence. As a result, many individuals and businesses resort to buying fake followers to boost their numbers artificially.
But why do people buy fake followers? Well, for one, it makes them look more popular and influential, especially to potential sponsors and partners. It also helps in increasing their visibility and reach on the platform.
However, having fake followers not only goes against Instagram’s terms of service but also brings down the credibility of an account. As a user, it is important to be able to distinguish between real and fake followers to ensure the authenticity of your own account and those you follow. In this article, we will discuss how to check for fake followers on Instagram.
All about Instagram followers
Before we dive into identifying fake followers, let’s first understand what Instagram followers are. Followers on Instagram are users who have chosen to subscribe to your account so that they can see your posts and updates on their feed. Similarly, when you follow an account, its posts will appear on your feed.
Having a large number of followers is often perceived as a sign of popularity, but it’s important to note that the quality of followers matters more than the quantity. Genuine and engaged followers are more valuable than a high number of fake or inactive ones.
With that being said, let’s look at some ways to check for fake followers on Instagram.
Checking Followers Manually
The first and most straightforward way to check for fake followers on Instagram is by manually going through your list of followers and checking their profiles individually. While this may take some time, it is an effective method to detect any suspicious accounts.
Here’s what you can look for when manually checking followers:
- Profile Picture: Pay attention to the profile pictures of your followers. Fake accounts often use stock photos or low-quality images that are easily recognizable.
- Bio and Posts: Check the bios and posts of your followers. A real account would have a bio with personal information, and their posts would be more authentic and diverse compared to a fake account.
- Engagement: Look at the number of likes, comments, and followers in proportion. If an account has a large following but low engagement on their posts, it could be a sign of fake followers.
- Unusual Names: Fake accounts often have unusual usernames or names that are randomly generated. This can also be a red flag.
However, manually checking for fake followers can be time-consuming and not entirely foolproof. Especially if you have a large following base, it becomes challenging to go through each profile individually. Luckily, there are other methods available to help detect fake followers more efficiently.
Using Third-Party Apps
Another way to check for fake followers on Instagram is by using third-party apps specifically designed for this purpose. These apps use algorithms to analyze an account’s followers and provide a breakdown of their authenticity.
Some popular apps include Social Audit Pro, HypeAuditor, and FakeCheck. These apps offer various features such as checking for fake followers, providing an engagement rate analysis, and giving insights into audience demographics.
However, it is essential to note that not all these apps are entirely accurate, and sometimes they may even classify real followers as fake. Therefore, it is always best to use multiple apps for cross-checking and verifying the results.
Analyzing Follower-to-Following Ratio
Another significant aspect to consider when checking for fake followers on Instagram is the follower-to-following ratio. Real accounts generally have a balanced ratio, while fake accounts usually have a high number of followers but follow only a few accounts.
You can calculate this ratio by dividing the number of followers an account has by the number of accounts they are following. If the result is significantly higher or lower than 1:1, it could be a sign of fake followers.
Spotting Bot Activity
Bots are automated accounts that are created to perform specific tasks on Instagram, such as liking and commenting on posts. These bots are often used to boost followers and engagement artificially.
To spot bot activity, look out for the following signs:
- Generic Comments: Bot comments are usually generic and unrelated to the post’s content.
- Multiple Likes in a Short Time Frame: Bots can like hundreds of posts in just a few seconds, which is not possible for a real user.
- Odd Spelling and Grammar: Bots often have poor spelling and grammar in their comments or posts.
- Unrealistic Engagement Rates: If an account has a high number of followers but unrealistically low engagement rates, it could be due to bot activity.
Checking for Inactive Followers
Apart from fake followers, it is also essential to check for inactive or ghost followers on Instagram. These are accounts that have either been abandoned or seldom used.
While they may not be entirely fake, having a high number of inactive followers can still bring down the credibility of an account. You can use third-party apps or manually go through your list of followers to identify and remove inactive accounts.