If from one moment to another you perceive that your Instagram posts begin to have fewer likes and comments, it is possible that the same application has restricted your account, or what would be the same, that your account has Shadowban.
If you suspect that your account has been shadowbanned, in this article we will explain what you can do to get your posts back to the same reach as before.
What exactly is the Shadowban on Instagram?
The Shadowban is a restriction that is applied to accounts that are not complying with the conditions of use established by Instagram.
This restriction consists of limiting the scope of the publications. That is, when an Instagram account with Shadowban makes a publication, it will not appear in the feeds of other people, nor in the hashtags section.
This is why it is normal that the interactions received in an account with Shadowban decrease considerably and that it also becomes much more difficult for them to get new followers.
Steps to remove the Shadowban from your Instagram account
If your Instagram account is shadowbanned, here ‘s what to do to get it back on track:
Correct what you’re doing wrong
If your account is Shadowbanned, that means that you are actually committing an infraction within the platform. So if you want your account to have the same scope again, it makes sense to correct what you’re doing wrong. That includes the following actions:
- Use bots.
- Buy followers.
- Use prohibited hashtags. This also includes always using the same hashtags.
- Spam.
You should remove all posts that don’t follow Instagram’s guidelines or any that you suspect might cause you problems. This way you will not run the risk of Shadowban returning to your account.
Do not use your Instagram account for a couple of days
After you have made the corrections in your account, I recommend that you stop using it for a couple of days. This means that you will not be able to post, comment, or like, among other things. In fact, if possible, don’t even log into your account.
You must stop using your account for at least 3 days. After the time has passed, you will be able to log in again and use your account normally. But remember, always complying with the rules of Instagram so as not to fall into another sanction.
Did you follow all the steps and after some time you still don’t notice any changes in your account?
For these cases, it is best to contact the Instagram help service. These are the steps you must follow:
- Go to Instagram and go to Settings.
- Click Help.
- Then select Report a problem.
- Now a small options panel will open where you must press the Report a problem option again.
- Finally, you should make a brief description of the difficulties that your Instagram account presents.
How to know if your Instagram account is shadowbanned
If you have not committed any action that goes against the policies of the platform, you should not have to worry.
However, most users who are shadowbanned don’t notice it until the reach of a significant number of their posts has been affected. So, it is best that you confirm it with these methods:
Your account could be shadowbanned if, when reviewing your hashtags, you notice that a warning appears indicating that the hashtag you have used is hidden because the community has reported the existence of content that does not comply with Instagram standards.
Check the Instagram Insights
By reviewing these metrics you will be able to better visualize the reach of your account. One of the indicators that will help you to know if your account really has a Shadowban is the percentage of reach of the accounts that do not follow you.
If when reviewing the statistics you notice that there is a sudden and sustained drop, it is possible that your account has been the victim of a Shadowban.
shadow ban test
This may be the most reliable way to know if your account is indeed under the effect of the Shadowban. This test consists of using an account that does not follow you to see if it can see your posts.
Basically, you must use an account that is not among your followers to search for a hashtag that you have used in a recent post. Preferably, choose a hashtag that is rarely used so that your publication can appear more easily.
If searching doesn’t show your post, your account is probably shadowbanned. Similarly, the more accounts you use to search, the more accurate the verdict will be. But you must remember that none of these accounts must follow you on Instagram for the results of this test to be correct.
How to avoid shadowban on Instagram?
If you are interested in having an Instagram account with many followers, whose posts reach a large number of users, then you will need to comply with the content policies established by Instagram to avoid Shadowban.
So, below, I will mention some of the specific actions that can cause you a sanction in your Instagram account:
Prohibited hashtags are those that are used to share inappropriate content. By using this type of hashtags, your content will not be able to position itself in the trends and you could be a victim of the Shadowban.
So, whenever you want to use a hashtag that you have not used before, it is best to always make sure that it is not a prohibited hashtag that could cause you problems. To find out if the hashtag you want to use is prohibited or not, you can do the following:
- Go to Instagram.
- Put the hashtag you want to use in the search box.
- Go to the Hashtags section and select one of the results.
- In the event that it is a prohibited hashtag, a message will appear indicating that the recent publications of this hashtag are hidden because their content may not comply with Instagram standards. This way you know you can’t use it.
If you always use the same hashtag, the Instagram algorithm could consider it spam. That is why it is best that you constantly vary the use of hashtags in your publications.
And if you are someone who has a hard time knowing which hashtags to use, then I recommend this article where we explain how to choose good hashtags for Instagram.
Buy followers
This is another action that is punished by Instagram with a Shadowban. You may think that buying followers will help you grow your brand, but it really isn’t. It is a practice that does not bring any benefit and that also puts your account at risk.
Using programs that go against Instagram rules
Be careful what apps you authorize on Instagram. Do not use bots or applications to attract followers. You should only authorize apps that you fully trust, as Instagram has the ability to identify accounts that use third-party apps to violate its rules.
Violate the limits of Instagram
The act of posting, commenting, following or unfollowing a certain number of accounts within a short period of time can be penalized by Instagram.
These time restrictions are applied by the platform to prevent the use of bots. That is why Instagram has established certain limits, which in case of being violated will be sanctioned with Shadowban. To avoid this inconvenience, it is good that you are aware of what these limits are:
- Follow or unfollow over 200 accounts.
- Comment 60 times.
- Give 100 likes.
I recommend that you always stay well below these numbers if you don’t want to get Shadowbanned.
Being reported by other users
If you are reported by other users, not only can you get shadowbanned, but even your account can get suspended . Always follow the Instagram guidelines to avoid taking this risk.
How long does the shadowban last on Instagram?
There really isn’t a rule for how many days a Shadowban can last. This sanction can last only a couple of days or a couple of weeks. Everything will depend on how serious the sanction committed was.
Now, if you have already corrected all the errors made in your account, but the sanctions have not yet been lifted, it is best that you continue to comply with the rules and continue waiting for a response.
Is the Shadowban on Instagram permanent?
Some users, when noticing that they have an account under the effect of the Shadowban, prefer to create another one, because they believe that the Shadowban is a permanent sanction when it really is not.
If you fix all of your violations, your account can be back on track in no time. Although this sanction does not have an established duration, it does not become permanent.
I hope this article has been helpful to you. And if you liked it, you will surely be interested in knowing how to avoid being mentioned or tagged in Instagram giveaways.
