But there’s a big question that emerges: Should you really buy Instagram followers? And if so, what are the implications for your online reputation and the growth of your account?
Let’s dive into this controversial practice and explore the potential upsides and downsides of artificially inflating your Instagram following.
The Promise of Instant Recognition
The allure of having a large Instagram following is self-evident: more followers can lead to a snowball effect of increased visibility and credibility. For businesses, a larger follower count suggests greater trustworthiness and can potentially lead to higher conversion rates. Similarly, for influencers and content creators, a significant following is a critical metric for attracting sponsorships and collaborations.
Services like iDigic offer a seemingly easy and quick solution to growing a following. With the ability to purchase followers in bulk packages, the path to what appears to be instant social status is a few clicks away.
The Veiled Downside of Quick Gains
Despite the initial promise of a rapid follower increase, there are considerable risks associated with buying Instagram followers that can tarnish your brand’s reputation in the long term.
Empty Engagement
The followers you purchase are usually not genuine and are often bot accounts or inactive profiles. This means that while your follower count may increase, your actual engagement rate – likes, comments, and shares – will remain low. This can raise red flags for savvy followers and potential collaborators who see a significant gap between the number of followers and the level of engagement.
Risk of Account Suspension
Buying followers goes against Instagram’s terms of service, making it a violation that could result in account suspension or even deletion. With Instagram cracking down on fraudulent activity, the risk of losing your account and all its content is high.
Damage to Credibility
Purchasing followers also undermines the authenticity of your brand and can harm your credibility in the eyes of potential clients, sponsors, and collaborators. In a world where influencers are often scrutinized for their numbers and partnerships, buying followers can call into question the integrity and legitimacy of your online following.