It’s unsurprising to learn of influencers buying followers in order to score invites to events. While a few have denied these allegations, one entrepreneur has surprisingly been candid about how she gained her followers in a remarkably short time.
Businesswoman and influencer Shaniena Natasya took to her TikTok to admit that she bought her Instagram followers. In the video, she claimed that she increased her follower count from 40,000 to 500,000 after spending RM20,000 on them. As of right now, her current number of followers on Instagram is nearly 700,000.
The 21-year-old explained that her primary reason for purchasing followers was related to work. “My old account had 375k followers which were not bought. When you’re working in this field, you really need those numbers on social media to advertise and sell your products. I’m not a full-time influencer, I work under a company. Plus, lots of people do it but it’s a matter of whether they want to admit it or not,” she said.
As for why she was so candid about this issue, the entrepreneur believes there was no point in hiding the truth, as it would be illogical to explain how she suddenly gained thousands of followers in such a short time. “Do you honestly think that I’m that interesting for people to follow? Who do you think I am? Jennifer Lopez?”. Shaniena added that customers today often view the number of followers as a measure of reliability.
The public figure then clarified that she only bought her followers on Instagram. “Whether you like it or not, that’s the reality of it. Sometimes you do need to buy your followers for work. As for my TikTok, I have no idea why people follow me. I’m sure everyone has their reasons for doing so,” she concluded. However, she did not disclose whether the followers she gained on Instagram were genuine accounts or fake ones. Her followers on TikTok have now reached 1 million followers.
Netizens were surprised by Shaniena Natasya’s honesty but praised her for being transparent. Some agreed with her, noting that buying followers can be part of a marketing strategy and may not cause any harm. What are your thoughts on this issue?
Watch her video below:
@shanienanatasyaaaa I pulak cr7 nyah😭😭😭😭#shouldbeme
♬ original sound – SHANIENA NATASYAAAA – SHANIENA NATASYAAAA
Source: TikTok
