We often have the impression that being popular on social media is an indicator of success and influence.
We'll arrest you right away... It's wrong. ❌
For entrepreneurs, influencers or pro-business accounts, reaching a large number of followers is a priority, sometimes to the point of accepting questionable techniques to see this number climb.
Buying followers or likes is a disingenuous method that is widespread, which is far from without consequences...
In this article, we will see why you should avoid opting for this strategy.
From the false illusion of popularity to the impact on the credibility of your brand image, we will also talk to you about alternatives for developing an authentic and engaging online presence on social networks.
Ready to discover why true influence can't be bought, but rather earned through authenticity and real engagement?
Looking closely at this strategy, it becomes clear that the short-term benefits often pale in comparison to the long-term risks to online reputation and authenticity.
“Men lie, but numbers don’t.”
It is true that a slightly inflated figure gives the impression that your profile is very followed and appreciated by a large audience. Maaais… this artificial popularity does not translate into real engagement with your content.
Purchased followers are often not real people per se, but rather accounts “managed” by bots.
So yes, the figure is good, but the interaction and engagement with your posts remains low.
The illusion of “popularity” is therefore quickly biased if you have 30k followers but 10 likes on your content.
Beyond being falsely influential, buying followers can also lead to a loss of credibility for your brand image.
This inconsistency between the numbers and the interaction mentioned above can raise suspicions about the authenticity of your online presence.
However, being credible and authentic on networks is the basis of any social media strategy. Without it, your subscribers will not trust you and will never be loyal. No loyalty, no community.
As you can imagine, there are algorithms to detect fraudulent activities... And these activities include the purchase of followers.
Take the case of Instagram. The network may suspend or even delete your account in the event of suspected practice. If the platform analyzes a spike in followers or a low engagement rate in relation to the number of followers, your account will suffer.
Everything is written in the T&Cs
Fortunately, there are more honest and sustainable alternatives for developing an online presence and community... We'll tell you more.
The best way to unite a community is to produce quality and relevant content. Indeed, it is not done in one click but it is worth it.
In addition to interaction, you can build trust with your followers and encourage them to actively engage with your profile.
Interacting regularly with your audience is essential to developing an authentic social media presence.
Take the time to respond to comments, ask open-ended questions, post polls, participate in discussions, and show interest in your followers.
By actively engaging your community, you show that you value their opinions and contributions, which strengthens connections and promotes long-term loyalty.
Avoid generic or automatic responses. We emphasize taking the time to truly connect with your audience.
Instead of wanting to achieve quick results like buying followers, focus on organic growth strategies -growth-of-the-organic-content-of-your-social-media).
Explore different processes like collaborating with other creators, regularly publishing quality content and recycling content on different platforms.
As you will have understood, buying followers can offer an illusion of short-term popularity, but carries significant risks for credibility, public trust and visibility of the content.
By prioritizing quality content, active interaction with the public and the adoption of organic growth practices, your brand image will develop at the same time as your audience.
Moral of the article: Influence and popularity cannot be bought, but rather earned through authenticity, real engagement and the added value offered to your online community.
