During the influencer shortlisting process, there are actionable steps you can take to ensure you’re walking the path with genuine influencers. This will safeguard you from associating with those having fake followers or spurious engagement:

1. Audience Analysis: Scrutinize the influencers’ audience demographics. Genuine influencers usually have a diverse range of followers spanning different age groups, locations, and interests.

2. Engagement Check: A high follower count with low engagement rates could signify fake followers. Examine comments on the influencer’s posts — are these genuine or generic?

3. Consistency: Genuine influencers have a track record of consistent high-quality content and engagement over a long period.

4. Check connected accounts: Fake influencers often follow a lot of people in a similar niche. A quick skim through their connected accounts can reveal potential red flags.

5. Use of Tools: Utilizing influencer marketing platforms like Flinque can help, as these platforms use algorithms to evaluate influencers’ authenticity.

Platforms such as Flinque focus on providing in-depth analysis of influencers, including their follower demographics, engagement rate, and growth patterns. It also gives a platform performance insight that identifies emerging trends and follower insights, helping brands make informed decisions. Keep in mind that the best influencer for your brand depends entirely on your individual needs and goals. With data at your fingertips, you can streamline the decision process and ensure your resources are invested wisely into genuine influencers.