In the world of social media, where a lot of brands are already seeing the value of an Instagram following, why should brands go for Instagram? The answer to this question lies in the fact that Instagram is by far one of the most well known and most used micro-blogging platforms. The reach of users on Instagram is huge, the engagement levels are high and it is easy to get started with a brand on Instagram. However, even though there are many benefits of having a large Instagram following, there are also some major drawbacks that need to be addressed before any serious investment is made.

Unlike other micro-blogs, followers on Instagram do not follow you back. This means that if your account is inactive for several weeks, or for a few months at that, you will suddenly see a large dip in your Instagram followers and page views. This drop in visitors and sales comes from two sources: firstly, Instagram influencers are not sharing any content with their Instagram likes, and secondly, Instagram users are no longer interested in purchasing followers in bulk. So what should brands do when they see this decline in Instagram following and want to buy followers?

In reality, there is nothing to be done about this. While Instagram may very well be the next Facebook, the fact remains that Facebook has millions of active users, and it is clear that Instagram followers cannot equal Facebook fans in number. Therefore, in the face of this, businesses should not lose sleep over the possibility of losing Instagram followers. What can they do?

One of the ways to avoid losing Instagram followers is by creating a strong customer service platform, which offers value to users, as well as ensuring that they are kept informed about updates and promotional activities. Brands that offer Instagram followers as a service (for example, offer a unique URL for all their Instagram photos and tweets) will have a large base of authentic followers, who will not likely leave the platform because of low quality content or updates. Similarly, Instagram profiles that provide useful Instagram analytics and data can help business owners to monitor the performance of their Instagram campaigns and ensure that they achieve success. Lastly, engaging Instagram users with content that is both informative and meaningful will encourage those users to return to the business's Instagram page and stay longer.

Unfortunately, this approach will not work for all businesses. Businesses that are new to Instagram, especially, will struggle to obtain the desired level of Instagram followers, which is obviously vital to their success. In these cases, it will become necessary to engage Instagram users directly, offer useful information and create a bond with customers. These steps should then be followed by businesses large and small to ensure success in the long-term.

Overall, the advice given here is to buy Instagram followers only when you can verify their interest through the metrics provided by the likes. For instance, if your target market is the teenage demographic, ensure that you buy followers with similar interests, or at least hobbies related to your target market. If you want to make sure that your brand remains relevant to the audience, ensure that you engage with them directly. Mention influencers regularly and use the likes to promote your page. Ultimately, this will help you build a large number of loyal Instagram followers, which will significantly improve your online exposure.