Buy 2,000 real facebook fans for £15..

Its promises like these that have seen businesses across the world flock to companies selling Facebook fans and Twitter followers. Promises like these have also seen businesses throw their money away. It’s also something I have seen creeping more and more into Social Media accounts of people I am connected to via Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, so I thought it might be time for a reminder of why this can actually harm your business.

Buying Your Social Media Following Is A Bad Idea.

A really bad idea. Want to know why? Read on.

Why do companies choose to buy fans / followers?

In a world that seems to revolve around public image it should come as no surprise that there are plenty of businesses that believe they will be judged by the number of Facebook fans or Twitter followers they have.

Sadly there’s actually a degree of truth to this belief.

There are some social media users – many some might say – that make an assumption about companies based on the number of followers a company has attracted, meaning a company with 100,000 followers is more appealing than one with 100 followers.

In a case of keeping up with the Joneses then, this has led other companies – both new companies and those new to social media – to believe it necessary to gain a large following quickly.

The easiest way to do this is of course to buy followers.

With plenty of providers out there, it’s not a tricky thing to do, but is it the right thing? The answer to that is a resounding NO and here’s why.

Reasons not to buy a social media following

Here’s a rundown of the five main reasons you shouldn’t buy Facebook fans or Twitter followers.

1. Fake Followers Provide No Interaction

A successful social media campaign is built around interaction.

By conversing, liaising and corresponding with your followers you’re able to promote your latest product, receive valuable feedback and generally improve brand awareness. The ultimate goal though is to convert followers into customers.

Fan and followers supplied on a pay basis generally fall into one of two categories: those that are fake, and those that have no interest in your company / product and have clicked ‘Like’ or ‘Follow’ because they have been paid (a minute amount) to.

In both instances, it’s highly unlikely that this new fan will provide worthwhile interaction or become a customer.

2. Fake Followers Make It Harder To Interact With Genuine Fans

While it may feel good to look at that large number, a huge following can actually hinder your attempts to reach out to potential customers, especially on Facebook.

As Facebook has grown in prominence, the social media site has continued to adapt its advertising policy. Today, in a bid to create advertising revenue, less than 5% of a company’s posts will be seen by followers.

Now imagine that that entire 5% is made up of paid for fans that are either fake or uninterested in your business. That means your post has reached nobody worthwhile, and you’ve paid for it to do so.

Source: Bdaily.