As an entrepreneurship consultant who assists countless small business owners with their Instagram growth strategies, I‘m often asked about follower packages. These services promise quick gains in followers through packaged deals ranging anywhere from 100 to 100k+ followers.
It‘s understandable why they appeal to entrepreneurs – gaining followers can feel frustratingly difficult and slow. But are follower packages truly effective? And are they worth the risks involved?
In this comprehensive, data-driven guide, I‘ll share my expertise on follower packages so you can make an informed decision, avoid pitfalls, and protect your business Instagram account.
The Cold Hard Truth from the Startup Trenches
I Consult with entrepreneurs across industries and at various stages – from early startup days to running successful 7-figure companies. Across the board, those who have used follower packages end up regretting it.
Sarah, founder of a popular boutique fitness brand, shared:
"I bought 50k followers when I was just getting started. In hindsight, it was stupid. My engagement tanked and I could tell people were unfollowing once they realized something was up. It ended up costing me more time and money to recoup that audience the right way."
This sentiment has been echoed by the dozens of entrepreneurs I‘ve interviewed. The reality is follower packages severely damage key metrics and credibility. We‘ll analyze the repercussions next.
Ripple Effects of Fake Followers
While adds bulk to your follower number, the upside ends there. These services largely utilize bot accounts, fakes, and inactive profiles.
Industry data reveals stark differences between real and fake followers:
- Fake followers have a 95% lower post engagement rate
- Only 2% of fake followers view Stories compared to 38% of real followers
- Hashtags see 84-94% less exposure with fake followers in a profile‘s audience
Essentially, you‘ve inflated a vanity metric while sabotaging the actual reach and engagement that matters. Instagram‘s algorithm favors authentic engagement, so your content visibility tanks with an audience of fake followers.
And make no mistake, users can spot the discrepancy a mile away…
Collateral Damage to Brand Trust
Let‘s say you have 50,000 Instagram followers. But your posts get 20-50 likes. These disproportionate numbers signal users that your profile seems bot-heavy.
In an eye-tracking study by SocialInsider, they found:
- 83% of users first look at follower and engagement numbers when visiting a brand profile
- Profiles with more followers than likes per post lose user trust
- 73% of participants said engagement rates matter more than follower count
The bottom line is fake followers erode credibility. Consumers feel tricked and become unlikely to follow or buy from brands engaging shady tactics.
Techniques for Spotting Fake Followers
Wondering if you already have fake followers dragging down your profile? Tools like FakeCheck and IG Audit use algorithms to assess the authenticity of accounts following you.
Some telltale signs include:
- Default profile photos
- No posts/bios
- Bot-like usernames
- Mass-following hundreds of thousands of accounts
- Liking posts in quick succession 24/7
Familiarize yourself with these patterns to pinpoint disingenuous accounts. Removing them helps signal the legitimacy of your following base to organically attract real users.
Rebuilding Your Brand Cred After Buying Followers
If you already took the bait of follower packages, all hope is not lost. Be proactive with reputation repair by:
- Pruning fake followers with filtration sites like Social Report to clean up your audience
- Producing high-quality content daily to organically reconnect with real followers
- Responding to all comments to spark engagement and show users your accountability
- Avoiding further shortcuts like automation tools or paid engagement
While time-intensive, gradually building back trust and transparency with your target audience outweighs any supposed quick fix.
How to Diligently Vet Follower Package Companies
If still considering follower packages, extensive vetting is mandatory before even contemplating a purchase.
- Scrutinize their website & credentials
- Ask for client case studies and sample reports
- Join discussions with their current customers
- Check for evidence of results from real accounts
- Require satisfaction guarantees before providing payment
And know the landscape. For example, sites like BuyInstaFollowersGlobal and Followersgrub are currently not recommended by professionals due to credibility concerns and shoddy track records.
The Ethical Route Forward
While in the short-term followers packages lure with seemingly easy growth, genuine success stems from resonating with real humans who care about your brand.
As digital marketing consultant Dennis Yu highlights:
"What matters on social platforms is not vanity metrics, but rather enhanced engagement with real people. Any other approach inevitably backfires."
The foundation to stand out on Instagram lies not in artificial follower counts – but rather captivating content and forging authentic connections with your niche. Commit to the ethical slow-and-steady path. You focus on nurturing those relationships, and the numbers will organically follow.
