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I used to think calling out small influencers was pointless, but a case with 500 fake followers changed my mind
I was always skeptical of people who went after micro-influencers with like 2000 followers for faking engagement. Seemed like a waste of energy when real issues existed. But last month I saw this girl from Portland get called out for buying 500 bot followers after a failed collab. She had posted screenshots of her 'organic growth' and someone on here actually ran the numbers. Turned out her engagement rate was 0.2% and all her comments were from the same 5 accounts. Watching her try to defend it with 'I just got lucky' was painful. It convinced me that even small scale dishonesty matters because it ruins trust for everyone. Are there any tools you guys use to spot fake followers before they get too big?
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rubyschmidt1mo ago
Hmm, I actually see it a little different. 500 bots on a 2000 follower account is still a tiny percentage of the overall pool, and calling her out publicly just made her defensive instead of learning. A quiet DM or just letting her fade into obscurity seems more effective than a public shaming that probably got her more attention than she deserved. Plus, brands who partner with someone that small without checking engagement are kinda asking for it.
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