Fake followers are bots that are created or acquired to inflate an account’s followers base on Instagram. However, as much as one might want to take the easy road to growth by purchasing followers, it’s important to note that fake accounts do not help in achieving real growth nor more exposure.
Instead, fake followers can bring Instagram penalties, damage your reputation and skew your metrics.
In this article we’ll go through 7 tools to spot and remove fake followers, how to spot fake followers, how to remove them and some extra tips for avoiding these accounts.
Fake followers are artificially created or purchased accounts on social media platforms that inflate the number of followers of a user or brand. These followers do not represent real or engaged people and often have the following characteristics:
Check out our detail guide on how to identify fake followers, the metrics to analyze and tools that can be used during analysis.
In order to effectively manage your Instagram followers and keep your account clean, you can try the following tools to spot and remove fake, inactive or unwanted followers.
Always remember to use these tools responsibly and in compliance with Instagram's terms of service!
As previously mentioned in the reasons why you should remove fake accounts from your list, a sudden drop in followers can look suspicious and raise some doubts about your account.
Therefore, deleting these accounts manually on Instagram might be the slowest but safest way to keep your account clean. Once you have evaluated which accounts are fake or ghost, you can delete them by going to your followers list, and clicking on ‘Remove’ for each account.
This fake follower check tool isn’t technically for mass removals, but it’s ideal for the first step in analyzing fake accounts and keeping your profile clear. Especially if you are going to do manual removals, as it's a good indicator for whether you should take the time to do it or not.
This tool is also ideal for running regular check ups, since it is recommended to constantly evaluate your account’s analytics in order to understand where there is room for improvement.
This is the most known brand for mass-removals, as it is specifically designed for identifying and removing inactive or suspicious accounts. They also work with Instagram API to prevent their users from getting penalties by deleting followers.
Furthermore, it not only works for ghost accounts, but also for commercial and sales accounts which will flood your feed with unwanted ads.
This is a mobile app with a sophisticated and intuitive interface. It allows for both manual and mass removals for up to 20 people in one click, ensuring you don’t remove too many at once to avoid a sudden drop in followers.
This platform also detects fake accounts and removes them, and it also works with Instagram API to comply with security guidelines.
But one thing that differentiates it from other removers is the option to apply up to 12 filters, when selecting the type of accounts you want to get rid of, providing a more detailed process.
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This mobile app is only available for iOS, and it’s a very simple tool to manage anything mass-related to your Instagram account. It works both for mass removing followers and likes, and a good thing is that you select how many you delete at once, keeping control of the action.
This is a mobile app only available for Android users, and it’s built for mass deleting followers and posts.
Also check out these 9 tools to analyze fake instagram followers.
Fake profiles indeed should be removed from your account because they can create a misleading appearance of popularity, but they can damage credibility and reduce genuine engagement on social media platforms:
Due to all the recent changes in social media, and most specifically, the impact TikTok has had as a platform for content creators, Instagram has drastically changed their algorithm to keep up.
On April of this year, the head of Instagram and Threads, Adam Mosseri, posted:
Follower counts matter less than view and like counts. I understand why people focus so much on follower counts; they're prominent and they're easy to find. But if you actually want to get a sense for how relevant an account is, look at their how many likes they get per post and how many views per reel instead. Source: Situation, Linkedin, 2024
This way, exactly because mass followers have become a common thing, and building a community with engaged followers is difficult, Instagram has shifted its focus from followers to the engagement rate to spot valuable accounts.
As mentioned, Instagram’s algorithm now focuses for the most part, on your account’s engagement rate to push your profile to new users and increase your exposure. The engagement rate is based on your total amount of followers vs how many interactions you have, and it’s calculated as it follows:
Total Interactions Over a Period / Total Followers x 100%
Therefore, if you think about it, having an over-the-top follower count compared to the number of real active users who interact with your content will disturb your engagement rate and affect how much Instagram promotes your account.
It is better to have a smaller number of followers if it means they will be more dedicated to your account.
Whether you are an influencer or a brand, social media credibility is key for doing business.
For partnerships, both sides will check and scrutinize the other’s profile to ensure they are partnering with someone worth the while. And if your profile has a suspicious growth, or your comment section is filled with meaningless comments by bots, then you might miss a good opportunity to increase your exposure or get a deal.
However, removing fake followers aids in maintaining a credible, authentic profile which will be more attractive to both real followers and potential brand partners.
Perhaps the most dangerous impact of all, as it can bring serious blockages in your account, is receiving a penalty for violating Instagram’s terms and conditions.
Because Instagram periodically purges fake accounts, your profile might see a sudden drop of followers and that might spark doubts on your legitimacy.
The consequences then could be reduced visibility, lower engagement rates and even account suspension.
You now understand what fake followers are and why you should get rid of them, but, how can you spot them to start removing them from your account?
There are two ways to spot fake accounts:
You can check a more detailed guide on how to spot fake followers in this article.
Now that Instagram has millions of users and it’s a very competitive environment, having a large number of followers might seem like a quick route to success. However, as we have explored, fake followers pose significant risks to your credibility and engagement.
Furthermore, with Instagram's algorithm now prioritizing engagement over follower count, maintaining a clean, engaged follower base is more crucial than ever. So, by checking your account regularly and using removal tools responsibly and in compliance with Instagram's guidelines, you can maintain a genuine follower base that enhances your profile’s value and appeal.
Focus on building an engaged community rather than just inflating numbers, and you’ll find greater success in your social media endeavors.
Fake followers can be identified by their low engagement, such as having many followers but few likes or comments. They often have incomplete profiles, like no profile picture or generic usernames. A skewed follower-to-following ratio, irrelevant or repetitive comments, and minimal account activity are also common signs of fake accounts.
Genuine followers boost your engagement through likes, comments, and shares, improving your visibility since Instagram promotes these accounts. They also enhance your credibility and attract better opportunities for partnerships.
Finally, real followers contribute to sustainable, long-term growth rather than quick, superficial popularity.
To avoid fake followers, don’t buy followers or use automated services. Engage authentically with your audience and post relevant, high-quality content. Use hashtags carefully to avoid attracting bots, and regularly review and remove suspicious accounts.
Yes, fake followers can be removed using third-party tools like SpamGuard or Follow Cop, which identify and delete fake accounts. Instagram also allows manual removal and blocking of followers. Some tools use advanced filters to automate this process while maintaining compliance with Instagram's guidelines.
Regularly monitoring and removing fake followers is recommended to maintain a healthy, engaged audience. Performing these checks monthly allows you to stay on top of any influx of fake accounts and ensures your engagement metrics remain accurate. Using analytics tools like Influencer Hero’s Followers Analytics can simplify this process by providing ongoing monitoring and identifying suspicious accounts for removal.
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