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The worst dread of many Instagram marketers is a sharp drop in interaction or an overnight loss of followers. Or think about what might happen if your photos were excluded from hashtag search results. It sounds scary, doesn’t it? That’s the main idea of Instagram Shadowban.
For years, creators have complained about their content not appearing on hashtags or the Explore Page and engagement rates plummeting. But Instagram continues to dispute that ‘shadow banning’ is a real thing.
In other words, a shadowban can appear as a “silencing” or reducing of content visibility. While a shadowban is an unofficial action, the main reasons why users believe that their accounts have been shadowbanned are for violating Instagram rules and community guidelines or posting inappropriate content.
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How does Instagram shadowban work?
Posts on those accounts seem to be hidden or restricted once Instagram purportedly decides to de-prioritize them; the owner isn’t informed of the restriction or the alterations it brings about.
Certain users claim that Instagram filters content that violates the terms of service, resulting in shadow banning. When a profile’s accounts and material become invisible, users usually become aware that they have been shadowbanned.
The implications of a shadowban include:
- Less engagement
- Fewer views and likes
- Restricted or removed comments
- Decreased reach
In 2018, Instagram stated that “shadowbanning is not a real thing.” Still, a year later acknowledged that specific posts that are inappropriate for the international community may not appear in the Explore section.
How to avoid the Instagram shadowban
Instagram is now a major component of most marketing plans, so being shadowbanned could negatively affect your performance and possibly damage your online reputation.
In any case, there are a few things to consider while organizing your content. You may prevent any potential harm that a shadow ban could do to your brand by taking this action.
This is especially true if you’re trying to make money on Instagram as a shadowban can severely limit your reach and visibility, hindering your ability to effectively promote your products or services. If your main source of income depends on your Instagram presence, it’s crucial to be aware of the potential consequences of a shadowban and take steps to prevent it.
Read and follow Instagram’s Community Guidelines
The key takeaways from Instagram’s Community Guidelines are:
- Share your own photos and videos, or ensure you have the right to share them.
- Post content that is appropriate for a diverse audience. Nudity is not allowed, but there are a few exceptions like breastfeeding, birth giving and after-birth moments, health-related situations or an act of protest are allowed. Nudity in photos of paintings and sculptures is allowed too.
- Follow the law and avoid supporting crime, hate groups, or sexual services.
- Have meaningful interaction instead of artificially driving likes or followers.
- Be thoughtful of newsworthy events. Content must stay appropriate for everyone.
