Instagram has become more than just a photo-sharing platform it’s now a full-on business space for influencers, brands, and marketers. But in the race to grow Instagram followers quickly, many accounts fall into the trap of fake followers. These fake accounts look real on the surface, but they offer zero engagement and mess with your credibility. Whether you’re managing your profile or using tools like a spy phone app to monitor activity across multiple accounts, it’s essential to track Instagram account quality and remove fake followers from your community. In this blog post, we’ll walk through four smart methods you can use to spot and track fake Instagram followers.
Why You Should Care About Fake Instagram Followers
Let’s start with why this matters. Fake followers are usually bots or inactive accounts. While they might make your follower count look impressive, they don’t interact with your content. This lowers your engagement rate, one of the most important metrics brands and Instagram’s algorithm use to determine visibility.
Here’s a scary stat:
According to HypeAuditor, roughly 30% of Instagram followers on many influencer accounts are fake or inactive.
So, if you have 10,000 followers, chances are 3,000 of them may never like, comment, or even view your content. That’s a huge gap.
Now let’s explore how to clean up your following list and track Instagram account activity the smart way.
Track Instagram Followers with XoxoSpy’s Powerful Instagram Spy
If you’re looking for a reliable way to monitor someone’s Instagram activity, XoxoSpy offers a powerful solution. As an advanced Instagram spy tool, XoxoSpy helps you discreetly track Instagram followers and monitor direct messages, followers, likes, and even story views, all without needing access to their phone. Whether you’re a concerned parent, a partner seeking clarity, or simply someone who wants to track Instagram account behavior for safety, XoxoSpy gives you real-time insights while maintaining full privacy and security.
Method 1: Use a Trusted Instagram Audit Tool
Several free and paid tools help you track Instagram followers and detect fake ones. These tools analyze your follower base and provide detailed reports.
Popular Tools:
- HypeAuditor
- FakeCheck.co
- Social Audit Pro
- Modash.io
These tools use metrics such as:
- Engagement rate
- Follower-to-following ratio
- Account activity
- Profile completeness
For example, if an account has no profile picture, zero posts, follows 1,000 people, but has no followers or content, it’s likely a bot.
Fun Fact:
🧠 Accounts with more than 20,000 followers often have 25-35% fake or ghost followers.
These tools can give you a score; anything below 70% usually means you’ve got some cleaning to do.
Method 2: Analyze Engagement Rate Manually
Not a fan of tools? No worries. You can also track an Instagram account’s engagement manually. Here’s how:
- Pick 5–10 recent posts
- Calculate the average number of likes + comments
- Divide by your total number of followers
- Multiply by 100 to get your engagement rate %
Example:
Let’s say you have 5,000 followers. Your last 5 posts have an average of 100 likes and 5 comments.
(100+5) / 5000 x 100 = 2.1% Engagement Rate
A healthy engagement rate is:
- 1-3% for influencers with under 10K followers
- 0.5-1.5% for accounts above 50K
If your engagement is way below this average, chances are a big chunk of your Instagram followers are fake.
Method 3: Look at Follower Behavior and Profile Quality
You can manually review suspicious profiles. Here’s what to look for:
Signs of Fake Followers:
- No profile picture
- Spammy usernames (like @james92034920)
- Follows thousands of people, but only has a few followers
- Zero posts
- Irrelevant or spam comments (like “Nice post” on everything)
💡 Accounts with over 40% suspicious comments are likely plagued by fake followers.
Tip:
Take 10 minutes a week to scroll through new followers and remove any that look like bots or inactive accounts.
This not only helps you track Instagram account quality but also protects your reputation with brand partners who may audit your profile before a deal.
Method 4: Use Instagram’s Built-in Tools
Instagram itself gives you data that can help you track Instagram followers. You just need to know where to look.
Go to:
- Insights > Audience
Here, you’ll see: - Top countries and cities your followers are from
- Age ranges
- Active hours and days
If you’re based in the U.S. but a huge portion of your audience is suddenly from Russia, India, or other unrelated countries, it might be a red flag. It doesn’t mean those followers are fake, but if they came all at once, something’s off.
Instagram reports show that accounts with sudden spikes of 1,000+ followers overnight are often affected by fake followers or bought follower packages.
You can also check for sudden drops or jumps in insights, which often indicate unnatural activity.
What to Do After Identifying Fake Followers
Once you’ve tracked fake Instagram followers, take action:
- Remove them manually — Go to their profile, tap the three dots, and click “Remove Follower.”
- Stop using third-party apps that promise quick growth.
- Don’t buy followers — it hurts your long-term reach.
- Focus on real engagement — post consistently, use stories, reels, and interact with your followers.
Remember, quality > quantity.
Why Brands Are Now Tracking Instagram Accounts Closely
If you’re an influencer, you should know that brands today don’t just look at your follower count but also analyze your audience quality.
📈 Up to 67% of brands now use influencer vetting tools to avoid spending on fake engagement.
So, keeping your Instagram followers clean and genuine isn’t just a good habit, it’s key to getting sponsorships and partnerships.
How to Track Instagram Activity to Keep Your Kids Safe
If you’re a parent, tracking Instagram followers isn’t just about numbers — it’s about safety. Many teens are followed by strangers or fake profiles, which can pose serious risks. By using an Instagram spy tool like XoXoSpy, you can monitor who interacts with your child’s account, what messages they receive, and ensure they’re not being targeted or misled. Keeping an eye on Instagram activity can help you protect them from online threats without invading their privacy.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. What are fake Instagram followers?
Answer: Fake Instagram followers are usually bots or inactive accounts that follow you but never engage with your content. They might be created for spam, scams, or artificially inflating follower counts.
Q2. How can I tell if I have fake followers?
Answer: Look at engagement rates, sudden spikes in followers, spammy usernames, and irrelevant comments. If your likes and comments are very low compared to your follower count, it’s a red flag
Q3. Are fake followers harmful?
Answer: Yes. They lower your engagement rate, damage your credibility, and can hurt your chances of landing collaborations or getting featured by the algorithm.
Q4. How do I remove fake followers?
Answer: Go to the follower’s profile, click on the three dots in the top-right corner, and select “Remove Follower.” You can also use audit tools to detect and filter them more quickly.
Q5. Is it okay to buy Instagram followers?
Answer: No. It might boost your numbers short-term, but those followers won’t engage with your content. Over time, this can hurt your reach and get your account flagged.
Q6. How often should I audit my Instagram followers?
Answer: Once a month is a good rule of thumb. If you’re growing fast or working with brands, do it every two weeks to keep your account clean.
Final Thoughts
Growing your Instagram account takes time and effort. It can be tempting to chase quick numbers, but fake followers will hurt you more than help. The best thing you can do is consistently track Instagram account health, engage with your real audience, and clean up your follower list regularly.
You don’t need 10,000 fake fans. You need 1,000 real ones who care, comment, share, and stick around.
So, use these smart methods, clean up your list, and start building a genuine community. Your future self (and future brand partners) will thank you.