As you strive to expand your Instagram following, your reliance on
Explore and hashtag pages to broaden your audience and extend your reach
becomes paramount. It might feel discouraging when your content doesn't show
up. So, what is the Instagram Shadowban Test?
Suppose you suddenly notice that your posts get fewer likes and comments or are not showing up under specific hashtags or on the Explore page. In that case, you could be experiencing Instagram shadowban.
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What is Instagram Shadowban?
Instagram shadowban means that your posts are hidden or
limited without you knowing.
If you're shadowbanned, your posts will only appear on
people's feeds, the Explore page, or under hashtags if they follow you.
This usually happens when you break the rules in Instagram's
community guidelines or post something inappropriate.
Instagram Shadowban Test
How to perform a practical Instagram Shadowban Test? There's
no guaranteed way to know if you're shadowbanned on Instagram.
Some tools claim they can check, but they're not always
right. Instead, give these steps a try:
Check Your Hashtag Pages
If you go to the pages of hashtags you usually use and see a
message that says posts are hidden, it might mean you're shadowbanned for using
those hashtags.
Read the message below about the hashtag
"mustfollow." Some users said posts with this hashtag don't follow
Instagram's rules, so your content might be hidden, even if your post is okay
according to the rules.
Check Instagram Insights
You might be shadowbanned if you check Instagram Insights and
see your likes and comments suddenly go down and stay low.
One good thing to check is the percentage of people who saw
your posts but didn't follow you.
If you think you're shadowbanned, don't be upset. We can help
you fix it.
Why Am I Shadowbanned?
There are a few possible reasons your account might have been
shadowbanned.
Let's examine why you shadowbanned to ensure it doesn't
happen again.
You Use Bots to Grow Your Account
If you're not doing the work yourself, you're not naturally
getting more followers.
Instagram doesn't like this – in the earlier message, they suggest having a plan to reach the right people.
Using bots is a spammy trick that might lead to getting
shadowbanned.
You Use Broken Hashtags
Sometimes, a trending hashtag starts having inappropriate
stuff. If this happens, Instagram might delete the hashtag.
If you use a bad hashtag, it can stop your other hashtags
from working well, and it could lead to your account being blocked.
Your Account Is Often Reported
If many people keep complaining about an account, Instagram
might think that account is sharing things that are not okay or breaking the
rules. They could turn off the account or even shadowban it.
You've Been Posting, Engaging, Or Following People Quickly
Instagram has rules about how quickly you can follow,
unfollow, like, comment, or post.
This is reasonable if you're following many people within an
hour; it's probably not you doing it but a bot.
Doing these activities might increase your followers quickly,
but they won't help you make real connections with the right people, which is
why you're on Instagram.
Also, these actions could lead to a shadowban, which limits
how many new people can see your posts.
Why Does Instagram Shadowban?
Shadowbanning helps Instagram find accounts that don't follow
the rules.
Some people use fake ways to get more followers on Instagram,
like buying followers or using lots of hashtags that don't match their posts.
If that happens, Instagram hides its content. This way, only
accurate and valuable posts get shown to people.
Even if Instagram doesn't openly talk about shadowbanning,
they shared some information on their Facebook business page in February 2019.
They discussed the trouble users faced when their posts
didn't appear under specific hashtags.
Their message acknowledges that there is a problem with
hashtags.
However, some people think that Instagram might be saying
they're shadowbanning, even if they're not saying it directly.
Remember that Instagram often changes its algorithm, so these
modifications could be why fewer people like and comment on your posts.
Yet, shadowbanning might be a strategy to hide what you share
from many Instagram users.
If you suspect you're shadowbanned, ensuring more people can
see your post is essential.
Let's find out how to check if your Instagram has been
shadowbanned.
Did Instagram Shadowban Me?
People with a professional account can now see if Instagram
suggests their posts to others using the Account Status feature.
With Account Status, you can check whether your posted things
follow Instagram's rules.
Go to your profile on the app, then tap Menu > Settings
> Account > Account status.
Using this feature, you can find out if anything is affecting
your account and get advice on fixing it.
If you don't use a professional account, you can do a simple
test to see if your account is shadowbanned.
Am I Shadowbanned on Instagram?
Here's what you can do: First, share a picture with a hashtag
used sparingly. (If you pick a hashtag with many posts, it's difficult to tell
if your content is banned or just not seen because of many others).
After you've shared it, ask five friends or people who don't
follow you to search for that hashtag.
You've probably been shadowbanned if they can't find your
post in the results.
Your Instagram engagement has dived if your coworkers can
still see your post. How to fix it?
For instance, if you run a small business, you can't ask
workers to look at hashtags, and you don't want to ask your customers.
Here is how to fix Instagram Shadowban.
How to Fix Instagram Shadowban?
Stop Using Bots
To ensure these accounts aren't still linked to you, access
your Instagram profile on a computer and click "Edit Profile," then
select "Apps and Websites."
If you find any of your bot accounts under the Active tab,
click "Remove" to completely disconnect them from your account.
Remember, having 100 followers who genuinely care about your
brand and buy your products is much more valuable than having 1,000 followers
who never believe anything or engage with what you share.
Avoid Using Banned Hashtags
Check out Kicksta's list of banned hashtags for 2023, and
remove any hashtags that are not working from your posts.
From now on, pick your hashtags carefully and be choosy. If
you need more clarification, check the hashtag's page.
Instagram will probably show a message like, "Recent
posts from #summer2023 are currently hidden..." That tells you the hashtag
isn't working anymore.
Two-Day Instagram Break
Some people have mentioned that taking a 48-hour break from
using their Instagram accounts can reset things and help them get back on
track.
Also, isn't a short break from social media a good idea
anyway?
Follow Instagram Rules
Read and obey Instagram's Terms of Use, Community Guidelines,
and Recommendation Guidelines. Some key things to remember from these documents
include:
- Share only the content you made or have permission to share.
- Avoid sharing things that are untrue or deceiving others.
- Share content that's suitable for everyone to view.
If you think you've followed all the rules and are still
shadowbanned, you can tell Instagram about the problem. Go to Settings and then
choose Report a Problem.
The easiest way to avoid shadowban on Instagram is to share valuable and accurate content and follow the proper steps to build your audience. This might take longer, but going slowly and consistently is the key to success.
Instagram Shadowban FAQ
Is Shadowban Permanent?
Shadowban is never permanent. Shadowban usually lasts for
about 14 days. If you're unsure about a shadowban, it's when your Instagram
posts don't appear to everyone, but some of your followers can still see them.
How Long Instagram Shadowban Last?
Instagram shadowban lasts for a few days to a few weeks. And
if you don't take action, it could even become permanent.
When Does a Shadowban Stop?
The exact answer to this question isn't known. Usually, it
should go away after you've fixed all the guideline problems. Using the
platform less for a while is also a good idea to help it go away faster.