How to get out of instagram shadowban
The Instagram Shadowban: What It Is & How to Remove It
You’ve probably heard of the Instagram Shadowban by now. Or maybe you’ve seen dozens of posts about Instagram accounts’ reach and visibility plummeting. As well as content not appearing on the Explore Page!
More reports, theories, and complaints pouring onto social media every day, even as Instagram denies its existence.
So is it a cover-up, or is there a much simpler explanation? Looking at statements and articles over the past three years, we think there is a pretty straightforward reason. And, some tips on what to do if you are shadowbanned.
Ready to investigate? 🔍
What is the Instagram Shadowban?Instagram shadowban – what is it? There seems to be more theories and rumors about the shadowban floating around out there than solid fact.
Basically, an Instagram shadowban refers to the platform limiting your content reach by restricting visibility. The primary “indicator” of a shadowban is your hashtagged content not appearing on Explore pages to anyone but your followers. Your reach and visibility for posts being severely limited is another result.
This is frustrating for personal accounts, creator accounts and business accounts working on their Instagram growth!
Our first important clue? Shadowbanning is a term lifted from a similar action on Twitter. It’s not an official term, but rather a popular one among social media users.
What do Facebook + Instagram Say About the Shadowban?Instagram and Facebook have both denied the existence of a shadowban. Here’s a timeline of statements from the company on shadowban.
2017: Instagram for Business published a message about hashtag search, hinting that this was a result of issues with the system.
2018: Instagram hosted a group of reporters at its headquarters to explain the Instagram algorithm. They were told the shadowban does not exist.
2019: Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri answered at least two questions related to shadowbans.
Q: Shadowbanning: It’s not a thing, right?
A: “Shadowbanning is not a thing. If someone follows you on Instagram, your photos and videos can show up in their feed if they keep using the feed. Being in Explore is not guaranteed for anyone. Sometimes you’ll get lucky, sometimes you won’t.”
Adam Mosseri
Q: Why I don’t see my post under hashtag?
A: “Some people don’t realize this but we don’t actually show every post with a hashtag under that hashtag. We try to show people the ones that they might be the most interested in. This is to try and keep hashtag pages interesting but also to avoid spam and abuse.”
Adam Mosseri
Things started to make sense with the Instagram shadowban in 2019.
That’s when TechCrunch broke the news on an update from Facebook and Instagram. That update may be the best explanation for what’s actually going on behind the scenes.
And as Carolina Hadas succinctly put it (after her own scuffle with Instagram over hashtag restrictions):
“Shadowban is a term that Instagram doesn’t use. They’ve never used it, they’ve always denied it was a thing. It doesn’t mean that the things included in the shadowban label are not happening.”
Carolina Hadas
This is the element we feel has been missing from the whole conversation around shadow bans on Instagram! It makes sense to deny the existence of shadowbanning, because Instagram doesn’t call it that. However, based on actual user experience, the shadowban experience is definitely a thing.
Let’s dive into what’s actually happening on Instagram, and why posts and visibility are getting restricted.
Reduce, Remove, Inform: The Instagram Borderline Content PolicyUnderstanding “shadowbanning” on Instagram and what that actually looks like takes some research.
Let’s look first at their parent company, Facebook’s remove, reduce and inform strategy (Active since 2016.)
This involves removing content that violates our policies, reducing the spread of problematic content that does not violate our policies, and informing people with additional information so they can choose what to click, read or share.” – Tessa Lyons + Guy Rosen, Facebook
Tessa Lyons + Guy Rosen, Facebook App
The important part here is Reduce. As a Facebook Product, Instagram also reduces the visibility of questionable content that hasn’t violated Instagram Community Guidelines outright.
“We’ve started to use machine learning to determine if the actual media posted is eligible to be recommended to our community.”
Will Ruben, Instagram Discovery Product Lead
Instagram moderators label borderline content while reviewing policy violations.
Instagram’s algorithm then uses those labels to identify borderline content and suppress its reach.
So yes – Instagram is reducing the reach of borderline content from hashtags and the Explore page. In essence, a shadowban. Which explains the drop in engagement users are seeing as a result.
What is Borderline Content on Instagram?
Borderline content on Instagram refers to content that is inappropriate but does not violate Instagram’s terms of service or Community Guidelines.
Instagram published a brief article in the Help Center in 2019, but it doesn’t really define borderline content.
But the screenshots in the presentation shared by TechCrunch give us some examples:
- Content depicting violence
- Graphic or shocking content
- Sexually suggestive content
- Posts with misinformation
- Spam messages
There’s no way to know for sure what constitutes as borderline content yet.
here are some actionable things you can do to avoid posting it.
Plus, some tips on how to fix a “shadowban” on Instagram if you think you’ve been hit with one.
How to Check if You’ve Been Shadowbanned
If you can’t already tell, the “shadowban” policies on Instagram make discovering if you’ve been penalized pretty difficult. There is no sure-fire way to know if you’ve been shadowbanned, but here are a few tests to run that should give you a pretty good idea:
- Test your posts
Send a new post live featuring a very popular hashtag. Have a few people who do not follow you test the content under that hashtag to see if your post shows up. If it doesn’t you might want to look a little deeper.
- Check your hashtags
One thing that Instagram has verified is that there are certain controversial hashtags that they have hidden. If you see a message under that hashtag that is being hidden, you might have used one of these selected hashtags.
- Review your Instagram insights data
If you’re suddenly seeing a huge drop in impressions engagement outside of your follower base, there is a good chance you’ve been shadowbanned.
How to Remove an Instagram Shadowban
So, you think you’ve been shadowbanned. Unfortunately, no one is exactly sure how long a shadowban has negative effects on your account. Several users have said two weeks, while others suspect it could go on for longer.
Here are some things that you can do to hopefully set things to right with your account as soon as possible.
1. Stop Any Activity That Goes Against Terms of Service
This includes using cheap engagement tactics like Instagram pods for likes, comments, and followers. Or using any kind of Instagram bot activity to automate engagement. The Instagram algorithm is hard to fool. Any apps that have dodged the crackdown on bot activity won’t be able to for long.
There’s no concrete evidence that activity like this gets you shadowbanned.
But, it’s better to play it safe. At a minimum, you could have your account locked for 24-48 hours – or be shut down completely.
2. Revoke Permissions For Any Unapproved Third-Party Apps
There are a ton of apps out there that require access to your Instagram to work. Do you use an app to monitor follows and unfollows, look for hashtags or automate engagement? Bad news: these are all major no-nos.
You should only allow permissions from approved and trusted Partners of Instagram who have permission to access Instagram’s API.
Luckily, Tailwind is an Approved Instagram Partner. You can conduct hashtag research, schedule posts, plan your Instagram grid, and monitor analytics right inside our app!
See for yourself with a free trial of Tailwind for Instagram here, no credit card required.
Start a Free Trial of Tailwind for Instagram!
- Schedule photos and videos directly to your Instagram feed with Auto Post.
- Optimize every post for more engagement with SmartSchedule and Hashtag Finder.
- Automatically hide your post’s hashtags in the first comment to keep your caption clean & clutter-free.
- Make your posts more discoverable with user tagging & location tagging.
- Analyze what's working across every post and profile with smart analytics.
No credit card required
3. Avoid Using Banned or Restricted Hashtags
Using restricted hashtags can limit your engagement. Using these hashtags over and over again could result in your Instagram account being shut down.
Always check your hashtags carefully. Make a habit of doing a quick search before adding new hashtags to your mix to make sure they aren’t restricted.
If you do use a restricted hashtag, you can edit your post and remove just that hashtag.
No need to remove all of them – just the restricted ones!
Tailwind’s Hashtag Finder tool is great for staying on top of your hashtags. Plus, you can make sure you’re not posting restricted or banned hashtags.
You can search for a good mix of hashtags related to your image, and save them into lists!
4. Reach Out to Instagram Support
Followers can’t see your feed posts or find you on the Explore page? It’s worth dropping a note to Instagram Support to see if they can review. To do this, Go to your Profile > Menu > Settings (Cog icon) > Help > Report a Problem.
Don’t mention a shadowban, just let them know your followers can’t see your posts and it’s negatively impacting your business.
5. Don’t Act Like a Bot
It’s true – posting, commenting, and liking too frequently in a short time frame will get you put in Instagram timeout. This is also true for following and unfollowing accounts rapidly.
Instagram considers this unusual engagement rate bot activity. It will put a hold on your account to prevent you from engaging for anywhere from 24 hours to 7 days!
6.
Avoid Getting ReportedReporting is one of the main ways content is flagged. Or, the algorithm might mistake your post for borderline content. Make sure you’re posting content in line with Community Guidelines. Furthermore, make sure your content is in line with your follower’s interests.
7. Take a Break From Instagram
According to most users who suspect they’ve been shadowbanned, taking a break from Instagram was the most effective fix. Avoiding the app for a few days is worth it for a fresh start!
Just remember: when you come back, proceed with caution.
Have you had any experience with shadowbanning or having your reach reduced? Let us know in the comments below! 👇
Pin It For Later 📌
What It Is And How To Remove It
In this article, we’re going to go over:
What exactly is the Instagram shadowban? Is the IG shadowban a real thing?
How to identify if your Instagram account is “shadowbanned”… AKA, your individual posts aren’t showing up for hashtags that you added to your captions or comments.
What it means to be shadowbanned and what it means for your Instagram account.
How to fix being shadowbanned and how to prevent it from happening in the future.
What you need to know about the Instagram shadowban going forward (and how it’s changing)
What is the Instagram Shadowban?
Here is what’s currently happening to Instagram users all over the platform:
Instagram, for a number of different reasons… is actively restricting some people’s posts so they don’t show up for hashtags or their followers feeds.
The only way for people to see your posts when a post is shadowbanned is to type their name in search and visit their actual profile.
As you can imagine… if people on Instagram are unable to see your posts anywhere on the platform (besides having to type in your name and visit your profile), it’s absolutely devastating for your account.
But here’s where it get’s controversial:
Does the Instagram Shadowban actually exist?According to Instagram, the IG Shadowban does not exist and it’s a common misconception to think otherwise.
However, if you spend just a few minutes digging, you’ll find account after account complaining that their account is in fact shadowbanned and that their followers are complaining that they no longer see them anywhere in their main feeds or when searching for different hashtags.
Recently, Internet personality Mia Khalifa revealed an internal presentation that went out to only Instagram employees at Instagram HQ.
Instagram not only confirmed that the IG Shadowban is real, the algorithm is actively looking for certain activities and criteria before placing accounts under the ban.
Here’s what’s important to know:
Instagram has a number of banned hashtags that it doesn’t want you to use.
If you use these banned hashtags in a caption for a post, Instagram will not only restrict that post so that it will not be able to be found when you search for it, your post will also not show up in people’s feeds (even if they follow you).
For example, #Snapchat is not allowed on Instagram’s platform and you will be punished by the algorithm if you attempt to use this ‘banned hashtag’ in any post.
Important note:
Not all banned hashtags are as obvious as you’d think.
For example, common terms such as #pushups, #alone, #brain are all banned hashtags on Instagram.
In fact, there are numerous banned hashtags on Instagram that you should avoid using in posts or comments.
Failure to avoid using any of these banned hashtags can result in your account getting shadowbanned or worse, can even result in Instagram permanently banning you from the platform according to Instagram’s Community Guidelines.
Here is the complete list of banned Instagram hashtags In 2022:(This list was updated on November 11, 2022)
A
#alone
#assday
#ass
#antivax
B
#beautyblogger
#bikinibody
#boho
#brain
C
#costumes
#curvygirls
D
#date
#dating
#desk
#dm
E
#elevator
G
#graffitiigers
H
#hardworkpaysoff
#happythanksgiving
#humpday
I
#iphonegraphy
#italiano
K
#kansas
#killingit
#kissing
M
#master
#models
#mustfollow
N
#nasty
#newyearsday
P
#petite
#pornfood
#pushups
S
#saltwater
#shit
#shower
#single
#singlelife
#skype
#snap
#snapchat
#snowstorm
#sopretty
#stranger
#streetphoto
#sunbathing
#swole
T
#tag4like
#tanlines
#teens
#thought
U
#undies
V
#valentinesday
W
#workflow
Quick note:
I run a free app called PostBuilder that lets you:
Preview what your posts will look like before you post
Make perfect line breaks for your Instagram captions, bios, and comments
Store unlimited future posts and captions and organize them in your drafts
Does not require you to login with Instagram and is fully compliant with Instagram’s Terms of Service
PostBuilder is an all-in-one Instagram management app that saves you a massive amount of time when you’re trying to grow your brand on Instagram.
Important note:
I also run an app called PicMerger that lets you stitch photos together side by side, make photo collages sized for Instagram, size your photos in a perfect square, and other picture editing tools that save you time and effort when creating content.
How To Check If You’re Shadowbanned On Instagram In 2022If you’re wanting to know if your latest post has been hit by the Instagram shadowban, follow these simple steps:
Make your new post on IG using your intended hashtags
Have a few people that you know go search for those hashtags and try to find your post in recent posts
If people are able to find your recent post for that hashtag when searching, you weren’t shadowbanned.
If people are unable to find your new post when searching for that hashtag, you are almost certainly affected by Instagram’s shadowban..
Important to note:
When checking if your post is showing up for hashtags, you have to use another device and IG account.
Instagram’s algorithm is extremely sophisticated and will still show you your post regardless if you’re shadowbanned or not.
Here’s how to remove The instagram shadowban In 20221. Remove any questionable 3rd party apps or software that has access to your Instagram account.
To check what apps and websites have access to your IG account:
Sign into IG on desktop
Go to “Settings”
Go to “Apps and Websites”
Remove potentially questionable apps and websites that you have allowed access to your account in the past
2. Stop using bots, automation, or engagement pods to try to get around the IG algorithm
It’s 2022… the Instagram algorithm is highly sophisticated and the days of thinking you have a chance at outsmarting it are long gone.
Yes, there are bots and 3rd party software that are still existing on Instagram… but the platform is cracking down on these faster and faster.
The only long-term option going forward on Instagram is to abide by their Terms of Service and grow you account the ride way… without trying to take shortcuts.
3. Avoid using banned and recently blacklisted hashtags
We went over the usage of banned hashtags and the risks involved… but you also need to be wary of using popular hashtags that have been blacklisted on the platform.
For example, on #Christmas, #Thanksgiving, #4thOfJuly, etc., these hashtags will be used by millions of people and will eventually hit a threshold where Instagram suddenly (and without warning) will ‘blacklist’ that hashtag.
What this means:
Everyone who uses that hashtag going forward will be at risk of being shadowbanned.
Again, the people who used the hashtag before the blacklisting will not be affected… but users who make posts even seconds after IG does this will risk being shadowbanned.
4. Avoid using repetitive or irrelevant hashtags over and over
Instagram’s algorithm wants new and fresh content on the platform.
If you’re using irrelevant hashtags, or if you’re using the same hashtags over and over in posts… you’re going to get hit by the Instagram Shadowban (eventually).
Here’s what to do instead:
You should only be using highly relevant hashtags in your posts.
Don’t use generic hashtags like #love, #happy #sad, #glad, et cetera.
Important not:
When you’re adding your hashtags to your post, always add it to your caption… not to your first comment.
Why?
You can’t edit individual hashtags in comments.
Instagram sometimes will only ban a handful of your hashtags.
What this means:
If you go back into your post and remove the hashtags that have banned or blacklisted and kept the ones that haven’t been flagged, the restrictions on your post will be removed.
If you add your hashtags to your comments and you get hit by a shadowban, you won’t be able to go in and edit out the banned tags indivudally… you’ll be forced to remove all of your hashtags (even the ones that weren’t affected).
5. Reach out to Instagram through their IG support page
Once you remove the potentially questionable 3rd apps or software that had authorization access on your account, you need to reach out to Instagram through the app.
Yes, Instagram support actually does read support requests like these (even though you most likely won’t get an email reply from them when you send them a request).
Here’s what you need to say:
You need to inform IG in your message that your followers are not able to see your posts in their feeds and they aren’t able to find you in search.
Important note:
Do NOT mention you suspect you are under a shadowbox. Just describe what is happening and explain that this is hurting your brand/business because of this bug.
6. Commenting, Liking, or DMing too much
The shadowban is also watching for any spam or non-human activity.
If you’re making 40 comments in 1 hour, Instagram doesn’t like that and will punish you.
Also, if you’re sending a bunch of DMs all at once to a mass of people, Instagram could think you’re a bot or you’re using some sort of 3rd party software.
Bottom line:
Act like a human. Don’t be mistaken for a bot.
The algorithm makes mistakes… don’t take the risk of it making a mistake and flagging your account.
7. You’re getting reported
If your account or you comments/DMs are getting reported by users, you can be subjected to a shadowban.
You won’t get shadowbanned right away, but if enough people mass report you… you can absolutely be subjected to getting a shadowban or even a permanent account ban.
8. Take a break from Instagram for a few days or even a week
Many people have come out and shown that after taking 2-7 days off from Instagram, their shadowbans were lifted.
Should you put your hashtags in your Instagram caption or in the comment below your post?
At the end of August of 2021, Adam Mosseri (current head of Instagram) publicly announced on his official Instagram @Mosseri that the Instagram algorithm favors posts when hashtags are placed inside the caption.
Although many argue that it’s more aesthetically pleasing when you bury your hashtags in your IG post’s comments…
Instagram has publicly declared that you should always post your hashtags inside your captions for any type of content on Instagram (posts, Reels, IGTV, et cetera)… if you want to fully appease the Instagram algorithm.
In conclusion:
There are no shortcuts when it comes to growing an audience on Instagram.
If you’re trying to game the algorithm, you’ve already lost.
Long are the days of being able to use shady tactics to grow your account… if you want to win on Instagram (without getting restricted or shadowbanned) you’re going to have to abide by Instagram’s rules.
Did I miss anything?
Leave me a note at [email protected] and tell me what I’m missing.
*This article was originally published on October 13, 2017 and was updated November 10th, 2022.
Subscribe below to get notified when Instagram’s banned hashtags list changes.
It’s free and you can unsubscribe any time.
Definition, reasons, checks and ways out
In the 21st century, maintaining an Instagram account requires time, creative ideas that can attract the attention of thousands of people, and financial resources. It happens that the activity of subscribers suddenly decreases and indicators fall. Engagement and reach suffer the most. This usually means that your account has been shadowbanned.
What is a shadowban
A shadowban is a blocking of displaying content to users who are not subscribers without the knowledge of the account. This means that only subscribers will be able to see your posts, and only the hashtags you use will be displayed in their feed. If you see that the coverage has dropped dramatically, this may be the case.
Although the term itself appeared about fifteen years ago, it has recently gained wide popularity. Similar methods of optimizing the work of a social network are used not only on the Instagram platform.
First of all, a shadowban is used to get rid of accounts that do not comply with the terms of the policy. Therefore, a shadowban is needed to ensure that users only see acceptable, authentic, and authentic content.
Promoting an Instagram account requires a lot of effort and resources, such as time and money. Even if money is not an issue, it takes months and years to become popular and gain thousands of followers. Some bloggers use dishonest methods, such as irrelevant hashtags or auto promotion services. For security purposes, the administration identifies "dishonest users" and puts them in a shadowban. The user is not informed about this. Only when the number of views drops sharply, you can understand that something is wrong.
Typically, a shadowban affects reach among users who are not your followers. This can manifest itself in different ways:
- Other users (not your followers) do not see your posts in the recommendation section;
- Posts are blocked in hashtag searches.
In this case, you can keep the existing audience. But increasing the number of subscribers becomes much more difficult. Some bloggers are sure that with a shadowban, content disappears even from the subscribers' feed.
Sudden and significant declines in performance, such as coverage, may also be due to other causes. Instagram is constantly changing the algorithm for displaying profiles in the "Search and interesting" section. Updates were released in June 2016. Since then, many influencers have noticed a significant drop in audience engagement. This is mainly reflected in the search for hashtags. The administration of the social network acknowledged the existence of such a problem in February 2017.
They even gave advice on how to create unique content that would comply with the policy.
If there are obvious violations of the rules, the platform may simply remove the content. In such cases, the account owner will receive a notification:
Am I shadowbanned on Instagram? How to check it?
When managing a business account, it is important to take the appropriate approach.
Analytics is a good tool for assessing the real potential and current state of an account. It also helps to determine if your account has been shadowbanned. This is indicated by the following indicators:
- Decreased number of likes and comments. Sudden decline in engagement. This scares away subscribers who are already interested in your content. If an account is shadowbanned, it will affect several posts.
- Insufficient coverage of a new audience through hashtags. If this is a very popular hashtag and you are an average blogger, then this is not surprising. However, you need to be careful when it comes to less popular hashtags. Unfortunately, users outside your circle of followers will not be able to see your account when searching for hashtags.
- Reduced coverage. It is difficult to achieve high performance in this parameter, but it is an important criterion. If your reach drops significantly within two or three days while you're following your usually successful strategy, your posts may not be showing to a wide audience.
It is important to understand that judging by only one factor, it is impossible to say whether an account has been banned. The situation can be explained by a change in the algorithms (which was briefly described in the previous section).
Whether you are 100% sure or not, there are several ways to check if your account has been shadowbanned or not.
Use another Instagram account
This option enables hashtag search. This is a pretty easy way. What you need to do:
- Post with unpopular hashtags. This way, your post will be easier to find as it will be among fewer posts.
- Ask four or five non-followers to find this post using the hashtag. You can ask one of the subscribers to unsubscribe for the duration of the experiment.
If this hashtag is in search and the reach is still low, it's probably hidden algorithms. On the other hand, if no one can find a post by the hashtag, there is every reason to believe that the account has been shadowbanned.
Use shadowban checking services
There are many tools that can determine if an account has been shadowbanned. They can be paid or free, with additional features or basic evaluation criteria. To start searching, you need to enter your account information.
Usually, the service checks the last ten posts for viral and banned hashtags. For example, Triberr marks bad hashtags in red and good ones in green. It also lists all the "bad" hashtags so they can be easily removed. In addition, the service gets access to your analytics and gives recommendations on how to increase your reach.
Other services, such as the Instagram shadowban tester, provide a deeper analysis and help determine not only the use of banned hashtags, but also the overall level of compliance with security rules and the overall health of the account. This is the so-called personalized guide to creating healthy content.
Why is my account shadowbanned? What makes Instagram apply a shadowban?
Those who have already experienced the “charms” of the shadowban are trying their best to avoid a repeat of the situation in the future.
This information will be useful, including for Instagram business accounts. Here we list the most common reasons for a shadowban.
Use of bots or other automated tools
Instagram's terms of use clearly state the use of automated systems. First of all, this applies to bots that increase your audience and engagement (for example, by increasing the number of likes). Instagress, Followliker, Boostly are examples of apps that offer similar services. The ban of accounts using such services is mainly intended to encourage real influencers and punish those who use dishonest methods.
Auto-posting bots are also considered as a threat to the authenticity of the account. So if you were too lazy to wake up at 8 in the morning to post, it's best to set an alarm. However, this does not include scheduling apps that remind you that it's time to post.
A small note: using bots for one account can negatively affect your other accounts. The reason is that you are using a single IP address.
Using bad hashtags
Hashtags are a common way to reach a large audience. They help increase the chances of attracting real followers. This is probably why Instagram strictly enforces the rules for using hashtags. Even without an official list, it's easy to check the hashtag yourself. To do this, you need to search for a hashtag. If your search results only show up in the "Top" tab, it's likely that the hashtag has been blocked. In some cases, the Instagram administration may notify that this hashtag does not comply with the policy.
The constant use of certain hashtags can be another trap. Some bloggers use the same hashtags to make their profile easier to navigate, but you need to be careful with this approach. This may be perceived by the social network as spam and, therefore, your account may be shadowbanned.
Your account gets frequent complaints
The easiest way to get technical support attention on your profile is to report it. A complaint means that the content is infringing or inappropriate.
In short, your content violates the community guidelines and terms of use in some way.
If the number of complaints is significant, Instagram may place your account in a shadowban or completely block access. If you didn't break the rules, you have nothing to worry about. Contact technical support to manually check everything.
You post, comment, gain followers or follow other accounts too fast
Instagram has a limit on the number of likes, comments and number of accounts you can follow per hour. This security measure is to identify users who use automation tools. Allowed limits per hour:
- 150 likes
- 60 comments
- 60 subscriptions/unsubscriptions
These are averages for most users. However, the limits may be increased depending on the age of the account. The older the account, the more loyal the rules will be.
In addition to the limits mentioned above, there are limits on the number of hashtags or deleted posts.
However, violating these restrictions is unlikely to result in a shadowban. Usually in such cases, you will immediately receive a notification from the platform.
How to get out or avoid the shadowban on Instagram?
To date, there is no panacea for the shadowban. The situation will change for the better when Instagram talks about the “virus” and suggests concrete steps for prevention. If you understand the reasons for getting shadowbanned, then focus on them in your Instagram shadowban avoidance strategy. The most obvious steps are as follows:
1. Don't use banned or "bad" hashtags
Banned hashtags are like a red rag to a bull. Their use is the surest way to the shadowban. These hashtags will do more harm than good.
Check all your posts for banned hashtags. We have already mentioned ways to check the status of hashtags using Instagram search. Another option is to use the list of banned hashtags on Instagram. Don't forget to check the hashtags in the comments.
It's best to stop using hashtags in comments altogether. This practice increases your chances of getting into a short-term shadowban.
Don't be surprised if this helps bring your account back to normal reach. Before using an "unknown" hashtag, check it out. Thus, you will be able to avoid getting into the shadowban and develop your business steadily.
2. Take a break
Inactivity on Instagram for a few days can help you get out of the shadowban. This applies to likes, comments, and even logging into the app itself. On average, it is enough to be absent from the social network for 48 hours. To increase your chances, try extending your break to 72 hours.
After returning, we advise you to follow the Instagram rules 100% of the time. Some also point out that reducing activity (such as giving fewer likes or leaving fewer comments) for a while can also help solve the shadowban issue.
3. Report your shadowban to Instagram support
It is known that getting a response from the Instagram administration is not easy, but reporting a problem can be effective.
It's best to send a request from the app itself. This can be done from any device. You need to go to the profile section, click on the gear icon in the upper right corner, select the "Help" section, and there "Report a bug".
The best description of the shadowban problem is "something is not working right". After choosing this option, you will have the opportunity to describe the problem in more detail, so that it is easier for technical support to understand the situation. It is important to remember that Instagram does not officially acknowledge the existence of this problem. Therefore, it will be useless to complain about the decline in engagement and other indicators. One of the best options is to say that posts are not identified in the search by the hashtags used.
In any case, you can contact support an unlimited number of times, so you can experiment. Remember that you won't always get a response, much less a quick one.
4. Switch from a business account to a personal account
Switching to a personal account is a rather controversial decision.
There is no evidence that it is effective. Although some users claim that it works. Potentially, the reason may be that a business account automatically assumes the role of a marketing tool, which means making a profit.
Some say that ever since Facebook bought Instagram, social networks have focused on monetization. Business is the main resource. A popular way to earn your place on Facebook is through paid advertising. The ability to constantly expand the audience and increase the level of engagement using existing free tools limits the ability of the social network to earn from paid advertising. It can be assumed that the shadowban arose precisely for this reason.
5. Avoid complaints about your account from other users
Although the Instagram representative is difficult to contact, their technical support responds quickly. Not for questions, but for complaints. Obviously, we are talking about complaints from users. This is a sure sign that something is wrong with your content.
Typically, complaints come about inappropriate content or spam.
Social media policies must be strictly followed to avoid complaints. There are two main categories: Terms of Use and Community Guidelines. In short, the content must be genuine, non-offensive and appropriate (i.e. without any form of harassment, no nudity, etc.) This guide also covers ways to promote an account. Only manual and predictable methods are allowed.
If you have been reported, this does not always mean that the account's reputation has been destroyed. However, a reduction in coverage, engagement and other indicators is guaranteed. In more serious cases, access to the account may be lost forever.
Instagram banned hashtag list
The first Instagram banned hashtag list was published in 2018. Previously, all banned hashtags had to be checked manually using a search, as mentioned above. Listings cannot guarantee 100% quality. This does not mean that the compilers made a mistake. The fact is that a hashtag ban can be temporary.
The list may seem too varied. It includes the most popular hashtags like #alone, #always, #italiano, #popular etc. Many of them are related to the topic of sexuality or popular trends on Instagram like #likeforlike.
Here you can find the current list of prohibited Instagram hashtags.
Shadowban in other social networks
The term "shadowban" is gaining popularity in all social networks. Giants such as Twitter and Facebook have been hit by accusations over this issue. Although none of them have confirmed the use of the shadowban, several updates have been posted regarding changes to the algorithms.
Twitter has announced that it will implement a special rating to get rid of "bad" users. The rating is based on the authenticity of the content and profile usage. Facebook, in turn, is flooded with news publications. In an attempt to detect false news, random accounts are placed in the ban.
They claim to rely on complaints from users and fact checkers.
However, both platforms may still limit engagement and reach if the account was overly active or violated the rules.
Youtube is also known to use shadowban. In addition to the usual blocking due to non-compliance with the rules, this platform also hides some comments. They are marked as spam and are visible only to the author of the comment and the owner of the video.
how to get out and what you can get into it for, how long it lasts and how to check it
Reader Alena asks: “I make cakes to order in Syktyvkar. I run Instagram. All last autumn and December, the posts covered five thousand people a week, and since the beginning of January, the coverage dropped to two thousand.
I'm sure it's a shadowban: I cheated subscriptions at the very beginning. They write on the Internet: in order to get out of the shadow ban, you must not publish anything for 72 hours, transfer your business account to a personal one, remove hashtags from the last 20 posts.
I did everything, but it does not help: the coverage is not returned.
I'm starting to worry about the account - this is my main sales channel. Tell us how long the shadowban lasts and how to get out of the shadowban on Instagram?
None. Shadowban does not exist
In 2016, Instagram began to introduce an algorithmic feed to replace the chronological one. Previously, posts appeared in the feed according to the time of publication: if a person posted a photo of a cat at noon, his subscribers saw this post in the feed at exactly noon. And after the transition, posts began to appear based on the user's preferences: if he doesn't like and doesn't look at photos with cats, the feed doesn't show him this, even if he subscribes to them.
Switching to the algorithmic feed was one of the reasons why the reach of some business accounts fell. The audience didn't really like their content — the subscribers didn't like or leave comments. But only a part of users with reduced coverage understood this. Others decided that either the new feed was temporarily weird, or Instagram administrators punished them for violations: likes, mass liking, mass following or cheating.
Like chats are chats where users gather to like each other's posts, leave comments and chat in direct. This creates the illusion of activity in the profile, as if many people like the posts and discuss them. Often, the entrance to like chats is paid, the moderator makes sure that everyone fulfills the conditions - go to the profiles of the participants and imitate activity.
Mass liking and mass following is likes or subscriptions in exchange for likes and subscriptions. Let's say Marina maintains an Instagram account for her case store and wants to increase her reach. To do this, she likes all the accounts that she can reach. In response, one of her victims can go to her account and also like and subscribe.
Cheating is buying likes or followers. Usually not in the form of living people, but in the form of bots.
This is how the term "shadowban" was born: people confused bugs and punishment with updates.
According to one of the legends, posts from recommendations are removed in retaliation for illegal purchases of user attention, and they don’t want to officially block them so as not to draw attention to Instagram’s “vulnerability”. Russian Instagram promotion specialists picked up this story. Now there are many instructions on the Internet on how to get out of the Instagram shadowban.
The shadowban is actually a myth. Instagram admins don't secretly lower account-wide reach to punish untruthful users for mass-liking, mass-following, or otherwise playing against the rules. The Instagram team spoke about this in 2018 and the head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, in 2021.
Instagram team: "There is no shadowban"
Loading...
This is a post from the head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri. It says that the legend of the shadowban is explained by the fact that users, in principle, do not watch more than half of their feed Instagram administrators do not need to reduce reach for buying likes and followers.
Reach is declining without their participation for completely different reasons. Let's analyze this using the example of a Syktyvkar sock store.
Shop owner Mikhail Ivanovich bought subscribers and likes. He wanted new customers to see the popularity of his outlet. The contractor was recommended by friends. In a couple of weeks, the account grew from 126 subscribers to 7,000. Mikhail Ivanovich was proud for a long time, until the level of coverage and other metrics fell.
The problem is that there are no targeted subscribers among the purchased database. Most likely, there are no residents of Syktyvkar among them - only people from other countries or regions who may not know the Russian language and, in general, be bots. Therefore, at first, the reach and other metrics increased in the store account due to new subscribers, and then all metrics fell. The contractor has already received money for subscriptions and likes, and support for reach and other metrics was not included in the purchase.
The target audience from Syktyvkar guesses about cheating: the socks store has a lot of subscribers, and the last posts have very few likes. The most suspicious ones do not trust the company of Mikhail Ivanovich, because he deceived them when they met. So they don’t subscribe and don’t look at the account.
Any illegal ways to buy people's attention don't work on Instagram. The very device of the social network can prevent dishonest recruitment of subscribers.
What to do if your reach drops
Here's what you can do to get potential customers to pay attention to you:
- check that your posts do not violate the rules of Instagram;
- find out what your subscribers and potential customers are interested in;
- post content about what interests them;
- use targeted advertising;
- hire an SMM specialist.
Check if you are violating Instagram rules.
Shadowban is often confused with breaking Instagram policy. If you break the rules of Instagram a couple of times, the reach of your account may decrease. For example, buying likes, followers and reposts is a violation of Instagram rules. If administrators notice this or someone complains, posts can be removed from recommendations and from hashtag searches. If after that you use the cheat again and again, your account may be blocked.
What not to do on Instagram
Loading...
This is Instagram's content policy. It says what nudity is not allowed to be posted. Please note if you are a photographer❌ Here are some examples of what not to do:
- sell goods and services that are not trademarked or licensed;
- use mechanisms to collect likes, followers or shares;
- offer people money for reviews, comments, likes;
- publish the same post or the same comment;
- send several commercial offers to the same person without asking their consent;
- promote online games or online lotteries using real money without the permission of administrators;
- publish other people's photos and illustrations.
All rules can be tracked by matching words. For example, "death", "casino", "earnings". In order not to lose the sales channel and not lose coverage, we recommend that you follow the rules.
Find out what people are interested in. The easiest way is to ask what subscribers are interested in learning from you and what they don't like about the account now. This can be done in many ways.
How to study the target audience
Collect all important metrics in a table: reach, saves, comments, reposts. Analyze the table to see which topics are getting the most coverage and reactions.
View comments to find those that say what followers don't like about the account and what they are interested in learning about.
Write a post with a request to tell in the comments what is interesting for subscribers to know and what they do not like now.
Create a Google Forms poll and ask people to rate one to ten topics of new posts, existing posts, and your new ideas.
Invite clients to an interview and hear from them personally what they are interested in learning from you and what they don't like about the account now.
It is not necessary to use only one method - they can be combined.
Post interesting content. Most likely, subscribers will be interested in learning how to solve problems with the help of your products or services. Let's analyze this using the example of a healthy food manufacturer.
How to attract customers on Instagram
| The subscriber problem | Content |
|---|---|
| I constantly eat a lot of chocolate because of stress. I'm afraid for my teeth | Review of nut and fruit bars that will replace chocolate |
| I want to become a vegetarian, but I don't want to give up meat | Five Benefits of Soy Meat |
| Sometimes I don't have time to prepare a normal breakfast for my child | Healthy Breakfast Reviews for Kids |
| I'm tired of eating sausages with pasta all day long, but I cook so-so | Three recipes for dummies that will diversify your menu |
Use targeted advertising.
The only way to legally buy user attention on Instagram is to launch targeted ads. If you do not use it at all, but publish good content, you will have to spend a lot of time and effort to reach the right number of people.
How to prepare for the launch of advertising
Hire an SMM specialist. It is not necessary to hire an SMM specialist to promote on Instagram. This can be done on your own. But if there are resources, and it is not possible for companies to manage social networks, this is a good opportunity to achieve the desired coverage.
How LTV helps you understand marketing
A good SMM specialist will be able to turn your Instagram account into one of the main sales channels.
