As a social media marketer, you are already well aware of the importance of having a genuine and engaged audience on Instagram, rather than just a large number of followers.
However, you might have encountered a phenomenon known as “ghost followers.”
In this article, we will explore what ghost followers are, their impact on your Instagram account, and strategies to prevent and remove them.
Identifying Ghost Followers on Instagram
Ghost followers are Instagram users who follow your account but do not engage with your content.
They are usually inactive accounts, bots, or users who unintentionally followed you. These followers can negatively affect your engagement rates and the success of your marketing campaigns.
Ghost followers often have no profile picture or a generic image, minimal or no posts, and a disproportionate following-to-follower ratio. They may also leave spammy comments or send direct messages.
The presence of ghost followers can lead to:
- lower engagement rates
- misleading performance metrics
- reduced visibility due to Instagram’s algorithm
Dangers of Ghost Followers and Instagram’s Actions Against Them
Ghost followers pose several risks to your account and may result in penalties from Instagram.
Having a significant number of ghost followers can damage your account’s reputation, as it may suggest that you have engaged in inauthentic growth practices. This can deter potential followers and business partners from engaging with your account.
Furthermore, Instagram actively fights against fake and spammy accounts. The platform has implemented algorithms that detect and penalize accounts with a high percentage of ghost followers.
This can lead to:
- decreased visibility of your content
- shadowbanning
- account suspension.
Reasons Behind the Growth of Ghost Followers
There are several reasons why ghost followers might be present on your account. Inactive accounts, for example, might belong to users who abandoned their accounts or created them for a specific purpose or event.
Bots and fake accounts, on the other hand, are often automated accounts created for spamming or scamming purposes, or they might have been purchased to boost follower numbers.
Lastly, real users might unintentionally follow your account due to accidental follows or follow-for-follow tactics.
Tips to Prevent Ghost Followers
To prevent ghost followers, it is essential to monitor your followers’ list by regularly reviewing your followers and looking for signs of ghost followers.
Implement a targeted and organic growth strategy by using relevant hashtags, engaging with your target audience, and avoiding purchasing followers or using follow-for-follow tactics.
You can also use Instagram’s native features, such as Instagram Insights, to track your account’s performance and the “Remove Follower” feature to manage your audience.
How to Remove Ghost Followers
To remove ghost followers, you can manually visit the suspicious follower’s profile and remove them.
Alternatively, you can utilize third-party tools and services such as Cleaner for IG or IGExorcist, although it is important to be cautious when granting third-party apps access to your account.
You can also consult services like HypeAuditor to analyze your audience. If you come across spammy or fake accounts, report them to Instagram and block the accounts to prevent them from following you again.
Best Practices to Maintain a Healthy and Engaging Instagram Community
Maintaining a healthy and engaging Instagram community involves consistently posting high-quality content, planning a content calendar, and focusing on visual storytelling.
Related: 5 Ways to Get More Instagram Story Views in 2023
Encourage interaction and engagement by responding to comments and direct messages, and utilize Instagram Stories, Reels, and Live to create a dynamic presence.
In order to boost your instagram growth even faster you should be using Plixi Instagram Growth, which partners you with an account expert, uses AI tools to target and engage with your target audience, and even run instagram ads for you to get you thousands of followers per month.
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