How to remove spam followers on Instagram and Who are spam followers?
Authored & Posted by
Metadiv Editor
Do you ever look at your Instagram follower list and wonder if everyone on it is a real person? If you suspect you might have some spam followers dragging down your engagement, you’re not alone. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to remove spam followers on Instagram and cultivate a more genuine following.
Let’s dive into some methods to clean up your follower list and ensure you’re connecting with real people who are interested in your content.
Remove spam followers on Instagram
Gazing at your follower list on Instagram, you see a sea of usernames—some familiar faces you interact with regularly, others a cryptic collection of letters and numbers that raise a red flag.
A nagging suspicion creeps in: are some of these followers even real? These “ghost followers,” as they’re sometimes called, do nothing to contribute to genuine engagement.
They neither like nor comment on your posts, and their presence can even distort your follower count, making your profile seem more popular than it actually is.
What’s worse, some spam followers might be used to promote unrelated products or services in the comments section, or even try to direct you to malicious websites.
If you’re looking to cultivate a thriving online community that fosters real connections and engagement, it’s important to remove spam followers on Instagram. In some steps you can take to clear out the clutter and focus on building a loyal audience.
Who are the spam followers on Instagram account?
Fake or spam followers on your Instagram account are profiles that aren’t genuine users interested in your content. They typically follow a large number of accounts but have very few followers themselves. Their purpose is often to:
Inflate your follower count:
This might make your account seem more popular than it really is.
Promote products or services:
Some fake followers might be used to advertise unrelated products or services in the comments section.
Spread spam or malware:
These fake accounts might try to direct you to malicious websites or send you spammy messages.
Here are some red flags to identify spam followers on your Instagram:
Generic or suspicious usernames:
Look for usernames that consist of random letters and numbers (like “instafollow123”) or promote unrelated products or services (like “discount_sunglasses88”).
Inactive accounts:
These accounts have few to no posts and followers, and their profiles might be private.
Suspicious activity:
- Do they follow an excessive number of people but have very few followers themselves?
- Do they leave generic, one-word comments on your posts? (e.g., “Cool pic!” or “Nice!”)
- Do they like a large number of your posts in a short amount of time?
Unfortunately, Instagram doesn’t directly tell you which accounts are fake. However, by being aware of the red flags and reviewing your follower list regularly, you can identify and remove them from your account.
How to identify spam followers on an Instagram account?
Here are some tips to help identify spam followers on your Instagram account:
1. Check the follower’s profile:
- Look for blank/private profiles with no posts, bio, or profile picture
- Check if the username looks suspicious or is made up of random letters/numbers
- See if their posts seem bot-generated or irrelevant
2. Analyze their activity:
- Look at accounts that don’t have any likes or comments on their posts
- Check for accounts that are following thousands of people but have few followers themselves
- Identify accounts that leave generic comments like “Nice pic!” on multiple posts
3. Use Instagram Analytics:
- Go to your Instagram Insights and check your Audience stats
- Look for sharp increases in followers that could indicateBot activity
- Identify locations that seem irrelevant to your content
4. Third-Party Tools:
- Use apps like Spam Guard, IGAudit, or Spam Stagram to scan for fake/bot accounts
- These tools analyze multiple data points to identify suspicious patterns
5. Do a reverse image search:
- Right-click and search Google for an account’s profile picture
- If it’s a generic stock image, it may indicate a fake account
6. Check the account’s age:
- Very new accounts with high follow numbers could be spam/bot accounts
The key is looking for accounts that seem to have no real, human activity behind them. Going through followers manually can be tedious, so using analytic tools alongside your own vetting can help identify spam accounts efficiently.
Why am I getting spam followers on Instagram?
There are a few common reasons why you may be getting spam followers on your Instagram account:
1. You have a public account
Spam accounts often target public profiles that they can easily access and follow. Having a private account can help filter out some of these unwanted followers.
2. You use popular hashtags
If you use popular hashtags on your posts, spam accounts that monitor those hashtags may come across your content and follow you to get your attention or promote something.
3. You have a lot of followers already
Sadly, having a larger following on Instagram can make your account a bigger target for spam accounts looking to boost their own numbers by following popular pages.
4. You’re active and engaging
Highly active and engaging accounts are also desirable targets, as spam accounts hope you’ll follow them back out of courtesy.
5. You’ve purchased followers in the past
If you’ve ever bought fake followers through sketchy services, this can attract more spam accounts that recognize you may be willing to accept bogus followers.
6. They want to sell you something
Many spam accounts follow people to then directly message and try to sell products, services or promote schemes.
Ultimately, having an Instagram account open to the public makes you vulnerable to spam follows from bot accounts looking to boost numbers or get attention. Using tools to identify and remove them is advisable.
How to remove spam followers on Instagram account?
Here are a couple of ways to remove spam/fake followers from your Instagram account, along with some additional tips to keep your follower list healthy:
Manual Removal
1. Review Your Followers:
Regularly take a look at your follower list. This is especially important if you’ve recently run a contest or giveaway, as these can attract inauthentic followers.
2. Identify Fake Followers:
Look for red flags that indicate a fake account. Here are some common signs:
Generic usernames:
These usernames often consist of random letters and numbers (like “instafollow123”) or promote unrelated products or services (like “discount_sunglasses88”).
Inactive accounts:
These accounts have few to no posts and followers, and their profiles might be private.
Suspicious activity:
Does the account follow an excessive number of people but have very few followers themselves? Or do they leave generic, one-word comments on your posts? These are signs of inauthentic engagement.
3. Remove Followers:
Once you’ve identified a fake follower, tap on their username and then tap the “Remove” button.
Automatic Removal (For Accounts with 1,000+ Followers)
Instagram offers some built-in tools to help with spam/fake follower removal for accounts with over 1,000 followers:
1. Instagram’s Spam Detection:
Instagram has a feature that can help you remove spammy or fake accounts.
2. Flagged for Review:
Go to your profile and tap “Followers.” You might see a notification called “Flagged for review” if Instagram has identified potential spam accounts.
3. Review and Remove:
Tap on “Flagged for review” to see a list of accounts Instagram thinks might be spam. You can then choose to “Remove” all the flagged accounts at once, or review them individually and tap “Remove” next to the ones you want to get rid of.
Additional Tips:
Block Accounts:
You can also block suspicious accounts to prevent them from following you again in the future.
Be Wary of Third-Party Apps:
There are third-party apps that claim to help remove fake followers. However, these apps can be risky. Some might be scams designed to steal your account information, while others might violate Instagram’s terms of service by using automated methods to remove followers. If you do decide to use a third-party app, proceed with caution and do your research beforehand.
Focus on Organic Growth:
The best defense against fake followers is to cultivate a genuine following. Here are some ways to achieve this:
Create high-quality, engaging content:
Post visually appealing content that resonates with your target audience.
Use relevant hashtags:
Research and use popular hashtags to increase your content’s discoverability.
Interact with your followers:
Respond to comments, answer questions, and participate in conversations to build relationships with your audience.
Run contests and giveaways (strategically):
Contests can be a great way to attract new followers, but be mindful of the type of audience you’re attracting. Giveaway prizes that are relevant to your niche will help you attract real, engaged followers,
By following these steps, you can take control of your follower list and remove spam/fake followers from your Instagram account.
Remember, it’s better to have a smaller, engaged audience than a large one filled with fake accounts. A real, engaged following will help you reach your marketing goals and build a strong online community.
Conclusion: Remove spam followers on Instagram
While having spam followers on Instagram is an annoying and unfortunate reality, there are steps you can take to remove spam followers on Instagram and keep your audience genuinely engaged.
Be diligent about regularly checking your followers list and pruning any accounts that seem fake or bot-generated. Utilize Instagram’s own analytics tools as well as third-party apps to quickly identify suspicious patterns.
Don’t be afraid to block and remove spam followers – keeping your community clear of low-quality accounts will ensure your real supporters can find your content.
With some effort to continually curate your audience, you can maintain an Instagram presence free of spam and focused on your true fans.
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