What to do if you think you’ve been Shadow banned on Instagram
Imagine this, you spend all week creating a perfect piece of content. You’ve got the trending topic, music and hashtags all dialled in, you even posted during your audience activity peaks. You check in on the content waiting for the likes, comments and adulation to wash over you and….. crickets.
For many working in regulated industries, this is a frustrating and all too well-known scenario. In the post below I’ll explain how to know when you’ve been shadowbanned and the steps you can take to step back into the light.
Shadowbanning is when a user's content is made less visible on a platform, often due to policy violations. It limits content discovery without notifying the user. The practice aims to cultivate a positive user experience by limiting spam accounts. This can occur if you’re using 3rd party “growth hacking” apps that automate in app actions such as liking, commenting, sending DMs, following or unfollowing. This can also occur when content is posted that is against Instagram’s Community Guidelines.
How to know if you’ve been Shadow banned
Determining if you’ve been shadow banned on Instagram can be tricky, but certain signs may indicate this action has been taken against your profile. If you notice a drastic drop in engagement, your hashtags stop appearing in search results or if you experience a decline in post visibility to followers and non-followers alike, it could mean you have received your first shadow ban.
To confirm your suspicion, test your account's reach with a niche hashtag and check if your content appears in the explore section. Additionally, checking engagement from another account you have access to can help assess the visibility of your posts. If your posts are nowhere to be found, congratulations, you’ve received your first shadowban. Take a deep breath and read some tips below on what steps your should take next.
Brush up on the Guidelines to Figure out Where You Went Wrong:
Familiarize yourself with Instagram's Community Guidelines to ensure your content complies with their rules. Then remove any content you believe could violate Instagram's guidelines, including posts, comments, captions and even hashtags that could be considered “off-side” of Instagram’s Community Guidelines.
Hit the Pause Button:
Temporarily cease any activity that might violate Instagram's policies, such as excessive use of hashtags or engagement.
Switch to a Business Account:
Consider switching to a Business Account, as this may provide additional insights into your account's performance and help improve visibility towards any actions taken against your account.
Diversify Content:
Broaden the types of content you share. A diverse range of posts, including images, videos, reels and stories, can reduce the likelihood of triggering a shadowban.
Avoid the Automation Temptation:
Refrain from using automated tools or bots that may violate Instagram's terms of service, this includes any app that helps you automate commenting, liking, following or unfollowing. Additionally, you should avoid taking any mass follow/unfollow actions as this can be perceived as suspicious activity.
Use Relevant and Safe Hashtags:
Be cautious with the hashtags you use. Avoid using the same set repeatedly, and ensure they are relevant to your content. If you’re a cannabis brand you may find that most hashtags relative to your business trigger shadowbans. This is partially due to Cannabis not being legalized federally where these social headquarters exist.
Focus on Driving Engagement the Old Fashioned Way
Engage authentically with your followers and others in your community. Avoid aggressive or spammy engagement tactics that Instagram finds disruptive to their user experience.
Reach out to Instagram Support:
If the shadowban persists, you can reach out to Instagram support through the app. Go to Settings > Help > Report a Problem to submit your issue. If you have a Meta Business account and are spending through their advertising platform you may be able to use your account rep to escalate your issue.
Give it a Minute:
Sometimes, a shadowban may be temporary. Give it some time and continue with positive, guideline-compliant activities on your account and track your results.
Remember that Instagram's algorithms and guidelines can change, so staying informed about their policies is crucial. Taking proactive steps to ensure your content aligns with Instagram's guidelines will help maintain a healthy and engaged community on your account.
