Tech

BEWARE OF BOT ACCOUNTS

posted by Chris Valentine

Paying for social media engagement is a growing business these days. Lots of people are doing it and lots of websites are offering products for those who are interested. Both demand and supply have never been greater. The crucial thing to remember about interaction is that you need to get real Instagram likes, comments and followers in large amounts and at a regular pace. If Instagram isn’t your cup of tea then replace it with the social network of your choice. However, the point remains the same. Getting interaction from genuine sources will leave you and your profile with a better reputation. It is quite easy to point out social media accounts that are not real once you know what you are looking for. Additionally, there are some users who take a lot of pleasure in highlighting the fact that other users are paying for their interaction. There can also be a degree of shaming. In order to avoid this, it is recommended that you focus on getting your interaction from sources that are guaranteed to be real.

Why do people pay for social media features in the first place?

Paying for social media features is something which is becoming quite popular across all the different social networks but why is that? Inevitably, it is tied to the success and rewards that can be had from having a popular social media account. The amount of money made by social media’s top earners should be enough to convince anyone to get involved and follow this approach. The money swirling around in social media is a result of the large number of social media users and their spread all across the globe. Of course, it will take time for a newbie to come in and reach the heights of those at the top. It is precisely because of this that people are turning to websites where they can purchase social media features in order to boost their popularity and hurry themselves along the road to success. If you are one of these, it is also important to bear in mind that is not all rosy and you should be careful of some of the websites out there.

What are bots?

When we talk about engagement and interaction, we refer to the way that other social media users respond to our profiles and its content. The most common and most visible measures of social media interaction are views, likes, comments and followers, though there are many more. Social media success is frequently based on the level of interaction a profile has. Every social media user craves more interaction and those who are left wanting may turn to websites selling engagement. However, social media users need to be aware that this is not a uniform service. There will be more reputable locations that guarantee genuine products sourced from real users, such as those mentioned in this article, while others cannot do the same. More often than not, they will provide their customers with bot accounts as their source. If you are unfamiliar with bot accounts, a quick explanation is the following: bot accounts are automated social media profiles whose interaction is carried out by a computer programme that copies the behaviour of human social media users. They add a lot of interaction but people are frequently called out for using them and, as such, it is not desirable to have them.

What to look out for?

If you are not sure whether you have a bot account following your profile then there are several red flags to look out for. Having any one of these does not confirm that the account in question is a bot account. However, a combination of several of them is sure to point to suspicious activity.

Profile pictures

Profile pictures are a common feature of every single social media profile out there. Most picutres contain an image of the user in question. A lot of these are facing the camera while others may be taken in a particular place or with someone important to them. A lack of a profile picture or a picture that is clearly not the person behind the profile may arose suspicion. Similarly, using a picture that isn’t theirs is cause for concern.

Online activity

Bot accounts tend to engage in a lot of online activity. They will like dozens of photos and profiles in a short space of time while also posting a lot of comments, some of which may be awkwardly phrased or irrelevant. On the other hand, for all this time spend online and interacting with other users, these accounts rarely have any content of their own. The odd time that they do, the content is often sourced from other places. It is possible to look at the activity of a profile on most social networks. Once you have an insight into how they behave online, it may give you a better idea of what they are up to.

Don’t be discouraged

Encouraging more engagement with your social media profile is the only way that it will grow and that you will be able to match the successes of the top earners in the social media world. In order to get you moving on your way, paying for social media features is an astute move and a sound financial investment. However, it is important to make sure that you are getting bang for your buck and that the quality product you are paying for really is the one that you receive. In order to do this, you need to be aware of the potential pitfalls and how to spot them before you fall.

You may also like