Meghan Markle has suffered a fresh blow over her new Instagram account.
The Duchess of Sussex's Instagram page for her new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, has drawn in thousands of "fake followers", according to new research.
Meghan returned to Instagram to help market her new lifestyle brand, but many of her followers are "fake" or "bot" accounts.
American Riviera Orchard is gaining attention on the platform, but the research revealed a sizeable portion of those following the page are not genuine.
PR expert Stacey Wong used analytics to review the duchess's following.
She said: "The Instagram for American Riviera Orchard showcases a robust following of over half a million, a testament to her powerful personal brand and appeal.
"However, the presence of a 13.77 per cent 'fake follower' metric reveals a common challenge in digital brand management.
"Navigating this landscape requires strategic engagement and authentic content to maintain and enhance brand integrity."
Wong claimed that having "7.25 per cent suspicious mass followers and 6.52 per cent likely bots or fake accounts presents a significant threat to the integrity of her brand".
Fake followers undermine the authenticity and trustworthiness of an influencer's online presence.
The expert continued to tell The Express: "With the rise of influencer marketing and the increasing emphasis on genuine connections with audiences, the presence of fake followers can tarnish Markle's credibility and hinder her ability to effectively communicate with her genuine followers.
"The demographic breakdown of Meghan's brand audience on Instagram, predominantly female and within the 25 to 34 age range, indicates a highly targeted market segment.
"This presents a golden opportunity for tailored marketing strategies.
"Yet, the presence of suspicious followers underscores the importance of continual audience analysis to ensure genuine engagement and brand loyalty."
Meghan announced her new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, on March 14 after a four-year hiatus from Instagram.
The company is expected to sell cookbooks, tableware, linens, and a range of spreads and preserves.
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Meghan's Instagram account currently has 585,000 followers.
In comparison, Sussex Royal, Prince Harry and Meghan's Instagram account during their time as working royals, has a whopping 9.2 million followers.
American Riviera Orchard currently has no pictures other than the brand logo on its Instagram, however, it does include a link to the company website.
