Do brands still work with influencers who buy Twitter followers?

From a brand’s evaluation perspective, the quality of an influencer’s audience matters much more than the raw follower count. Most professional marketing teams in 2026 look beyond surface metrics. They focus on engagement rate, audience demographics, content relevance, and conversion metrics rather than just the number of followers on Twitter.

When an influencer has a large following but very low engagement — few likes, replies, retweets, or meaningful interactions — brands typically view that as a red flag. That mismatch often suggests that followers might be inactive, irrelevant, or purchased. Since campaign success is tied to real audience interaction and measurable outcomes (click-throughs, website visits, sign-ups, sales), brands are usually hesitant to work with accounts that show signs of artificial growth.

Many brands now use analytics tools during influencer vetting. These tools can estimate the percentage of fake or inactive followers, engagement consistency over time, and audience overlap with the brand’s target market. Influencers with unsustainably low engagement relative to their follower base often see fewer partnership offers because brands want assurance their budget will drive real visibility and impact.

That said, some smaller or less experienced brands still get swayed by big numbers. But increasingly, professional marketers prioritise authenticity and measurable activity over inflated follower counts, so influencers who rely on artificial growth tend to be at a disadvantage when pitching for collaborations.