Should I buy Instagram followers?
An honest, strategic answer for small business owners
If you found this blog post, then you’re asking the question “should I buy Instagram followers?’, so I will start with the short answers:
👉 No - buying Instagram followers won’t grow your business.
👉 No - buying Instagram followers won’t help your engagement.
But this isn’t a lecture and it’s not about judging anyone who’s considered it or done it already. Because if you’ve ever been tempted, I get it.
Growth can feel slow.
You look at competitors with bigger numbers.
You wonder if you’re behind.
You want to look established.
Buying followers looks like a quick fix. The problem is that it fixes nothing that actually matters.
Why buying followers doesn’t work (strategically, not morally)
This isn’t just about ethics, it’s about effectiveness. Here’s what really happens when you buy followers.
Firstly they’re not real people so they can’t help build your business.
Fake followers don’t:
Have real networks.
Comment meaningfully.
Share your posts.
Click your links.
Enquire.
Buy or book!
Refer friends.
They are just numbers and numbers don’t generate revenue - people do.
You don’t need a bigger audience - you need a more connected one.
Buying followers damages your engagement (and that hurts your reach) and Instagram doesn’t reward follower count, it rewards engagement.
When you have thousands of fake accounts sitting there doing nothing, your engagement rate drops. And when engagement drops, the algorithm assumes your content isn’t resonating.
That means:
Fewer real people see your posts.
Your growth slows even more.
You feel frustrated.
You post less or more.
The cycle continues.
It’s not just unhelpful, it actively works against you.
It can increase your ad costs
This is something most people don’t realise. If you ever run paid ads, Instagram uses engagement data to optimise performance. An account full of inactive or fake followers creates weak engagement signals.
That can:
Reduce ad effectiveness.
Increase cost per result.
Make your campaigns harder to scale.
So the shortcut you thought would help? It can literally cost you money later.
It hurts your credibility in partnerships
If you ever want to:
Collaborate with another business.
Work with influencers.
Pitch to media.
Secure brand partnerships.
They won’t just look at your follower count, they’ll look at your engagement. If you have 12,000 followers and 15 likes per post, that’s a red flag and credibility is hard to rebuild once it’s questioned.
Let’s talk about the real reason you’re considering it
Buying followers usually isn’t about strategy, it’s about comparison.
It’s about:
Feeling behind.
Feeling small.
Feeling invisible.
Wanting to look “legitimate”
Wanting to look popular.
But marketing decisions made from insecurity rarely lead to good outcomes.
Most small businesses don’t have a follower problem, they have a strategy problem. Buying followers is avoiding the hard work:
Clarifying your audience.
Strengthening your positioning.
Creating content that actually connects.
Showing up consistently.
Engaging intentionally.
No shortcut can replace clarity.
What if you’ve already bought followers?
Firstly don’t panic - you’re not the only one. Here’s what to do instead of doubling down:
Stop immediately.
Don’t try to “balance it out” with more.
Focus on increasing real engagement.
Start building genuine connections.
Gradually remove the ones you know are fake and start in the ‘followers’ section where it says ‘deactivated accounts’.
Gradually dilute fake followers with authentic growth.
The solution isn’t drastic, it’s strategic
So what should you do instead of buying Instagram followers?
If you want real growth - the kind that leads to enquiries and sales - focus on these things:
Build connection, not just content.
Show your face, if relevant.
Share behind the scenes.
Talk about real client problems.
Answer FAQs.
Teach something useful.
People buy from businesses they feel connected to.
Engage like a human
Reply to comments.
Start conversations in DMs.
Comment thoughtfully on other local businesses’ posts.
Instagram is social media - not broadcast media.
Prioritise clarity over volume
You don’t need to post more.
You need to post with purpose.
Who are you talking to?
What do they struggle with?
What transformation do you provide?
When your messaging is clear, growth becomes easier.
The bigger picture
Follower count is a vanity metric. Revenue is not. 1,000 real followers who trust you will outperform 10,000 fake ones every time, because good business isn’t built on appearances, it’s built on relationships.
And good business should feel easy - for you and your customers.
If you’re feeling stuck, don’t resort to hacks or shortcuts. If you’re considering drastic tactics like buying followers, it usually means one of three things:
You’re not seeing traction.
You’re unsure what to post.
You don’t have a clear strategy.
That’s not a failure. It’s just a signal that you need support, not shortcuts. This is exactly what I do. I help small businesses and community organisations in regional, suburban and small towns with:
Authentic, sustainable marketing strategies.
Clear positioning and messaging.
Social media plans that actually convert.
Growth without gimmicks.
You don’t need to game the system, you need a plan that fits your business.
If you’re ready to build something real - without cheating, buying numbers, or chasing trends that don’t align with you - let’s talk.
👉 Follow me on Instagram for practical, honest marketing advice.
👉 Connect with me on LinkedIn if that’s your jam.
👉 Or reach out if you’d like support building a strategy that feels aligned and sustainable.
Because growth should feel intentional, not desperate and you deserve a business that grows the right way.
Hi I’m Erika ✌️ I’m a marketing specialist with a BA in Media and Comms, Masters of Marketing, Cert in CX (Customer Experience) and 30 years experience. I’m well placed to help you navigate the sometimes overwhelming world of marketing and social media. I work with you one on one or create fun and action-oriented workshops and webinars for groups, organisations and businesses. Book a free discovery call with me or simply email me to get the conversation started.
For more tips, connect with me on Facebook and Instagram or just get in touch, I'm always happy to help.
