Has your Instagram reach and engagement dropped without a clue? Despite using every hashtag correctly, your account might be shadowbanned. This situation is not ideal for marketers trying to grow their digital presence.
Out of all the bizarre explanations you might end up with, we’ll help you understand the Instagram shadowban better.
In this CommentGuard article, we’ll explore the Instagram shadowban and its possible causes. We will also discuss how to fix it effectively to restore your reach.
What is a shadowban on Instagram?
When your Instagram account is shadowbanned you might see a sudden drop in the reach of content without any notice. It becomes more obvious when you cannot see your posts on Explore pages. You cannot find the content in searches even when using the right hashtags.
The most common reason for an Instagram shadowban is not following Instagram’s Community Guidelines. It results in a violation of the platform rules as it detects your content as misleading. Using the wrong hashtags for the sake of reach can also result in a shadowban.
Are Instagram shadowbans real?
Officially, Instagram denies any existence of a shadowban. Before 2019, the Instagram team claimed that shadowbanning was not a real thing. However, in 2019, Instagram stated that any inappropriate content not following their community guidelines, would not be included on the Explore page. It means that Instagram removes the content based on the hashtags and restricts the content.
In 2020, Instagram’s head, Adam Mosseri, addressed concerns of black voices about their content being taken down. Mosseri explained that Instagram would take steps to improve the overall user experience.
When we further investigated IG shadowbans, we found various accounts complaining that their followers could not receive their post updates. Even personalities like Meg Turney have shown concerns about her post’s reach.
In an interview, Mia Khalifa revealed that she had a private conversation with the Instagram employees. They admitted that shadowbans indeed exist (not officially with this term) and revealed a list of criteria for how things work behind-the-scenes.
What causes a shadowban on Instagram?
As shadowban is not an official term recognized by Instagram, users are not notified about it. So the question arises: What causes a shadowban on Instagram? Luckily, we’ve already figured it out.
Let’s explore the most common causes of why Instagram shadowbans posts and even accounts:
Content piracy
Instagram has strict policies on copyright infringement and content theft. You can only post someone else’s content after having their permission. If you post content without the original creator’s consent, Instagram will remove your content and may restrict your account activity with a shadowban.
Since most countries have copyright laws, the original content automatically becomes copyrighted. Instagram Community Guidelines see this as a copyright violation and remove the content immediately from Explore or even limit reach to followers.
Violating the community guidelines
Instagram’s Community Guidelines are a set of rules and standards that help keep the platform healthy for everyone. These rules ensure that the platform remains safe for users of every age group. Instagram’s algorithms detect potentially violating posts automatically.
Once the algorithm detects inappropriate content, it deletes it and may lock your account. Community guidelines include several content violations, including sexually explicit content, misinformation, and violence.
Once a post is detected or reported, it may lead to a shadowban.
Hashtag abuse
Hashtag abuse is the most common reason for a shadowban on Instagram. When users manipulate a popular hashtag, it can lead to their account being shadowbanned. There are times when such hashtags get overrun with suggestive or inappropriate content.
Instagram then removes the hashtag to prevent it from happening in the future. So, it becomes a broken hashtag. When you use such hashtags to post content, your account may get restricted or blocked. It even prevents your other hashtags from ranking on the Explore page.
Buying engagement and bots
Instagram keeps the platform engaging by valuing real interactions. Any activity that triggers fake engagement can trigger the algorithms. These operations include using bots or buying followers and are against the terms or service and Community Guidelines.
Creators often participate in engagement pods, where groups use inorganic methods to increase likes and followers. This practice, combined with other practices like bots for interactions, can also lead to a shadowban on Instagram.
Spam or unusual activity
Things like following, unfollowing, liking a post, and commenting on Instagram are time-constrained. Unfollowing accounts in bulk within a short period can be flagged as spam.
Using too many hashtags for a single post can also result in a shadowban. Activities like comments, posts, and likes should remain in the normal range. If you do anything at an exceptional level, Instagram might consider it bot work and restrict your account.
How to check if Instagram has shadowbanned you?
Checking the shadowban status within an Instagram account is not possible. But you can verify it with the Instagram shadowban test. Here are four ways that help you figure out if your account is shadowbanned:
Monitor new posts
Make a new Instagram post with a less popular hashtag (using a popular hashtag will reduce the chance of verifying shadowbanning as it might have millions of posts associated with it). Once you’ve posted, ask three to five friends or people who don’t follow you on Instagram to search for the hashtag. You’re shadowbanned if your post doesn’t appear in any of the results.
Check your Instagram account status
This test works if you’ve got a professional Instagram account. Go to Account Status to verify if your content is allowed and recommended for other users. An easy way to navigate and explore this is by going to your profile, tapping Setting and Privacy, and then selecting Account Status. If you’ve violated Instagram guidelines, you can check it and take the right action.
Look at your account insights
Another way to verify a shadowban is by looking at the account analytics. Instagram lists several metrics, and engagement metrics tell the real story. If you see a drastic change in engagement over a short period, the chances of shadowbanning are high.
Review hashtags
Hashtags are last on the list but the most common reason for shadowbanning. It requires manual inspection of the hashtags you commonly use for your posts. You can filter out the list of your hashtags and search them on the Explore page.
If you get the message “Recent posts from #yourhashtag are currently hidden because the community has reported that some content may not meet Instagram’s community guidelines,” it is possible your posts may be hidden because you used this hashtag.
8 Ways to fix an Instagram shadowban
After learning you’ve been shadowbanned, getting out of it is still possible. The most probable shadowban period is two weeks to months. No one is sure how long an Instagram shadowban lasts. But its removal depends on how you handle this situation.
Here is how to fix a shadowban on Instagram. We’ve researched and tested a few fixes that can help you get out of an Instagram shadowban:
Remove posts that go against the terms of service
It includes posts that don’t follow the Instagram content guidelines. Since the Instagram algorithm automatically detects such activities accurately, it is hard to fool. So, it is better to play safe and follow the platform’s terms of service.
Review your old posts and check if you’ve posted anything that violates the guidelines. Remove or make necessary edits to make it align with them. Otherwise, you may get your account locked for up to 48 hours or risk a permanent shutdown.
Revoke unapproved third-party app access
Using an Instagram moderation tool for posts and ads is always a plus. However, having many of these unapproved tools can risk your account activity. The platform might think that you are using these tools for engagement bots which ultimately results in shadowbanning your account.
You can check for such unapproved apps or services using the following method:
- Open Instagram Settings.
- Go to App website permissions.
- Now open Apps and Websites.
- It will list all the active apps connected to your account. From here, go to the Instagram Partners page.
- Check the status of apps here to see if they are Instagram-approved partners.
- Remove the unapproved ones.
Audit your hashtags
Restricted or banned hashtags can reduce your engagement and reach, ultimately resulting in a shadowban. If you continue to use these hashtags, Instagram can shut down your account. Always keep an eye on the hashtags you use for your posts.
Researching before using a new hashtag is a better strategy. It can take your time, but it will save you in the long run from getting shadowbanned. Review your old post, and if you find any restricted hashtags, you can edit and remove them.
Use sensitive content warnings
Remain proactive when posting any sensitive content. Instagram offers sensitive content features, but they do not apply to your own posts. One way to deal with this is using a small workaround that helps users know beforehand about the sensitive content.
Create a slideshow post and place a sensitive content warning image first. It will help the audience to decide whether they should proceed or not. Here are the steps to do it the right way:
- Go to the Instagram app Profile tab.
- Now select New Post.
- Proceed and choose Story.
- Tap on the Create option.
- You can select the image with the warning message or choose a background and add text to it.
- After this, save it and use it as a sensitive content warning.
- Use it as the first slide in your post, followed by your content.
Don’t behave like bots
Keep the engagement organic on Instagram. If you outpace yourself and like or comment too frequently, Instagram might think of you as a bot. This triggers the algorithm, and any rapid-fire of follow, unfollow, comments, and likes activity can result in a shadowban.
Instagram monitors such activity and can put your account on a 24-hour hold. In some cases, users reported being restricted for up to a week. So, it’s better to keep the engagement rate as normal as possible.
Avoid getting reported
If you post borderline content, your account’s chances of being reported are high. In some cases, fellow content creators or competitors report your posts. This can flag your content, as algorithms might consider your post unsuitable for the audience.
To prevent being reported, always follow the Community Guidelines. Ensure that your content aligns perfectly with your followers’ interests. If your content follows these guidelines, you can request or appeal the decision.
Reach out to Instagram support
Doing all things according to guidelines and still getting reported or shadowbanned? Reaching out to Instagram support helps in this regard. You can provide details and show them that you haven’t used bots or done any other violation.
Here is how you can report the issues to the support:
- Click the three lines at the bottom left to open a menu inside your Instagram account.
- Here select Settings.
- Scroll down and click on Help.
- Now tap on Account status.
- From here, you can see your posts that went against Instagram guidelines.
- Review them and request a review of your removed post.
Let things cool down
Maintain a steady posting pace on Instagram. Once the algorithm detects and shadowbans you as a bot, take a break from the platform. Some users found 24-48 hours break enough to lift the shadowban. However, taking a break for a week works well for most cases.
Don’t hurry to post too much after taking the break and letting the thing cool down. Clean the hashtags and sensitive material during the break. Keep things slow and post at regular intervals. Doing this will help you keep the engagement natural.
Preventing an Instagram shadowban
The best way to prevent an Instagram shadowban is to follow the community guidelines. Post original content according to your audience. Avoid using hashtag exploits, sensitive content, and bots for engagement.
The days of using tactics and shortcuts to grow the audience are long gone. Adapt to the algorithms and focus on creating content for your followers. Your audience will grow when you keep things organic and post authentic content.