Nowadays, almost every brand uses influencer marketing in their campaigns. A big problem in this influencer world is buying fake followers and engagement, which can significantly affect the effectiveness of a campaign. The consequence of using influencers with fake followers is a wasted budget and a campaign with minimal return. We bring you a guide to help you detect such influencers.

Understand the impact of fake followers and engagement

Fake influencer metrics mislead brands, but they also damage credibility. These are the most crucial negative impacts:

1. Wasted budget: you're paying for non-existent interest.

2. Reduced ROI.

3. Damage to brand reputation.

4. Distorted performance metrics: you can't accurately evaluate a campaign with fake data.

Key indicators of false data

1. Sudden increase in followers: Growth in followers is naturally gradual and consistent in most cases. Take advantage of tools like Social Blade that can help you track follower growth and spot any unusual or unnatural jumps. The exceptions are when an influencer "blows up" because of a show or cause.

2. Low engagement rates: If an influencer has a lot of followers but almost no engagement, they may also have a bought-in following. Also note the ratio of likes, comments, and other types of engagement relative to followers.

3. General or repetitive comments: Real interactions, in this case comments, are specific and personalized. Overly general or repetitive comments can also indicate fake followers.

4. Inconsistency: Irregular engagement under an influencer's posts, such as large jumps in the number of likes, or a disparity between likes and comments can also be suspicious. Authentic interest should be balanced. Again, make use of various analytics tools.

5. Irrelevant audience: An influencer should create primarily for their audience, and if the audience demographics don't match their content, something will be wrong. Make sure the influencer cares about his audience and creates content for his target audience.

Tools to help you spot fake followers

The first way is to use analytics tools. We recommend you use HypeAuditor, which provides detailed follower analysis. Social Blade helps you track follower growth and Followerwonk helps you analyze follower demographics.

Another way is manual analysis. A personal review of an influencer's profile adds a human factor that notices things a machine might miss.

Analyze your audience. Understanding your audience will help you determine if the audience is real and relevant to your brand. For example, Demographics Pro can help you.

How to avoid fake followers?

1. Verify thoroughly: use the tools above to vet the influencer and their audience before you start working together.

2. Focus on micro-influencers: although they have a smaller following, they are usually highly engaged and more loyal. Such influencers have better relationships with their audience.

3. Build long-term relationships: long-term relationships feel authentic and trustworthy. At the same time, influencers are less likely to risk their reputation by buying fake followers in long-term collaborations.

4. Ask for evidence: don't be afraid to ask influencers for analysis or case studies from their previous campaigns. There's nothing like direct evidence.

Avoiding influencers with fake followers is key to the success of your campaign. Focus on authenticity, that's what people appreciate the most.