To buy or not to buy Instagram followers: Well, we've officially reached the point where society cares more about the number of followers than actual, real-life friends. It's easy to see why, though. Humans are highly social creatures that behave instinctually based on small psychological cues. And when social media was first introduced to the world, human nature latched onto it and refuses to let go.
But in today's post, we aren't going to be doing a deep dive into the human psyche. Instead, we will focus on the act of buying Instagram followers for your account. Specifically, business accounts. So before I go down a rabbit hole, let's get to it.
Are Instagram Followers Important for a Business?
Having a significant number of Instagram followers is crucial for businesses. It creates brand awareness, establishes customer loyalty, promotes new products, and generates sales. A large following allows companies to engage with their customers, receive feedback, showcase their offerings, and share their mission and values. Also, it indicates to the Instagram algorithm that the business is trustworthy, helping reach a broader audience. Therefore, having a strong Instagram presence is vital for gaining a competitive edge.
Why do Businesses Buy Instagram Followers?
Businesses often buy Instagram followers to boost their presence on the platform and create a positive impression on other potential followers. By building a larger fanbase, businesses are able to increase the reach of their content and effectively market their products and services to a larger audience. Having more followers may also offer businesses a chance to appear more credible and further increase engagement with potential customers.
Pros of Buying Instagram Followers
Pro #1: Quickly Gain "Followers"
When businesses purchase Instagram followers, they're looking for a quick and easy way to boost their numbers and build a larger presence on the platform. By buying followers, it is possible for a business to quickly increase its following, sometimes by hundreds or even thousands of followers within days.
Though not all Instagram followers are created equal – some can be fake or inactive accounts – buying followers is most likely to give businesses a swath of new eyes on their account, their products and services, and other brand communications.
Pro #2: Potential for Increased Perceived Value
Purchasing Instagram followers for your business account can boost your perceived value among potential customers. This is because a higher number of followers gives the impression that your account is more popular and successful.
People tend to associate a large following with trust, quality, and authority, which are highly valued qualities when seeking products and services. Furthermore, having a substantial number of followers can enhance your credibility when making important announcements or promoting events and sales.
Pro #3: Potential for Attracting More Customers
More followers on Instagram can boost the visibility and credibility of a business. The algorithm prioritizes accounts with more followers, leading to increased exposure and potential sales. Followers also help build a positive brand image and foster customer loyalty.
Cons of Buying Instagram Followers
Con #1: Bots/Spam Accounts Don't Buy Your Products
The negative effects of purchasing Instagram followers for a business account far outweigh any potential gain that may be had. Bots and spam accounts offer no benefit to a business, as they do not represent any true followers, and their engagement (or lack thereof) will not be recorded in any legitimate metric.
Furthermore, Instagram may take action against accounts that are found to have fake followers, which can range from shadowbanning to completely removing an account from the platform. Therefore, it is important for businesses to avoid buying Instagram followers for their business accounts, as it can lead to potentially negative outcomes and result in the loss of genuine organic growth.
Con #2: You're Promoting Ingenuine Interactions
One of the main drawbacks of purchasing Instagram followers for a business account is that it hinders genuine interactions. This approach fails to generate any meaningful, long-lasting engagement, rendering it devoid of actual value to those who pay for followers. Consequently, it does not yield any real returns, instead creating a false facade of success and offering an illusory sense of accomplishment.
While companies may perceive this as a means of achieving their goals, the number of followers acquired does not necessarily reflect genuine engagement with the business. Furthermore, buying followers can lead to other potential issues such as skewed statistics and analytics that detract from the business's overall value. Additionally, the increase in followers may not translate to actual reach, as the followers acquired may not be real people.
Con #3: Your Account Might Get Banned
The risk of your account being banned is a major concern when it comes to buying Instagram followers for your business account. Instagram takes active steps to combat any suspicious activity on its platform. Therefore, it is important to be aware of any potential risks that may arise when buying followers.
First, Instagram reserves the right to delete any accounts that participate in buying or selling followers. This means that if you are caught buying followers, your account could be suspended or deleted altogether. Secondly, even if you do not get your account deleted, purchased followers can still lead to an Instagram shadowban. Shadowbanning limits the organic reach of your posts, meaning fewer people will see your content. This is especially detrimental to business accounts as it will significantly hinder your ability to drive traffic to your website, create conversions, and increase ROI.
It is important to remember that buying followers is not illegal in any sense, but it is a violation of the terms and conditions of Instagram. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that you consider other, more organic methods of gaining followers before purchasing them.
Con #4: It's a Waste of Money
Buying Instagram followers may seem attractive for businesses to increase their reach and grow their numbers. However, spending money on followers is a largely pointless exercise that is ultimately a waste of money. The fake followers that a business may buy won't help to drive actual, meaningful engagement.
Fake followers won't like or comment on posts or follow back as genuine accounts would. Additionally, purchasing followers can put your account at risk of being flagged by Instagram, which could lead to authorization problems further down the line. Ultimately, businesses are better off focusing on real, organic growth strategies to increase their follower count and drive engagement with their content.
What to Consider Before Buying Instagram Followers
It's Against Instagram's Community Guidelines
Buying Instagram followers is a clear violation of Instagram's Community Guidelines and Terms of Use. Instagram explicitly states that "buying followers, likes, and comments are prohibited and can result in your account being disabled." This can be found on Instagram's official website and also on their terms of use, https://help.instagram.com/478745558852511. Instagram also states that they are "continually working to detect and remove fake accounts" and reinforces that buying followers can lead to account suspension or even deletion.
It's a Waste of Money
We already covered this one, so I won't beat a dead horse, but just a reminder.
It's a Terrible Idea
Don't waste your time or your money buying fake followers. Instead, spend your effort growing an organic audience that genuinely enjoys your products and services and frequently engages with your content.
The Bottom Line
If you came here looking for some good reasons to buy Instagram followers for your business, I'm sorry to disappoint, but it's just not a good idea, no matter how you slice it. Aside from the fact that it doesn't really help your account and can even lead to a permanent ban, do you really want to create a false sense of identity for your current and future customers?
Personally, I adore brands that show themselves in an authentic light, even if they aren't the most popular or profitable in that light. But, at the end of the day, it's important for you to decide what is best for your business. If you want 50,000 followers with an average of 30 likes per post, by all means, go for it. But truly organic brand awareness and engagement will always surpass the social media facade.
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