Mastering Instagram: Tackling the Issue of Fake Followers

In the world of Instagram, the presence of fake followers on your account can have serious repercussions. This is a topic I've discussed numerous times before, but its significance cannot be overstated, especially if you consider Instagram as a crucial part of your personal or business promotion strategy. Individuals aspiring to become influencers or delve into User Generated Content (UGC) should be particularly cautious.

Having joined Instagram in 2012, my activity on the platform has paralleled my presence on Facebook. Over the past decade, I've experienced periods of both inactivity and prolific posting. Truth be told, my everyday life may seem mundane unless I'm on vacation, which is why I tend to share posts only during those times. Many others follow a similar pattern or even abandon the platform altogether. It's hardly surprising, considering the frequent algorithm changes by Meta. However, the good news is that Instagram is now working to bring back its original essence.

Now, let's focus on those who decide to become active on Instagram. From a marketing perspective, their newfound activity can attract fake followers. Dealing with them effectively requires their removal. But how can you identify fake followers? How do you determine whom to remove?

If you plan to use your Instagram account for marketing purposes, agencies will scrutinize your profile to assess the volume of "fake followers" you possess. While having up to 25% fake followers is considered acceptable, surpassing that threshold will raise red flags with these agencies, not only temporarily but indefinitely. So, if you're contemplating a career in influencing or UGC, the first step is to address the percentage of fake followers within your following. Unfortunately, if you have fewer than a thousand followers, this task becomes painstaking as you'll need to meticulously review your follower list one by one.

Examine each follower closely. Do they share any commonalities with you? Are they actively engaged? Do they post controversial content, or do they barely post at all? Being selective about your followers is just as important as the accounts you choose to follow. Start by removing those without a profile image or whose profile names consist of random characters. While having followers is gratifying, it's crucial to understand that if they don't resonate with you now, they never will. They must be let go.

If your follower count exceeds a thousand, the task becomes more challenging. However, there are websites that can analyze your profile and provide a breakdown of fake followers. Be cautious, though, as these services are often paid and can be quite costly. Some websites offer a limited number of free searches, so it's advisable to use them wisely and preserve your free account for as long as possible—for example, by conducting a search only once a week.

• One website that I find helpful is Modash, which offers the most comprehensive breakdown, accurately indicating the percentage of fake followers. Remember, if your percentage exceeds 25%, it's a cause for concern. Another tool worth considering is Inbeat, which allows you to check for fake followers without requiring registration. However, the information provided is more generalized, as they ultimately aim to encourage sign-ups and payments.

Sadly, there is no quick and safe method to remove fake followers in an instant. Removing each profile manually, one by one, remains the only solution. Just yesterday, I discovered that over 10,000 of my followers were identified as fake, which means I have to go through a minimum of 10,000 clicks to restore the credibility of my account.

Even if you don't aspire to enter the world of UGC or influencing, having a disproportionate number of fake followers hinders your exposure potential. If 50% of your following is technically "fake," it's highly likely that your posts will reach up to 90% fewer people compared to accounts with an inactive follower rate of, let's say, 30%.

Fortunately, Instagram offers a tool that might assist you. By accessing your followers list and navigating to the "following" section, you can identify Instagram users with whom you have the least engagement. However, please note that this feature requires you to follow those accounts, as it focuses on your activity rather than their engagement with your content.

Instagram was built on the principles of followers and following, but the obsession with numbers has led to consequences. Nowadays, the work you put into Instagram matters far more than the sheer number of followers you accumulate. If you have 10 followers, and each of them consistently likes your posts, you are 99 times more likely to succeed as a marketer than someone with a hundred followers but only a few likes per post.

So, always be vigilant when a new follower notification appears. Take the time to assess whether you truly want them to follow you. If not, it's time to bid them farewell and remove them from your account.