Buying Instagram Followers Is a Useless Strategy Buying Instagram followers might seem like the quickest way to build an audience, but it's not really worth it.
By Parwinder Singh •
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Buying followers on Instagram is becoming more popular, with many celebrities, influencers and companies purchasing them to boost their social status. People are paying for these fake accounts to create the illusion that they have a more significant following than they do. This phenomenon has become so widespread that some people are even buying likes on posts to boost their number of followers further.
How much does it cost to buy followers on Instagram?
Buying followers on Instagram comes with a range of different prices. On some sites, it's possible to buy 100 followers for $7. That's not too bad if you're looking for some quick gratification. A more expensive option is to buy 10,000 followers on Instagram for $520. The most expensive option is to buy 5,000,000 followers on Instagram for $1300.
Related: 7 Ways to Boost Your Business Instagram Account
How to tell if someone is buying followers for their profile
If you follow someone on Instagram and notice that they have many followers but very few posts, it's more than likely that they are buying followers. The easiest way to tell is to look at the person's follower-to-following ratio.
If this ratio is meager (less than 1), then chances are they are buying followers.
It's pretty easy to identify if someone has purchased followers, because their follower count will be higher than usual and you'll see a significant jump in the number of likes they have.
Related: 8 Statistical Insights to Improve Your Instagram Game and Business
Why is it often better to invest in strategy?
Buying followers on social media is common for many people. For some, it's a way to boost your self-esteem and make yourself feel more confident, but the truth is that it doesn't work like this. You can buy Instagram followers or buy Instagram likes, but you will not get real users who are interested in what you're doing. Instead, they will be fake accounts that will not convert into anything. The best way to try and grow an account is by building a strategy around what you're posting.
Buying followers is a waste of time and money. Besides, you'll never be satisfied with how many followers you have because the market is oversaturated, and there's always someone else who has more and can offer better deals to get them. At the end of the day, content is what matters.
Related: 3 Simple Things Businesses Need for Instagram Growth
