The most popular video-sharing platform, TikTok, is the best platform to showcase your talent and reach millions of users. However, with the rise of fake TikTok followers, it’s becoming increasingly more work to differentiate between genuine and fake followers.
If you want to grow big on the platform, you need real followers who love and value your content. Fake followers can do more harm than good to your account.
In this article, we will provide valuable tips and insights to help you avoid the pitfalls of fake followers. So, without any further ado. Let’s get started.
Why are fake followers bad for your TikTok account?
Fake followers on TikTok are counterfeit or bot accounts created to stimulate real users on the platform. They offer no genuine engagement and can harm your TikTok reach, making it impossible to blow up on the platform.
Moreover, as fake followers contribute to no engagement, they can reduce your account visibility and reach.
Let’s look at some of the main reasons fake followers are bad for your account.
1. False engagement metrics
Fake TikTok followers and engagements may seem important to many people, but they do not offer any real engagement. For Instance, how does having ten thousand followers but few to no likes on your TikTok videos sound?
TikTok fake or bot followers might add numbers to your followers but won’t provide any real value nor help you grow on the platform.
As a result, your content will appear with fewer engagements, damaging your reputation on TikTok. Also, when you calculate your engagement rate, it will be shallow compared to your count.
2. Fewer chances of landing on the for you page (fyp) 
Which is more critical on TikTok: having a large following that doesn’t engage or get views on your TikToks? If you are a TikTok content creator who wants to make a name for himself, landing on the “For You Page” should be your primary goal.
That said, if your account is overloaded with fake followers, it won’t only hurt your engagement metrics but also the chances of your content being shown to new audiences or appearing on FYP.
Low engagement on TikTok means that your videos aren’t providing any value or aren’t relevant, so it’s less likely that your account will get views outside of your real followers.
3. Credibility and trust
TikTok fake followers not only dim out your growing potential on the platform but also give your content on TikTok a significant blow to trust among genuine users.
Real TikTok users and creators may question the credibility of your account and whether you are seeking unethical tactics to increase your follower count.
Moreover, fake followers strictly go against TikTok guidelines and result in account suspension or even a permanent ban. It could be the last nail in the coffin for your TikTok journey!
How to spot fake followers on TikTok?
Spotting fake followers on conventional social media apps such as Instagram and X(formerly known as Twitter) is much easier and doesn’t require much observation. The following are some easy ways to spot fake followers on Instagram:
- The profile is incomplete, with a suspicious link-in-bio and profile picture
- The username contains lots of random alphabets or numbers that don’t mean anything
- Sending the same direct messages to everyone, which is easy to detect
- Engagement is usually low
- The account may follow thousands of followers but have no following
Seems so simple, doesn’t it? But this isn’t the case for detecting TikTok fake followers. For example, there’s no way to check their behavior patterns and engagements or watch likes and comments.
However, we have listed some of the best hacks to spot fake followers, so you don’t need to worry about your account being spammed with bots.
1. They don’t post original content
While sharing others’ videos is quite prevalent among the TikTok user base, many authentic accounts post original content. That said, if you come across an account with celebrity videos and no original content, there are higher chances that it could be a fake TikTok account.
2. They are followed by fan-buying accounts
Are you trying to work everything out to ensure your account followers are authentic? Here’s an easy tactic: Look through their following and see if any fan-buying accounts follow them up. It is one of the easiest ways to spot fake followers.
3. The numbers don’t add up
Similar to platforms like Instagram, observing behavior patterns is vital to catch TikTok’s fake account fraudulency. For example, accounts that have a massive number of followers but have fewer followings are likely to be bots.
This isn’t the case for many real users new to TikTok. Many TikTok users follow celebrities and creators before they start having followers for their accounts. Therefore, evaluating the authenticity of followers requires a meticulous approach, as fake followers can be deceptive.
4. Short burst of activity
TikTok fake followers or bot accounts usually follow a similar pattern regarding user activity. They may share a few videos on account creation day to appear genuine but then quickly go inactive, and the account eventually becomes dormant.
How to avoid fake followers on TikTok?
We have seen to spot fake accounts now, but how do you permanently avoid fake followers? Because you can’t always waste your time spotting bots, there must be some way to eliminate them.
Let’s look at some of the effective practices to follow to avoid fake followers.
Audit your followers regularly
Ideally, the most obvious way to avoid fake followers is by auditing your followers manually. Look out for suspicious behavior or unusual patterns with the fake account.
Nevertheless, this process is very time-consuming, so if you are a TikTok creator or business owner, you should opt for TikTok auditing tools. A comprehensive social media management tool like SocialBu helps you get ahead of the game. With SocialBu, you can analyze your TikTok videos and track your followers with actionable insights and interactive reports.
Remove and block fake followers
If you still can’t get rid of fake followers, the most helpful way to cleanse your TikTok account is to block them.
However, Unlike Instagram, the video-sharing app TikTok doesn’t group the accounts you interact with the least. This makes cleansing up your TikTok account more challenging and time-consuming.
Use hashtags wisely
Using relevant hashtags on your videos makes it easier for TikTok to land you on the “For You Page” because the TikTok algorithm considers hashtags when recommending content to other users.
Also, utilizing hashtags appropriately allows you to grow your TikTok account by connecting you with similar creators who share your interests.
Conclusion
In this article, we have covered everything you need to know about TikTok Fake Followers, from spotting them to avoiding them.
By remembering the tips we have mentioned, you can unleash your creative potential on TikTok and reach unprecedented heights without worrying about fake followers. Remember that only organic growth will get your TikToks the views they deserve.
How do you know if the account that is following is a fake follower?
- Their profile has no original videos.
- Their profile information seems suspicious.
- They have a vast following and few to no followers.
- They are followed by fan-buying accounts.
How do I get rid of fake followers on TikTok?
Getting rid of fake followers is easy if you follow some strategies.
- Audit your profile every once in a while, and look out for fake followers.
- Block and remove the fake followers.
- Use relevant hashtags to avoid fake followers
Why do I keep getting fake TikTok followers?
There could be many reasons you are getting fake accounts; one of the biggest reasons could be using irrelevant hashtags on your TikTok videos. With SocialBu, you can track and monitor your hashtags to see which hashtags are helpful and how they perform.
Will TikTok ban you for fake followers?
Searching for “how to get fake followers on Instagram” on Google? We have bad news for you! There are higher chances that buying fake followers can get you suspended or permanently banned from the platform.
