Newly released data from OLBG has uncovered the Premier League teams grappling with the highest percentage of purported fake followers on Instagram.
Burnley claims the top spot for the team with the most suspected fake fans, with a striking 36.86% of their 691,900 followers potentially being identified as inauthentic. Notably, Burnley’s most popular post, dated April 25th, garnered 72,800 likes, celebrating their promotion to the Premier League.
Following closely in second place is Bournemouth, boasting 799,400 Instagram followers, of which an estimated 35.52% are believed to be fake. Bournemouth’s recent league triumph, a 2-1 victory against Burnley on October 28th, marks a significant moment for the club.
Securing the third position is Fulham, with approximately 34.44% of their one million Instagram followers scrutinized as potentially not genuine. Their posts garner an average of 17,400 likes per post, significantly surpassing Burnley’s average likes.
Crystal Palace claims the fourth spot with an estimated 33.62% fake followers out of their 1.8 million Instagram followers. Their most popular post welcomed goalkeeper Dean Henderson to the team, amassing 197,500 likes on August 31st.
Next in line, West Ham United boasts the largest following among the top 10, with four million Instagram followers, of which approximately 31.32% are presumed to be fake. Their most engaging post, welcoming Mohammed Kudus to the club, amassed 248,000 likes and 2,900 comments.
Everton closely trails in sixth place, with an estimated 30.04% of their 3 million followers deemed fake.
Brighton and Hove Albion secure the seventh spot, revealing a 29.32% presence of fake followers among their 1.7 million Instagram followers. Notably, they possess the second-highest Instagram engagement rate among the top 10 Premier League teams.
Sheffield United and Brentford follow suit in the eighth and ninth positions, with 28.84% and 27.05% fake followers, respectively, out of their Instagram followers.
Rounding off the top 10 is Aston Villa, with an estimated 26.63% of their 3.5 million followers flagged as fake.
In contrast, Luton Town, Nottingham Forest, and Manchester United occupy the bottom three spots, exhibiting the highest percentage of genuine Instagram followers among Premier League teams.
“The Premier League’s immense global following makes it intriguing to uncover which teams attract the most suspected fake followers on Instagram,” OLBG spokesperson Ryan Roberts said. “While Burnley stands atop this list, it’s noteworthy how well-supported the club remains despite these statistics, considering its relatively modest town population of 94,700.”