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While tools like Klout and Kred struggle to find ways to accurately measure online influence in a manner that companies can effectively use to build their brands and boost sales, a new infographic from Social Selling University (shown below) reveals just how widespread the problem of buying fake Twitter followers is.
Couple that infographic with the Fake Follower Check tool from Status People that identifies the percentage of fake Twitter followers for any Twitter profile, and you’ve got some data that quantifies the ongoing illusion of influence that mars social media marketing.
The problem of buying fake Twitter followers is rampant across the board — including businesses, politicians, celebrities, and more. Here are a few enlightening statistics from the infographic:
- 39% of @facebook followers are fake.
- 37% of @twitter followers are fake.
- 34% of @ladygaga followers are fake.
- 32% of @espn followers are fake.
- 30% of @cnn followers are fake.
- 27% of @youtube followers are fake.
The business of buying Twitter followers is cheap making it very popular. Here are a few more stats:
- The average price of buying 1,000 followers is just $18.
- Followers can be purchased easily, even via eBay and Google Shopping.
- 53% of people who have bought Twitter followers have 4,000 to 26,000 followers.
- At least 11,283 Twitter users have purchased more than 72,000 fake followers.
- Dealers who control 20,000 fake Twitter accounts can make as much as $800 per day for 7 weeks of selling followings.
You can see the infographic below. Click on the image to view it at full size.
Social Selling Software – InsideView.com
I always advise building quality followers to achieve long-term, sustainable, organic brand and business growth. Buying Twitter followers is a short-term tactic that won’t pay off in the long-run. Think strategically, not tactically. Social media marketing and influence aren’t like high school popularity contests, so don’t get caught up in the hype and illusion of influence. Real influence typically can’t be purchased in life or in social media. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule, but for most of us, quality trumps quantity and long-term growth trumps short-term and short-lived gain.
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Susan Gunelius
Susan Gunelius is President & CEO of KeySplash Creative, Inc. and Founder & Editor in Chief of an award-winning blog, WomenOnBusiness.com. She is a 25-year veteran of the marketing field and has authored 10 books about marketing, branding, and social media, including the highly popular 30-Minute Social Media Marketing, Content Marketing for Dummies, Blogging All-in-One for Dummies and Kick-ass Copywriting in 10 Easy Steps. Susan’s marketing-related content can be found on Entrepreneur.com, Forbes.com, MSNBC.com, BusinessWeek.com, and more. Susan is President & CEO of KeySplash Creative, Inc., a marketing communications company. She has worked in corporate marketing roles and through client relationships with AT&T, HSBC, Citibank, Intuit, The New York Times, Cox Communications, and many more large and small companies around the world. Susan also speaks about marketing, branding and social media at events around the world and is frequently interviewed by television, online, radio, and print media organizations about these topics. She holds an MBA in Management and Strategy and a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing.
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This isn’t only with twitter its with Facebook and Youtube as well. There are hundreds of sites offering likes and views for money.