Since the early days of social media, many of us have wanted bigger social media followers. Stories of people with thousands or even millions of followers set high standards. Now, it’s almost impossible to visit a website or storefront without seeing badges asking you to follow us on social media.
For some, these numbers turned into real dollars. Brands paid them to post. Others landed new jobs or grew their businesses, all thanks to their online presence and influence.
But with so much focus on growing follower counts, it’s easy to forget about the value of the content itself. Is it the number that matters—or the quality of what we share day after day?
This chase for popularity looks a lot like pressures we see in other industries. Think of actresses and models who go to extremes to fit a certain image. Or women who feel they can’t be seen in public without makeup. At some point, we have to ask how far is too far.
Finding a balance between building an audience and staying true to ourselves is hard. The real goal is to connect in a way that feels honest, not forced by trends or numbers.
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Social Media Followers at a Price Offered
Remember the days when everybody was buying Facebook likes directly from Facebook? They still are offering it today and many do purchase the first likes for their pages.
The difference today is you can pick and choose a demographic and audience for those likes.
Back in the day, it was anybody and anyone that could like your page. This is more of a disservice to all. Facebook pages were first designed to grab the attention of people in a specific niche.
Facebook pages with fewer likes today generate more engagements. The people who like the page did so for a reason, not just to be nice.
If I could go back in time I would not have invited so many to like my Facebook page who never engaged on it since those early days.
Hence there were many companies that offered these Facebook likes for less money than Facebook. I remember getting phone calls all the time as I had a retail website. They wanted to sell me Facebook likes left and right.
Of course, as seen below there are still 491,000,000 queries that come up for buying Facebook likes today! Do Facebook likes really boost traffic and sales?
You may remember the post I wrote back in July about how Facebook likes do not translate into making money.
Instagram Followers
Have you seen how many services they are now for generating some Instagram followers? Today many users are making money from this social network and Instagram was barely mentioned in the news about their fake followers.
If you are on Instagram you may notice many users follow and un-follow you quicker than on any other social media network out there. This is still true in 2025.
Other Social Media Followers For Sale Too
Apparently, any social media site that can generate money for users has followers for sale. YouTube also requires you to have many followers to make a few dollars on their social network.
But today you can make some money on Rumble without having a lot of followers. You can participate in their discover tab and vote for videos by swiping.
Pinterest is one that was not mentioned in the news about fake followers but I’d imagine they are there too. And now as I’ve researched more, I can say yes for sure on Pinterest.
Many of their accounts have multiple boards with just one pin. So beware out there before you follow someone back on any social media network.
Social Media Follower Tools
Therefore does this mean all the social media tools out there to help promote your accounts, will fall into this category of fake accounts? I’m not sure but I doubt it.
Likewise, will these types of tools be considered fake? Viral Content Bee is a tool that many and I have used. There are thousands of these tools are used by social media marketers every day to gain in the social media system.
Another favorite of mine today is Fedica, especially for X but it can be used for Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest and even BlueSky today.
You could check who engages the most with you on X Twitter with Agorapulse and be assured these are not bots. These are real people who engage with you and some are even considered ambassadors who help promote you on the X social media network.
Social Media Followers on X Twitter
As a result, several years ago, X received the most attention in the news of the fake follower factory. It was not just the fake followers that caused this uproar but the bots generated. According to Wikipedia:
“A Twitterbot is a type of bot software that controls a Twitter account via the Twitter API. The bot software may autonomously perform actions such as tweeting, retweeting, liking, following, unfollowing, or direct messaging other accounts.”
Today that API costs a lot of money so it’s help eliminate most of these.
Obviously, these types of actions on the X Twitter network make anyone wonder. Who is real and who is only a bot? Even today there are many impersonating Elon Musk on the network.
The Real People on X
Many will wonder now – who is real on X? People who interact with you on the X network and off are real. Those than interact with you on any other social media network tend to be real. Friends that you talk to on the phone or via email are more likely to be real as it gets.
The news organizations that are reporting this are in fear of social media too. It has torn apart their businesses. We have to decide for ourselves who is real and who is not of our social media followers.
I can tell you folks like Ryan Biddulph and SueAnnBubacz are real. They engage with you on and off the X Twitter network. I met Sue-Ann a month ago in person and was invited to her Easter family gathering.
Ryan recently wrote about unfollowing 50,000 of his Twitter followers. He feels free and very real now. People do not want to waste their time on social media with fake people. Furthermore, he found it meaningless to follow those that follow you. I say Ryan is on to something!
Does Content Matter for Influencer Marketing?
Does content now count for influence? I think the content will count more in the future. It will count more than the number of social media followers one can produce on any given channel.
Our content is our home. It’s where we speak our minds and sometimes let others speak via the comments. And yes bots are around here and everywhere.
They try to come every once in a while to make us wonder. Is that person real or a fake leaving a comment on the blog?
We have to decide based on what we know at the moment and newer anti-bot software.
Conclusion: Social Media Followers – More Better or Not?
Chasing higher follower counts on social media sounds impressive, but it doesn’t guarantee results. Today, the real value comes from engagement—likes, comments, shares, and saves. Brands and businesses see more growth when their audience interacts.
Even a smaller, active community will drive stronger traffic, leads, and trust than a huge, quiet one. Focus your efforts on sparking conversations and responding to your followers. Build relationships, and you’ll see better returns.
Remember, it’s not about the numbers at the top of your profile. It’s about the people behind them and the valuable connections you create. So go for quality engagement over quantity—your brand will grow stronger and your audience will feel it.
Do you still ask for people to follow us on social media?
Are Social Media Followers an Asset or a Distraction? Frequently Asked Questions
Follower numbers can help build credibility and trust at first glance. People may see a large following and assume you’re established or worth their attention. However, having thousands of inactive or uninterested followers does little for engagement or actual business growth.
Yes, you can. Small but active communities often drive better results. Engaged followers share your posts, talk about your brand, and turn into loyal customers. Quality content, consistent posting, and real connections matter more than hitting a magic follower count.
Buying followers might make your profile look busy, but it usually backfires. Fake accounts don’t engage, so your posts get less reach. Algorithms may even flag or shadowban your page. Brands that get caught using fake followers risk their reputation—authenticity always wins out.
Yes and no. While some platforms like Instagram or TikTok may show your content to more people if you have an active following, engagement rate matters most. Algorithms favor posts that spark genuine likes, shares, and comments. A smaller but involved audience can outperform a bigger but silent crowd.
You can lose sight of what matters. Chasing numbers may lead to ignoring the people who already support your work. Accounts that go after followers at any cost often don’t build trust.
Look at engagement—likes, comments, saves, and shares. Watch your website traffic and conversions from social platforms. Track brand mentions and direct messages from real people. Loyal fans and repeat customers often matter more than a high follower tally.
Not always. While more followers can help with awareness, not every business needs huge numbers. Local shops, niche services, or B2B brands often thrive with a focused, smaller audience. Find where your customers are and connect with them where it counts.
Yes. Most platforms provide tools to remove or block suspicious accounts. Regular ‘clean-ups’ help keep your audience genuine. A smaller but real group will improve your insights and post performance.
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. While it’s tempting to focus on a single big channel, spreading out limits risk if algorithms change or accounts get banned. A balanced approach with a few active channels helps you reach more people and test what works best for your business.
For more practical tips and social media resources, check out the Inspire To Thrive Blog.