How to beat Instagram shadowban? So today I want to talk about an annoying problem that occurred to two of my clients and that, unfortunately, can affect everyone: the mysterious INSTAGRAM SHADOWBAN. They asked me to help them remove it from their account and, I gotta tell you, it’s not so easy.
But first of all, what exactly is an Instagram Shadowban?
By definition, a shadowban is the act of blocking a user from an online community in such a way that they don’t realize that they’ve been banned.
On Instagram, a shadowban hides your Instagram posts from users who don’t follow you. More specifically, if you get shadowbanned on Instagram and use hashtags in your post, only you and your followers will see your post when they search for the hashtags you used. Which basically defeats the whole purpose of using strategic hashtags to grow your Instagram community. And if you use Instagram for business, it can mean fewer customers and revenue.
That’s why it can be a big problem, especially because you don’t even know you have been shadowbanned! The only way to discover it is by doing a test with an account that does not follow you: if you notice a significant reduction in likes and comments, you can ask to some of your friends to unfollow you for a while (or you can create a new account) and to check if your image is appearing within the hashtags you used on that post (check a small hashtag that isn’t updated too regularly).
Do not rely on this website: shadowban.azurewebsites.net It doesn’t work correctly.
One of the users who asked for my help was clearly shadowbanned for over one week, and the website always said everything was fine.
What causes an Instagram Shadowban?
Shadowbanning is Instagram’s attempt to prevent content which is against their terms of service and encourage users to play by the rules, namely posting relevant content that receives genuine engagement.
So these are some possible causes why Instagram considers your account as spammy:
- Using bots to like, comment, and boost engagement
- Using banned hashtags (if you search them they simply don’t show any associated content)
- Overusing hashtags, namely using the same hashtags too often
- You’ve been reported
How you can get your account back to normal
If the test confirms you have been shadowbanned… well, don’t worry, we can fix this!
- Don’t use bots to grow your followers. Yes, they save time, but they are also one of the quickest ways to end up on the Instagram shadowban list
- Avoid third-party apps that violate Instagram’s terms of service, such as apps which post photos to your account directly
- Remove banned or broken hashtags from old posts
- Mix up the hashtags you’re using and keep them fresh, by spending time to find new ones
- Don’t use too many hashtags per post and put them in the caption of your post instead of in the comments. Moreover, it’s better if you write them manually, so try to avoid the copy&paste from the notes on your phone
- Be authentic when you comment on Instagram photos (and again, do it manually) and be sure you’re engaging with people who interact with you. The more Instagram feels like you’re there to connect with people, the better!
- Take a short break from Instagram. Some users have said that taking 2-3 days off of Instagram has helped them lift their Instagram shadowban. However, this didn’t work for the people I helped.
- Their account got out from under the Instagram Shadowban after 10 days of regular and normal interaction with other accounts and by avoiding using hashtags.
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After that, post a picture with a small hashtag and check if your image appears again.
Unfortunately, the Instagram Shadowban can affect you even if you think you’re playing by the rules, but stay calm and don’t panic, the shadowban is only temporary. Try to focus on creating great content, engaging normally with your community and… just be patient!
Do you have a different experience with the Instagram shadowban? If you have other tips or you need help to get rid of it, just let me know!
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