Buying followers on any social platform, including Bilibili, is a tactic some creators consider when trying to grow quickly. The basic idea is that a larger follower count can create social proof and make an account appear more popular, which might attract more organic attention. Before deciding to pursue that route, it helps to understand both the potential short-term benefits and the longer-term trade-offs.
One immediate reason creators think about buying followers is social proof: users tend to pay more attention to accounts that look popular. On Bilibili, a higher follower count can make a channel feel established and trustworthy to new visitors, increasing the chance that they’ll click on videos, follow the account, or subscribe. That initial perception can be especially helpful for new creators trying to break through a crowded content space.
Another possible upside is the signal effect on algorithms and third-party perceptions. While Bilibili’s recommendation systems emphasize watch time and engagement, visible follower numbers can influence human gatekeepers—brands, collaborators, and viewers—who may be more willing to engage with or promote a channel that appears to already have an audience. In this way, purchased followers can sometimes serve as a stepping stone to real partnerships or organic growth, if used carefully and ethically.
Finally, buying followers can give a psychological boost to creators who feel discouraged by slow growth. For some, seeing a larger follower number motivates them to invest more in production quality and community building. That said, any short-lived advantage depends heavily on pairing that boost with genuine, sustained efforts to produce engaging content and foster true interaction with an audience.
A key risk of buying followers is the mismatch between follower count and engagement. Purchased accounts are often inactive or fake, so while the follower number may increase, views, likes, comments, and real community interaction usually do not. This discrepancy can make analytics misleading, hinder growth strategies that rely on true engagement metrics, and ultimately make it harder to attract advertisers or meaningful collaborations that demand authentic reach.
There are also platform and reputational risks. Buying followers can violate Bilibili’s terms of service, and the platform may suspend or penalize accounts that are found to be manipulating metrics. Beyond technical sanctions, the practice can damage credibility: if viewers, partners, or sponsors discover that followers were purchased, it can erode trust and harm a creator’s reputation in a way that’s difficult to reverse.
Ethically, buying followers raises questions about fairness and authenticity. It can disadvantage creators who grow organically through effort and original content, and it presents a misleading picture to audiences. For creators who value integrity and long-term relationships with viewers and brands, focusing on legitimate growth tactics—such as improving content quality, collaborating with peers, engaging with the community, and using official promotion tools—typically offers a more sustainable and ethical path.
Buying followers may offer short-term visibility and a confidence boost, but it comes with significant practical and ethical downsides. If you’re considering ways to grow on Bilibili, weigh the temporary gains against the risks to engagement, reputation, and platform standing, and prioritize strategies that build genuine audience connection and measurable, long-term success.