How Influencers with Fake Followers Evade Detection and What Brands Can Do About It

Navigating the labyrinth of influencer marketing presents a unique set of challenges for brands and agencies. 

Picture this: you've partnered with an influencer boasting sky-high reach, only to find that the engagements and conversions are disappointingly lacklustre. 

If this rings a bell, chances are you've danced with the dilemma of collaborating with social media influencers with fake followers.

In this blog post, we'll explore the signs of fake followers and how savvy brands are using tools like StarNgage to identify influencers with fake followers.

• Types of Instagram and TikTok Fake Followers
  
• Key Stats Every Marketer Should Know About Fake Followers
• 3 Signs Your Influencers Might Have Fake Followers
• How Influencers With Fake Followers Evade Detection And What Brands Can Do About It
• How Brands Can Identify Influencers with Fake Followers Using Analytics Tools
  

Types of Instagram and TikTok Fake Followers

Fake followers are artificial or inauthentic accounts on social media platforms that are created or purchased to artificially inflate an individual's or brand's follower count. These accounts often lack genuine engagement and are typically generated for the purpose of deceiving others into perceiving a higher level of popularity or influence than what truly exists.

Fake followers can take various forms, including:

• Bot Accounts

Automated accounts created by computer programs rather than real individuals.

• Inactive Accounts

Genuine accounts that have become inactive but are still counted as followers.

• Follow-for-Follow Schemes

Users who follow others with the expectation of receiving a follow back, regardless of genuine interest in the content.

• Purchased Followers

Some influencers or brands resort to buying followers to quickly boost their numbers. These followers are often inactive or fake accounts.

Identifying and eliminating fake followers is crucial for maintaining an authentic online presence and ensuring that metrics such as engagement rates and reach accurately reflect the actual impact and influence of an individual or brand on social media. Fake follower checkers, tools and platforms, such as StarNgage, offer features to help analyse and spot fake followers, allowing influencers and brands to build more meaningful connections with their genuine audience.

Key Stats Every Marketer Should Know About Fake Followers

• According to Shopify, one in four influencers have bought fake followers.
• Based on the findings by the Ghost Data Team, around 9.5% of Instagram accounts are deemed fake, underscoring a notable presence of bots on the platform.on of AI technologies has significantly improved their influencer marketing outcomes.

3 Signs Your Influencers Might Have Fake Followers

• Sudden Follower Spikes

Genuine influencers experience organic growth, and their follower count tends to increase steadily. If you notice an influencer's followers skyrocketing overnight, it's a major red flag. Fake followers often come in bulk and can be purchased in an attempt to create a facade of popularity.

• Engagement Discrepancies

High follower numbers should correlate with robust engagement rates. If an influencer has an impressive follower count but lacks corresponding likes, comments, and shares, something fishy might be at play. Genuine influencers generate real interactions from their audience.

• Unusual Follower Demographics

Analysing the demographics of an influencer's followers is crucial. If an influencer claims to have a global audience but their followers are predominantly from countries known for selling fake followers, it's a red flag. Tools like StarNgage provide detailed insights into an influencer's follower demographics.

How Influencers With Fake Followers Evade Detection And What Brands Can Do About It

• Buying Followers Gradually

Influencers may purchase Instagram or TikTok followers slowly over time to avoid sudden spikes that could trigger suspicion. Brands should look for irregular patterns in follower growth and be wary of influencers with suspiciously consistent increases.

• Engagement Pod Participation

Influencers join engagement pods or groups where members engage with each other's content to boost visibility. Brands should analyse the quality of engagement, checking for unusually high likes or comments that seem generic or irrelevant.

• Use of Engagement Bots

Some influencers use automated bots to generate likes, comments, and shares. Brands can employ social media analytics tools to detect patterns inconsistent with genuine user engagement.

• Purchasing Likes and Comments

In addition to followers, influencers may buy likes and comments to create the appearance of an engaged audience. Brands should scrutinise the authenticity of comments, especially if they seem generic or unrelated to the content.

• Periodic Cleanup of Fake Followers

Influencers may periodically remove fake followers to maintain a more convincing facade. Brands should monitor follower fluctuations and assess the overall growth history of an influencer's audience.

• Engaging in Loop Giveaways

Influencers participate in loop giveaways, where users must follow multiple accounts to enter a contest. Brands should be cautious when evaluating influencers who gained a significant number of followers through such contests, as these followers may not be genuinely interested in the content.

• Manipulating Engagement Metrics

Influencers may delete posts with low engagement to maintain a high average engagement rate. Brands should consider the overall consistency of an influencer's engagement and look for signs of post deletion.

• Switching to Private Accounts

Some influencers switch their accounts to private to control who follows them, making it difficult for brands to assess their audience authenticity. Brands should be cautious when partnering with influencers who suddenly switch to private without apparent reason.

• Using Third-Party Apps to Inflate Metrics

Influencers may use third-party apps that promise to boost follower counts or engagement artificially. Brands can utilise social media monitoring tools to detect unusual spikes in metrics that may indicate the use of such apps.

How Brands Can Identify Influencers with Fake Followers Using Analytics Tools

Brands and agencies can stay ahead by implementing advanced authentication methods, such as machine learning algorithms and AI-driven influencer marketing tools, to identify patterns associated with fake engagement.

Below are two methods that you can use to spot influencers with fake followers using StarNgage:

• Fake Follower Checker

StarNgage influencer fake follower checker conducts a meticulous analysis, ensuring a detailed examination of influencers' follower base. It provides a meticulous examination of an influencer's follower count, engagement rate, audience quality score (AQS) etc.

• Influencer Analytics

StarNgage provides an in-depth examination of an influencer's follower base, encompassing demographic details, engagement metrics, and growth trends. It excels at identifying irregular patterns that signal potential artificial inflation.

In A Nutshell

In the world of influencer marketing, spotting influencers with fake followers is like playing a cat and mouse game. Brands and agencies need to be one step ahead, utilising tools and fake follower detectors like StarNgage to ensure their investments yield authentic results. 

By staying vigilant and leveraging technology, brands can build successful partnerships with influencers who genuinely connect with their audience, ultimately reaping the rewards of a robust influencer marketing strategy.

Join StarNgage now as a brand or an agency and fill in the form below to request for a demo!