Have you found that fewer people are seeing and engaging with your Instagram posts recently? Concerned that you may have been “shadowbanned”?
If you’re worried about getting your Instagram account limited, read this article to find out if shadowbans are real, what causes them, and what you can do to avoid them.
What Exactly Is a Shadowban?
A “shadowban” occurs when an online service stops giving an account high priority. This may make the account less visible in search results. It’s also possible that the account’s followers will see less of the account’s content in their feeds. When access to your account or material is limited, engagement and visibility typically decrease as a result.
If this happens to you, it may seem as though your social network profile and all of its associated data are mysteriously disappearing. The term “shadowbanning” describes a situation in which it appears that you have been banned without any formal notification.
The Myth of Instagram’s Shadowbans
Many marketers have come to consider shadowbanning as a fact now because the matter has been discussed so frequently for so long. It’s easy to blame a shadowban if your stats drop.
Shadow banning may exist, but Instagram claims it doesn’t. Instagram’s Head of Community Adam Mosseri stated emphatically in a Q&A for 2020, “Shadowbanning is not a thing.”
He went on to say that if you build up enough of a following on Instagram, your posts will start showing up in the feed as long as your followers keep logging in. Mosseri added that positions in Explore are not guaranteed under any circumstances.
The Shocking Truth
With that, Mosseri concluded, “Sometimes you get lucky; sometimes you won’t.” Even though bad luck isn’t the main reason some material fails to succeed, it can help make your content more interesting and discoverable.
It’s possible that your Instagram marketing plan is out of date if you’ve been using the same tactics for a long time. The algorithm may then decide to give less weight to your material. It’s a good idea to update your strategy with the latest best practises and add some novel approaches.
Explaining the Roots of “Shadowbanning” and Proposed Solutions
Have you noticed that your business’ Instagram account has been disabled? You’ll see some of the most typical causes of “shadowbanning,” including mistakes in the algorithm or the material itself, as well as advice for restoring your metrics.
Disallowed Hashtag Use
Instagram does not hide the fact that certain hashtags are prohibited from use. Instagram has banned some terms because they are associated with content that breaks its rules. Instagram eliminates hashtag search pages and may filter content containing certain terms to reduce discoverability.
You can still use a hashtag even if Instagram has banned it. In fact, you can be unknowingly include restricted hashtags in your posts. You may be giving Instagram the impression that you’re sharing material that violates their terms of service.
Verify the status of any hashtags you intend to use before posting to ensure they are not on any blacklists. The ideal #ramen hashtag page would look something like this one. A typical page would include “Top,” “Recent,” and “Reels” tabs, each of which would exhibit content containing the hashtag. If you choose to follow hashtagged content, you should also see a blue Follow button.
Always remember to double-check your hashtags because Instagram is known to make changes to its lists on a frequent basis. You may also check for restricted hashtags by viewing your Instagram Insights. If a post’s reach drops dramatically in comparison to its average, it may be because one or more of the hashtags used in the post have been blocked.
Lists of Hashtags Reuse
It takes time and effort to research appropriate hashtags for your posts. It’s tempting to recycle the same hashtags over and over again in an effort to save time and effort. This process may make sense if your company often writes on the same few subjects.
However, Instagram rules forbid posting identical content within the same hashtag group. This does not preclude the use of a campaign hashtag or the repeated use of a branded hashtag in posts that are related to the campaign. However, this does not mean that you should use the same 30 hashtags in every single Instagram post.
Making the Same Points Over and Over
When people interact with your content, you should do your best to address their concerns and inquiries. Comment threads started by your replies can help you convert Instagram users into paying customers.
It’s tempting to simply copy and paste your response whenever you have to deal with a large number of similar remarks. However, Instagram users are discouraged from posting the same comment many times. Instagram may restrict your account if it detects a pattern of behaviour resembling spam, such as repeatedly posting the same comment or question.
Putting Out Inappropriate Material
The Instagram Community Guidelines spell out in detail the many forms of content that are prohibited. But what if your company occasionally writes about ambiguous subjects? You may, for instance, produce content that complies with all of the rules yet is nevertheless inappropriate for some viewers.
You should expect Instagram to restrict access to your posts if they deem them objectionable for some users.
Failing to properly identify Branded Content
Instagram’s policies regarding advertisements have developed over time. Including a #sponsored hashtag in a post may have once been considered an adequate method of disclosure. However, Instagram now expects you to reveal more about yourself. Branded Content tools are required if you are being compensated for a post.
Your content could be reported or flagged if you fail to make use of these tools. That can lead to your work being buried, which hurts both distribution and your collaboration.