Applications designed to automatically increase the number of individuals following an Instagram account, offered without monetary cost, constitute a specific category of software. These tools often operate by automating actions such as following other accounts, liking posts, and commenting, with the goal of reciprocal follows and thus, account growth. For example, a user might employ such an application to automatically follow hundreds of accounts in a short period, hoping a percentage of those accounts will follow back.
The perceived advantage of rapid audience expansion drives the use of these applications. In the early days of social media marketing, the focus was often on acquiring sheer numbers of followers as a metric of influence and visibility. However, it is important to note that many services offering these applications violate Instagram’s terms of service and can lead to penalties, including account suspension. Moreover, the followers gained are often inactive or fake accounts, diminishing the overall engagement rate and impacting the perceived authenticity of the account.