Influencer partnerships rely heavily on trust, credibility, and measurable performance. I’ve heard that buying Instagram followers can sometimes hurt collaboration opportunities, but it’s not always clear how brands actually detect this or how serious the impact is.
Do brands and agencies actively check for bought followers before approving partnerships? If an influencer has inflated follower numbers but decent content, does that still raise concerns? I want to understand how follower quality affects brand decisions, audits, and long-term relationships, especially for influencers who are trying to secure recurring or higher-value partnerships.