Pros and cons of buying Instagram followers • Digital Dot (2024)

With over 1 billion users that spend an average of 30 minutes per day on Instagram, this social network definitely has influence in the world of digital marketing. A lot of individuals and businesses now use it to promote products/services, and a lot of people respond to this. And so, we have a majority of Instagram users that use it to look up different products that they have a hard time finding through other channels. Social media marketing companies already understand the bargaining power that social networks have in today’s society. You can find everything on social media if you look hard enough. And in most cases, you don’t even need to search that hard. So, the question today is whether or not buying Instagram followers is a good idea?

Why does the number of Instagram followers matter?

During a single decade of its existence, Instagram has become a very influential social media network. In fact, statistics show that Instagram was among the top 5 most popular websites for mobile users and the 6th most popular website in 2020. And this is just a part of the story that one gets from the weight that Instagram carries. Instagram users go beyond its basic uses and constantly find new ways to gain value from it.

Instagram advertising has practically become a norm of modern business, with companies investing resources into building strong profiles on more and more social media networks. And the fundamental norm to follow in this aspect is to gather as many followers as possible and to expand the overall influence of your brand. However, should a business draw the line at actually paying people to follow them on Instagram? In this article, we look at the notion of buying Instagram followers and the (dis)advantages it can offer.

The pros of buying Instagram followers

The struggle between paid vs organic traffic is a topic that is always open for debate among marketers. While some blindly follow one or the other option, there are those that support the combined application of the two. Therefore, so long as your business doesn’t rely purely on paying for followers and likes on Instagram, there are definitely advantages to it:

#1: More followers translate to a higher following rate

Social media users are a trend-based audience. They see two or three competitive companies, they will opt for the one with the most followers. It’s that simple. If your business has a low follower count, your following will suffer. And so, by buying Instagram followers, you can bridge that initial gap in having a fresh account with no followers.

#2: Higher visibility in your niche

Just like Google and other search engines, social media networks also use algorithms when creating newsfeeds for users. It makes it easier for customers to see exactly what they show interest in when scrolling through their newsfeed. There are, of course, many factors that influence this algorithm, the number of followers and overall engagement being among them. But at the end of the day, the more followers your brand has, the more likely it is to contribute to your visibility on the Instagram newsfeed.

#3: Better engagement with Instagram users

People are attracted to trends, we’ve already said this much. With social media trends constantly changing, it can be difficult to stay relevant. However, having a constantly growing number of followers can help you stay relevant and engage with other users. By buying Instagram followers that are willing to engage, you can get that viral effect that people notice. The only risk is that you need to be mindful of the engagement and comments that the followers that you buy will leave. That is why you need to buy Instagram followers with an established track record.

#4: Getting endorsem*nt deals becomes easier

Influencer endorsem*nts have become a great way of profiting on social media platforms, Instagram in particular. The more followers you have, the more the influence of your opinion grows. And this can be a very powerful tool for promoting other individuals and businesses on Instagram. Buying Instagram followers can help you build a strong presence, opening to you the potential of influencer marketing. However, once you gain this status, you need to be mindful of each post or engagement that you make, as it will all have a bearing on the chances of getting influencer endorsem*nt.

#5: Growing your credibility as an Instagram brand

With the rapid development of digital marketing and online branding, competing for the favor of consumers has become more challenging than ever. And at the very core of that ability to compete with others is – credibility. The more credible your online presence is, the stronger your brand becomes. For Instagram brands, the number of followers plays a crucial role in building authenticity and becoming a verified Instagram business.

Cons of buying Instagram followers

As with most tactics in the world of digital marketing, there are always risks that go with a plan of action. Neglecting to consider the risks of a decision before making it is what can ruin a business. Therefore, make sure to look at the downsides of buying followers and likes on Instagram before you make a decision:

#1: Costly with no ROI guarantees

The fact of the matter is that buying Instagram followers that are vetted can run up quite the bill. If you want to make a big impact, you need to buy at least a couple of thousand followers, which costs a lot. And if you don’t take the time to research and buy from reputable sources, you might not see the ROI that you are hoping for. So, you need to be cautious and tactical before making such a large purchase of followers.

#2: Potentially damaging to your reputation

Having to buy your way into a game always comes with a certain amount of prejudice. Consumers easily form negative opinions the moment they discover a fraudulent rise to power. And this is a truth that has never been more obvious than it is today, with the insight that one can gain from social media sources. If you decide to buy a large number of followers and don’t have the quality to back it up, it can backfire on your tenfold, leading to a complete loss of reputation.

#3: Engagement is not a guarantee that comes with followers

There are a lot of people out there that believe that simply cashing out for a couple of thousand followers on Instagram will set them up for success. And this is not the case – far from it, in fact. Even with a high number of Instagram followers, you still need to create your own engagement through strategizing and the implementation of quality content. Buying Instagram followers gets you through the door, but you still need to play your cards right if you want to win the game.

#4: High risk of being shadowbanned

Like all social media networks, Instagram has its terms of agreement and use that users need to abide by. While buying actual followers is acceptable, buying fake followers with spam comments and poor engagement can raise red flags. In such cases, other users can report you and leave your profile open to being banned because of violating the Instagram terms of agreement.

#5: The effects of such a decision are temporary

Much like paid advertising, buying followers will only get you the attention of others for a limited amount of time. It’s a temporary boost that can point the spotlight in your direction, but you still need to have something to show once that happens. Otherwise, you will lose the momentum and end up with a shallow investment.

Reasons why people invest in boosting Instagram followers and likes

As far as promoting your business online goes, having a high volume of followers on social media networks is definitely a strong cornerstone to have. It helps you promote your business on multiple marketing channels while adding to your overall digital marketing strategy and brand awareness. Here are the most obvious reasons for growing your number of followers on Instagram and other social networks:

• Having more followers leads to having more visitors on landing pages, which boosts website traffic.
• The stronger an Instagram profile becomes the more influence that brand gains, which leads to more sales.
• As the number of followers on Instagram grows, more networking opportunities become available.
• Sharing content and other types of marketing campaigns becomes easier to do.
• A higher volume of interactions can lead to long-lasting bonds between brands and clients.
• A high number of followers generates more leads and potential clients, which results in more profit.

Start investing in your social media advertising today!

Whether you are for or against the idea of buying Instagram followers after all the facts here remains up to you. However, you shouldn’t neglect the simple fact that there are plenty of other ways to go about gathering subscribers and followers. As an experienced digital marketing company in NYC, Digital Dot understands the mindset of social media users. Our team can advise you on the different ways of generating users and expanding your target audience in the process.

• Contact our team today to schedule a social media marketing consultation and learn how you can boost your results!