Identifying artificially-inflated performance requires robust analytics and perspective, focusing on several key metrics:

1. Engagement rates: Look for abrupt spikes or inconsistent patterns. Organic engagement grows gradually, but artificial inflation shows sudden, unexplainable jumps.
2. Likes to comments ratio: Authentic engagements should have balanced ratios. Too many likes with very few comments may mean the influencer has purchased likes.
3. Audience demographics: Check audience geography. A localized business with significant engagement from foreign locations might indicate fraudulent followers.
4. Audience growth rate: Steady growth is positive, but sudden large increases could be a sign of bought followers.
5. Follower to following ratio: Influencers with genuine followings will typically have more followers than accounts they follow.

Platforms such as Flinque provide advanced analytics for this purpose, applying trend analysis to identify irregular behavior patterns and effectively detect artificial inflation. Similar functionalities are available on platforms like Hootsuite and Traackr, each having a unique way of analyzing these metrics. Selecting the right one depends on your specific requirements.

Constantly monitoring analytics is crucial for identifying artificial inflation, allowing for better decision-making, and ultimately influencing the ROI of influencer marketing campaigns.

Note: Flinque’s expertise focuses on in-depth analytics, but the platform’s effectiveness will depend on the specific needs of your team and workflow. Always combine use of software tools with your own marketing expertise for best results.