Down With Fake Followers

Artists, bands, and brands beware: Fake fans are about to take a bullet to their micro-faces; thanks to the newest tech from companies like Fohr Card, that tell a label or any other talent dealer whether your plethora of fans are real engaged people, or purchased fake bots to bolster your perceived value to a roster. This practice has long been loathed by the industry and a shameful act of ozidry (new word) that many an emerging rock legend has been tempted to buy into.

According to recent articles on authentic followings, a verified social platforms audit is a common request to verify your fanbase, at your expense. Pro Tip: Keep it real. You'd rather have 5000 engaged fans than 100,000 bots or people who have moved on and are no longer listening. That's not a fanbase - that's a fakebase, and so is your music. JK - unless you purchased your tracks and wrote lyrics to pre-recorded instrumentals...[long guilty whistle].

So now, the total numbers of likes and follows still matter, but not without a "score" showing the health of said tribe. Too much dead weight could cloud your value and have potential business partners looking to dance with your competitor.

Pro Tip: Build your followers organically by providing so much value in their lives, they can't help but sip from whatever it is you're serving. It's chicken soup for the roll. Protect it. Nurture it. Connect in real and meaningful ways. Make them smile. Give them goosebumps. And when it's time to take them along on some new adventure and opportunity, don't sell them out for a quick buck. They're in! Stay true to that, because they leave the tribe twice as easy as they joined.