Social media influencers have become an important part of the modern marketing landscape, but unfortunately, not all influencers are genuine. This article will discuss why some influencers are fake, how to spot them, and the negative impact they can have on businesses and brands that use them for promotion purposes.
What Are Social Media Influencers?
Social media influencers are individuals who have built up a large following on social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, Twitter or Facebook through their content and expertise in a particular field or industry. They use their influence to promote products or services to their followers in exchange for money or other forms of compensation from the companies they represent.
These influencers typically have a passionate following which can range from thousands to millions of people depending on their reach and popularity. As such, they can be highly effective at promoting products and services to their followers as they act as trusted sources of information due to their knowledge and expertise in the field they work in.
The Rise of Fake Influencers
With the rise of social media platforms, it has become easier for people to create fake accounts and pretend to be an influential figure in order to gain attention from brands and companies looking for endorsements from real influencers with large followings. These fake accounts often feature stock photos instead of real pictures and usually only post generic content that does not reflect any real knowledge about a particular topic or industry.
Fake influencers are often hired by companies looking for quick results without having to go through the process of finding a genuine individual with a large following who is knowledgeable about the subject matter being promoted. Unfortunately this approach is often counter-productive as it can lead to low engagement rates due to lack of trust from customers/followers who quickly realize that the accounts being promoted are not genuine.
How To Spot Fake Influencers
There are several ways you can tell if an influencer is fake or not:
• Look at their engagement rate – If an account has thousands of followers but very few likes or comments on their posts then it could be a sign that the followers are fake;
• Check out their profile – A genuine influencer will have a detailed profile with information about themselves, such as where they work or what they do;
• Examine their content – Take a look at the type of content they post and see if it is original or just generic stock images;
• Research them online – Do some research into the person behind the account by searching for them on other social media platforms or websites;
Reasons Why People Choose Fake Influencers
There are several reasons why people choose to use fake influencers over real ones:
• Cost – It is generally cheaper to hire a fake influencer than it is to hire one with a genuine following;
• Reach – With more followers comes more reach which can be beneficial when trying to reach certain target audiences;
• Quickness – Hiring a fake influencer is often quicker than finding one with an authentic audience as there is no need to wait for applications/proposals etc.;
The Negative Impact Of Fake Influencers On Businesses And Brands
Using fake influencers can have serious consequences for businesses and brands that rely on them for promotion purposes as this can lead to low engagement rates, lack of trust from customers/followers and ultimately damage their reputation online. Additionally, using fake influencers may also result in legal action being taken against the company if it turns out that they were aware that they were using someone who was not genuine in order to promote their products/services.
Examples Of Fake Influencers Being Caught Out
There have been numerous cases where companies have been caught out using fake influencers in order to promote their products/services without disclosing this fact publicly beforehand. For example, in 2017 Unilever was found guilty by UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) after it used “ambassadors” with tens of thousands of followers who turned out not to be real people but rather computer-generated profiles created solely for promotional purposes without making this clear beforehand (1). Similarly, Nike was also found guilty by ASA after it used “influential” figures who had bought thousands-of-fake-followers (1). These examples show how important it is for companies/brands looking for promotional purposes via social media influence should always check whether an individual is genuine before hiring them as part of their campaign activities otherwise serious consequences may result from doing so otherwise.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while social media influence can be highly beneficial when used correctly, there are risks associated with hiring fake influencers which can lead to low engagement rates, lack of trust from customers/followers and ultimately damage your reputation online if you’re caught out using them without disclosing this fact beforehand publicly. To avoid these risks businesses should always ensure that any individual they plan on working with is genuinely influential before hiring them as part of promotional activities otherwise serious consequences may result from doing so otherwise. For those looking for professional marketing services, we recommend Adfluencer – The Professional Social Media Marketing Agency based in Nürnberg Germany!
FAQ
Why Instagram influencers are fake?
Influencers with fake followers present themselves as real influencers without the audience track record or marketing savvy to back it up. They may get sponsorship offers but not perform well in their role as an influencer – and you don’t want to be one of those brands that fall for that.
What’s wrong with social media influencers?
Because influencers often present a clean and fun version of their lives this can create a sense of comparison for younger followers. Increased social comparison is associated with anxiety depression sleep problems and negative body image in young people.
Are social media influencers influencing?
So yes. Influencers can influence their followers. But not everyone is an influencer. Now people follow people who promote many products and are not authentic in their reviews.
How many social media influencers are fake?
One of the most prevalent issues that have arisen with influencers is the trend of follower fraud. Data collected by Statista concluded that in 2021, approximately 49 percent of Instagram influencers participated in follower fraud.
Which celebrity has the fakest followers on Instagram?
How many fake followers do Instagrams top celebrities and brands haveNameFollowers (M)Fake Followers ( percent)Cristiano Ronaldo329.123.5Neymar Jr.5.923.3LeBron James1.122.8Marcelo Vieira Jr48.322.76 more rows
What is the dark side of influencers?
Most influencers tend to be self-employed with erratic incomes and lack the protections that come with permanent employment — such as sick pay and vacation entitlements. Self-employment risks are exacerbated by a lack of professional standards and low pay transparency in influential industries.