Are your Instagram posts flopping? If you've noticed a sudden dip in Instagram engagement, it might be due to more than just broken hashtags and the Instagram algorithm.
Here's how to test for Instagram shadowbans and get your content back in front of your target audience fast.
Key Points:
What Is A Shadowban?
A shadowban is when a user's content is hidden from the feed, Explore page, or search results of Instagram or another social media platform.
Only users who currently follow you will be able to see your new content, but the algorithm won't promote it to additional users.
Is Instagram Shadowbanning Still A Thing?
Yup, shadowbanning is well and alive on Instagram and many other social media platforms.
It’s the platform’s way of soft-banning users who aren’t engaging in a way that the platform wants to encourage, without outright banning or suspending their accounts.
Think of it like a forced pause - your content will still be going out, but no one will see it because the algorithm is “ignoring” you for a temporary period of time.
Is It Possible To Get Un-Shadowbanned?
Yes, shadowbanning is often temporary and a result of minor bad behavior. In many cases, it’s the result of totally innocent interactions on the platform - like overzealous posting or following too many accounts too quickly.
The majority of people who get shadowbanned were engaging without malicious intent, and Instagram knows this but has precautions set in place to keep the platform working smoothly.
Instagram Shadowban Tests
Depending on the type of Instagram account you have, you can test for a shadowban using a few different methods.
For Professional Instagram Accounts
If you have a professional account, you can check using the Account Status page by following the steps below:
Tap your profile picture via the Instagram app.
Tap the three horizontal lines on the top right corner.
Scroll down to the More Info And Support section and tap Account Status.
From here you will be able to see any issues that your account is having regarding access to features or content violations.
For Regular Instagram Accounts
For all other account types, you can test a shadowban by choosing an unusual hashtag with a small number of posts (or make a unique one up).
Post your content using this hashtag and ask a few people who don't currently follow you to search up that hashtag. If your post isn't appearing in those search results, it could be likely due to a shadowban.
For All Account Types
Switch to a Business or Creator account if you don't already have one to gain access to Instagram Insights.
Tap your profile picture via the Instagram app.
Tap the three horizontal lines on the top right corner to access Instagram settings.
Tap Insights.
Tap Accounts Reached.
From here, look at the percentage of reached accounts that are non-followers.
Filter by timeframe to change the date range - if you notice the percentage of non followers reached has significantly dropped from week to week, this could meant that your content isn't reaching non-followers like it used to.
What Causes An Instagram Shadow Ban?
Shadowbans can be caused by anything from posting inappropriate content, to simply engaging too quickly too soon. Regardless, it’ important to narrow down the cause of your shadowban before you can work to undo it.
You Violated Instagram’s Community Guidelines
Most of the time, violating Instagram’s Community Guidelines will result in an outright account suspension or ban but in some cases a shadowban is the first consequence of posting inappropriate or spammy content.
Reflect on your most recent posts and ask yourself whether they could be construed as inappropriate or spammy by an outside viewer. Even if it’s unintentional, it could be impacting your account.
You’ve Been Engaging Too Much
As counterintuitive as it may seem, liking, following, posting, and commenting many times within a short timeframe is considered spam by Instagram's algorithm and can result in Instagram account restrictions.
This is especially true for new and unestablished accounts. So before you start mass-following people on your fresh profile, consider making a post or two and scrolling a bit.
Can You Get Shadowbanned For Posting Too Much?
Yes, just like over-interacting you can get shadowbanned for posting too much too quickly.
Most people avoid posting more than 3 times daily, and even that’s overkill. One daily post is plenty for most people, so stick with that to prevent unwanted bans.
Why Am I Suddenly Shadowbanned?
Sometimes hashtags get banned due to spammy behavior - even if it's no fault of your own. Be sure to check the hashtag pages for the hashtags you use regularly to ensure that they're not being limited individually and avoid using irrelevant hashtags as this is considered spam.
If you notice a warning at the top of the hashtag page referring to spam, stop using the banned hashtag immediately as this will likely affect your Instagram performance and can impact your account's visibility.
How To Get Un-Shadowbanned On Instagram
In most cases, simply stopping the bad behavior or removing the offending posts or hashtags is enough to remove a shadowban.
Usually taking a break from over-engaging or over-posting does the trick.
Should I Keep Posting If I'm Shadowbanned?
While you can keep posting if you’re shadowbanned, chances are you’d be wasting content. It’s best to take a break from posting new Instagram content to see if things return to normal, and consider contacting Instagram support for additional insights.
How Long Until I Get Un-Shadowbanned?
Users have reported that breaks ranging from 48 hours to a few weeks have helped return their Instagram growth back to normal, but every account is different.
The key is to be patient, and avoid going back to the behavior that caused the shadowban in the first place.
How To Prevent Being Shadowbanned
We’ve gone through the top causes for shadowbans, but if you’re nervous about potentially being shadowbanned, even if you currently aren’t dealing with one, there are a few things to keep in mind.
First, stick to posting no more than once per day. Overdoing it on the posting is a big reason why many users get shadowbanned to begin with.
When you do post, make sure you’re sticking to the Community Guidelines and not posting anything inappropriate (this includes violence, adult content, graphic content, and potentially even political content).
Keep an eye on the hashtags you’re including in your post as well, and make sure you visit the hashtag page of each one to see what kind of content you’re lumping your own posts in with. If there’s a high amount of spammy looking posts, don’t risk it.
Finally, as tempting as it can be to follow dozens of accounts or like every post you see it can put your account at risk. So start small and gradual, and save your likes for posts that truly resonate with you.
Why Is Instagram Not Pushing My Content?
So maybe you’re not actually shadowbanned, but Instagram isn’t promoting your content to your followers’ feeds or you just aren’t getting the same level of engagement that you used to.
This could be due to a variety of factors, but the most common is simply that Instagram’s algorithms are designed to promote high-value content to its users.
That means posts that already have a high number of likes and comments, from profiles with a solid follower base.
Obviously this is a vicious cycle, especially if you’re just starting out on the platform but one easy way to get around this is to buy Instagram engagement. By adding more likes, comments, shares, and saves to your posts you’re increasing their perceived value in the algorithm, making it more likely that your posts will be pushed to additional users outside of your follower base.
Plus, increasing your follower count means that content from your profile has greater odds of being promoted and when new users visit your profile they’ll be more likely to browse your content rather than swiping away.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I remove my shadow ban?
Most of the time, removing the offending posts and pausing all engagement is enough to stop a shadowban.
How do I remove a ban from Instagram?
Reversing a shadowban depends on the cause - run through the guide here to learn how to remove an Instagram shadowban.
What is the 3 second rule on Instagram?
The 3 second rule on Instagram states that you should try to capture your viewers’ attention within the first 3 seconds of your Reel or Story. Any longer than that and you risk them swiping away.
How do I unshadow ban myself?
Follow the guide here to learn how to remove a shadowban.
How do I unshadow ban myself on TikTok?
You can learn how to remove a TikTok ban in our complete guide here.
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