Rethinking Instagram Growth in 2024: Should You Ever Buy Followers?
Instagram cemented itself as a must-have channel for brands in 2022, reaching 2 billion monthly active users. But while visual content thrives on Instagram, organic growth remains a challenge.
In this data-driven guide, we’ll analyze if services promising instant Instagram followers deliver real value or simply artificial vanity metrics that jeopardize your account.
Why Instagram Followers Matter for Brands
Let’s start by examining why Instagram should be an essential pillar within your social strategy:
Youth reach: 72% of teenagers say Instagram is the best way for brands to engage them, per Morning Consult. Crucial for future loyalty.
Shopper influence: Over 130 million Instagram users tap on shopping posts to interact with products monthly according to Facebook.
Ad effectiveness: Instagram boasts the highest ad recall rate across all major networks at 37%, per Nielsen.
But follower count alone no longer cuts it. Who follows you and how they engage with your content matters far more today.
Buying followers risks loading up bots and ghost accounts that inflate vanity metrics while destroying the trust and community authentic brands require.
The Case Against Buying Instagram Followers
At face value, services like Get Plus Followers promising instant followers tap into the very human desire for quick, easy growth hacks. But several risks lurk below the surface:
| Risks | Implications |
|---|---|
| Bots & Fake Accounts | Up to 15% of accounts are already bots or fakes per SparkToro. Buying followers compounds the issue. |
| Destroying Organic Reach | Instagram‘s algorithm ranks bot and ghost followers lower, reducing future visibility. |
| Account Bans | Instagram regularly bans accounts caught buying engagement. Years of brand building gone in a flash. |
| Lacking Trust | Low engagement rates immediately signal to users that your following is artificially inflated. |
Rather than chase vanity metrics, brands committed to Instagram must embrace patience and nurture communities obsessed with their content through strategic organic growth.
Inside Get Plus Followers: What You Need to Know
Get Plus Followers relies on the frustrations of brands struggling to grow followers to promote its services. For monthly fees starting at $39, they promise 100% real human targeted followers.
At surface level, Get Plus Followers checks some credibility markers:
- Secure HTTPS website
- Clear pricing without hidden fees
- Positive Yelp reviews with names & handles
Impressive perhaps. But beneath the glossy veneer, some troubling inconsistencies emerge:
The Good: Initial Credibility Signals
Secure Site: Having HTTPS encryption suggests Get Plus Followers values security and privacy for customer data.
Transparent Pricing: I‘m always skeptical of sites hiding pricing for Instagram services. So upfront plans build trust.
Positive Yelp Reviews: Shockingly, mostly positive named reviews with Instagram handles suggest some users see results.
The Bad: Questionable Claims and Lacking Support
No Direct Support: Worryingly for a site claiming "24/7 support", I found no Help page, email, phone number or other way to get assistance.
Misleading Targeting Claims: Services can‘t guarantee "100% real targeted followers" at scale. Expect inflated metrics through bots and ghost accounts.
No Contact Information: Without even requiring an email signup, Get Plus Followers makes it impossible for unhappy customers to follow up.
The picture becomes clear. Get Plus Followers likely promises more than it can deliver, inflating followers through shady tactics, not genuine human connections.
Evaluating the Top 4 Alternatives
Rather than risking your Instagram brand chasing fake follower services, focus on proven organic growth strategies. Or if you must spend money to accelerate growth, ethical influencer collaborations and ads deliver better results.
Here‘s an overview of the top Instagram growth services I recommend over inflated follower providers like Get Plus Followers:
| Service | Price | Pros | Cons | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Content Calendars Tailwind, Later | $9+/mo | – Develop Posting Strategy – Optimize for Instagram Algorithm | – Time Consuming – Learning Curve | The essential organic growth tool |
| Niche Hashtags | Free | – Expand Discovery – Find Target Audiences | – Research Required – Avoid Spamming | Critical for reach beyond followers |
| Influencer Marketing Shoutcart, AspireIQ | $500+ per post | – Leverage Engaged Audiences | – More Expensive – Ensure Authenticity | Pay to access genuine communities |
| Instagram Ads | $100+/mo | – Precise Targeting – Performance Data | – Cost Adds Up – Learning Curve | For those with Ad budgets |
The key takeaway: Buying followers risks account bans for artificial vanity metrics. Stick to proven organic strategies or ethical paid growth avenues if you must spend money.
My Verdict: Don‘t Use Get Plus Followers
If genuine Instagram community and visibility matters for your brand, services selling followers like Get Plus Followers fail to deliver.
Not only do bought followers damage trust and jeopardize your account standing, but I found little proof Get Plus Followers even provides the support one would expect for handing over marketing dollars each month.
Stay patient, post consistently, use relevant hashtags, employ influencer collaborations, or amplify with ethical Instagram ads instead for lasting Instagram success.
No shortcuts exist when building a brand community that cares. But the long-term rewards of playing the Instagram game right makes the effort well worth it.
