Short answer: No, not really.
Long answer: These services indeed increase the quality of your account and Instagram followers. But just like the increase in your height when you switch from imperial to metric units, this is an illusion. Even the number of actual followers is a useless metric and does not represent the true return on your investment. However, if these real followers like your content, they are more likely to become customers.
As our research shows, most of these are fake “quality” followers’ random accounts that often have nothing to do with your business or niche. They will never respond to your posts, become real customers, or spread good word of mouth about your business.
So if your only goal is to have a large number of followers, these services will help you achieve that. At least temporarily, until Instagram detects spam activity on your account and shuts it down.
However, if you want to build a successful business, connect with customers, and get a return on your social media efforts, there are better ways to invest your time and money. Don’t just take our word for it! We bought followers from Social Boost to see how it works (watch our demo video to see the results).
What Happens When You Buy Expensive Instagram Followers?
We ran a few tests to find out what happens when you buy Instagram followers. We bought cheap followers from Socialbudies in 2021. This year, we paid more for a service that manages growth in the name of science. There are a few differences:
The Premium Service was a Lot of Work For Us
Since the goal of these services is to get “organic” engagement by liking and following other accounts on your behalf, you need to do your homework. Our developer asked us to provide detailed information about our converters, demographics, and hashtags to help them determine our audience.
You might be wondering: if this information comes to mind, can’t you use it to like and follow accounts that are relevant to you? Well, you can! And you should, because then you’re doing a better job than just tapping the gardener.
The growth manager advised us to post an Instagram story every day and to post to our feed two or three times a week. That’s good advice! But remember: you can’t just sit back and watch the followers go by. You still have to apply.
We Got Security Alerts From Instagram
These premium tracking services need your account information so they can log in on your behalf. Because their click-through rates are spread out across the globe, middlemen use VPNs to make it appear as if you are logging in from your normal location.
But as with all areas of experience, they overpromise and underdeliver. We have received security updates from Instagram when they detect traffic and account activity in a private location, reminding us to never lie to Instagram. You should know if your account is following a pattern.
We Got Security Alerts From our Bank, too
When we tried to pay for our growth services, our credit card was declined and our bank called us multiple times with concerns about fraud. We convinced them to activate our card and the first payment went through.
And then… we waited. Even though the charge was on the credit card, our billing service told us that the payment had not gone through. We paid again, checked with our bank and they warned us that we had been scammed. (Don’t try this at home!!)
We lost $500 before they even started because the service wouldn’t work for us until the payment was completed. The money finally arrived.
The Results Were Not Great
Nineteen days after the first payment attempt, we finally got the followers we promised! Please please … After 19 days, we had 37 new followers. That’s two followers per day – the kind of growth you see with very little effort and without the scary international sales.
While completing this study, we found a few more followers. By the fourth week, we had 335 followers. That’s $1.50 per follower. For that price, you’d think they were pretty good! But they didn’t work, they looked so fake and had absolutely nothing to do with our account.
We Received Some Weird DMs
As the reference book says, the energy you put out into the world tends to come back to you. And when you engage in dark activities, you attract dark people. Our DMs in this study were colorful; including two psychic readings and an invitation to join the Illuminati.
Another reminder that buying fake followers can have unintended consequences. Weird DMs are fun unless they clog up your inbox and make it difficult to find and reach out to real followers.
What to Do Instead of Buying Instagram Followers?
If you want to grow your Instagram following, there are many legitimate ways to do it! It won’t happen overnight, but the followers you get are more important than the purchases you make.
Make Great Content
No shortcuts, sorry! The audience is discerning, and so are brands. This means posting engaging, high-quality videos and photos, along with a well-written copy.
You also want to make sure your content is discoverable. Designing relevant accounts and using hashtags increases visibility. Getting to the search engine is the golden ticket; if you post regularly and have followers, you have a better chance of survival. Instagram prioritizes posts that perform well. So follow these guidelines to get the most likes on your Instagram content.
Promote Your Instagram Account
Make it easy for people to find you on Instagram! If possible, make sure your username doesn’t match the social network. That way, someone who follows you on TikTok can find you on Instagram. You can also post the best Instagram content on your social media pages to encourage your audience to follow you on Instagram.
Think beyond social media. Your Instagram account should be included on your website, in your email signature, on your business cards, and in other marketing materials for your business.
Run a Contest
If you’re looking for a quick fix, Instagram contests can help you grow your followers quickly. By allowing people to follow your account, tag friends, and share your content on their accounts, you can gain new followers and grow your influence.
Focus on Relationships
Followers don’t just want you to talk to them, they want you to talk to them. Responding to comments, accepting Q&As in your Stories, and sharing user content in your feed are just a few ways to show your followers that you’re listening.
Looking for more ideas to start conversations and build relationships? We’ve got a cheat sheet with 29 creative ideas.
Buy Ads, Not Followers
If you want to grow your influence, advertising on Instagram is a legitimate (and effective) way to do it. Paid ads on Instagram reach 48 billion people, which means you’ll gain new followers.
Stay on Trend
To stay relevant on Instagram, you have to keep up with the times. Consumer tastes and preferences are constantly evolving, which means your content needs to evolve too.
