Without any doubt, Instagram is one of the leading social media platforms right now. Instagram serves various purposes that all age brackets can benefit from, however the popularity has soared due to it being a visual social media platform with the demographics of its active users consisting on young people, working adults and teenagers. Using Instagram is one thing, using it for business purposes is another, and also working for on on Instagram. If the latter is the case, most people would call "Instagram workers" content creators. For a good reason. Content creation skill is definitely the key to succeeding on the platform. Without content, you don't get what measures your success - followers.

Followers are the backbone of your Instagram journey. Some may argue that engagements are what actually matters but to think about it, followers bring the engagements, it doesn't just fall from the sky. They help increase your outreach, grow your audience and boost engagement on your posts. Unfortunately, followers don't just come by. A lot of people have given up Instagram SMM after putting in time, money and resources into content creation but never gaining sufficient amount of followers.

Buying followers is a common practice not only among startups or newbie influencers, but even celebs and big brands too. Sometimes it's a matter of competition with a particular person/company/brand. There are cases where you just need the extra boost so things will get rolling. While people may think buying followers is a definite no-go, there are more benefits to it not talked about often.

Making Money

Although Instagram is mainly for entertainment for the majority, some users depend on it as a means of income. They combine content, in-built or outsource tools and follower count to achieve financial goals for their brand or a business. Some of the ways people make money on Instagram include influencer marketing, affiliate marketing and collaboration with brands. 

Influence Marketing

Influencer marketing simply refers to using people who have established credibility and expertise in certain sectors. The names that can influence a group of people and direct their buying power to the brand they are advertising. By partnering with influencers who already have an established audience, businesses can tap into a larger pool of potential customers and increase brand visibility.

Affiliate Marketing

To do affiliate marketing, you must first open a professional account, set up an affiliate page and then proceed to promote selected products/services. You will earn a commission on each product sold. The more you sell, more you earn. With affiliate marketing, businesses can reach a wider audience, increase their sales, and build a loyal customer base.

Collaboration with Brands

Instagram collaboration allows you to co-author feed posts and reels with brands, another individual or influencer. This is to increase visibility on both sides and drive sales. You will have to pitch to the brands before you get a collaboration deal. Collaboration with brands on Instagram has become a popular way for influencers to monetize their following and create content that is in line with the values of their audience to generate leads. 

Instagram Vendors

This refers to selling products and/or offering services on Instagram. Unlike affiliate marketing, Instagram vending allows you to sell your product, basically setting up your business for you. Your profile, story and reels as well as feed posts must speak of your product, its credibility and reviews. 

The Importance of Followers & Why You Should Consider Buying Some

In all the ways that you can make money on Instagram, it follows one pattern, credibility. Credibility only comes from followers and engagement. People can go to any lengths to increase the following count because of the opportunities it will bring. The issue however, is when those followers don't engage with your content. It then becomes visible that they are not organic and you may lose all of the viability that having large followers brought to you. So when we talk about buying Instagram followers, we talk about organic ones and definitely not the bots. Now, let's list down the reasons why buying organic followers could be a legitimate consideration.

Buying Instagram followers can expose you to better opportunities:

With the way new content creators arise every day on Instagram, it has become increasingly difficult to get into the limelight and be discovered. If you put in the work, there is no doubt that you will be disappointed when you don't get results. Although great opportunities on Instagram are endless, and sometimes, they do not necessarily depend on the number of followers, as some may argue, it kind of does revolve around the follower count in one way or another. Yeah it's true that your local celebrity does not have as much as a global superstar in the same niche, but the comparison should happen between two local celebrities in the same field. One has better opportunities than the others because one has more followers.

Another thing is, when comparison happens, it might affect your mental health. Truth be told, not everyone can separate their offline feelings from their social media life, hence the urge to get gratification through followers. Seeing the immediate increase in the number of followers, will motivate you to do more. More you have, more you want. However, it is important to note that buying followers is not a lasting solution. The journey of making it big on Instagram requires patience, creativity and good strategy. 

Buying Instagram followers can attract real followers:

A large number of followers naturally attracts more followers in the sense that, if a person has many followers, people will automatically be attracted to the page. Users will want to find out more about the mysterious account they've never seen before that many people are interested in apparently. Instagram interface is designed in a way that the number of followers on a page is the most noticeable feature. People tend to follow the crowd generally.  It's true in the case of Instagram as well. If say 100K people are following you to see your content, there must be something valuable on your page. Hence, it's likely they give you a try. Buying Instagram followers is a step toward building your audience, so inviting real followers will be easier. 

Increased brand visibility:

More followers on a brand's social media accounts increases brand credibility and visibility. As followers increase, so does the brand’s outreach, as followers tend to share content, which leads to more exposure and greater engagement with the brand. Followers are also a guarantee to the brand trustworthiness. This leads to more customers and more sale opportunities. Additionally, the more a brand is seen and engaged with, the more likely it is to have its content appear in random user feeds or end up on the Explore page, a shortcut to success.

It is important to note that aside from followers, you can also increase brand visibility by:

• Leveraging Instagram Reels and Stories; 
• Collaboration with Instagram creators and influencers;
• Posting creative content with relevant hashtags consistently;
• Optimize Instagram business tools like insights and analytics;
• Engaging with your audience actively by responding to their comments, hosting lives, and many other things.

Disadvantages of Buying Instagram Followers 

Instagram rules and regulations, as well as community guidelines is there to enable meaningful and genuine interactions in all posts users get on the platform. Instagram requires that all interactions be spam-free, so there should be no fake accounts or followers. Violating these rules can result in a temporary or permanent ban. They may even go as far as deleting an account. Check out other Instagram terms of use to know the rules so that your posts are in compliance and your account will be protected from being suspended or deleted.

Lack of engagement despite buying followers: buying followers doesn't always equal engagement on your post. If you buy Instagram followers from scam companies, your Instagram page will suffer. This is because it will be obvious to new followers or even anyone who checks your page that your followers are not real. In some ways, followers should contribute a certain amount of engagement to your posts. Make sure you are buying from reputable third party companies only.

You will be prompted to buy "likes" and "verification." If your engagement rate does not tally with the number of followers on your page, the next solution that will be recommended to you is to buy engagements in the form of "likes." Oftentimes, people who buy followers proceed to buy "likes," which requires extra money. 

The disadvantages of buying Instagram followers can sometimes outweigh the advantages. Buying followers may give the impression of a large following, but these followers may not engage with the account and could even be fake accounts. This can lead to a loss of credibility as well as a waste of money. As a result, it is crucial to consider the consequences of buying followers before making a purchase decision and more importantly, finding the right company to take care of the following count for you. 

How to Get Organic Instagram Followers

Getting a large number of organic Instagram followers is difficult, but not impossible. Here are ways you can do it:

• Build an excellent profile: the most effective way to optimize your Instagram account for opportunities. Your profile should be enhanced with a good bio. Your bio is your opportunity to convince intending followers to be actual followers. You have limited characters to sell yourself or your brand. Furthermore, use a memorable username and attractive profile picture.
• A good content strategy: helps you ensure that the content you plan to create is on-brand, relevant and engaging for customers. Additionally, a good content strategy helps to build brand awareness and create ongoing relationships with customers. For your content to help you gain followers, it must be creative and original. Remember that you are competing with thousands of content in your niche.
• Utilize Instagram tools like insights, reels, stories, highlights and analytics: both free and professional accounts have access to the features that will help you improve your chances of growing your followers, as well as engagement. Instagram insights and analytics will help you determine what content is (or is not) performing well and what to do to improve activities on your account.  

Conclusion

The decision to buy followers or not to do it depends on where you stand on Instagram (as a newbie or an experienced, well-established name). Use the advice listed above as a guide to decide which option could be most optimal for you. If you must buy followers, buy from authentic vendors. If you decide not to do it, constantly engage in activities that can guarantee organic growth. Good luck on your journey to building followers!