Instagram is one of the most popular social platforms where users can share their photos and videos. However, there is such a thing as a “shadow ban,” which can seriously affect the visibility and activity of your account. Instagram is not only a platform for sharing creative photos and lifestyle publications.
In this article, we'll look at what an Instagram shadowban is and how to avoid it.
Definition of Shadow Ban
An Instagram Shadowban is a measure taken by the platform to limit the restriction of a user's account. A shadowban can result in your posts not being published on sites and searches, which will reduce the number of views and interactions with your content.
What is an Instagram shadowban? The term "shadowban"
Instagram shadowban is a temporary visibility restriction your account and content for other users. This is means that your publications will not be displayed in chronologically in the subscriber feed, in search or in popular section. This can significantly reduce engagement and reach of your content, which is a problem for those who want to expand their audience and increase your popularity on Instagram.
How to Identify a Shadowban on Instagram: Signs
Unofficial Account: Shadowbans often show unofficial accounts on Instagram. They may use unprofessional photos, inappropriate account names.
Spotting a shadowban on Instagram can be difficult, as the platform itself does not provide any obvious notifications about its existence. However, there are several signs that may indicate that your account has been shadowbanned. Here are 3 main signs to look out for:
- Decreased Reach and Engagement: One of the main signs of a shadowban is a decrease in the reach and engagement of your content. If you notice that the number of likes, comments, and views on your posts is decreasing significantly, this may be a sign that your account has been shadowbanned.
- Not showing up in searches: If you can’t find your account or posts in Instagram searches, this could also indicate that your account has been shadowbanned. Try searching for your account using keywords or hashtags that you use. If your account doesn’t show up in search results, this could be a sign of a shadowban.
- Not in the Popular Section: If your content used to appear in Instagram's Popular Section, but you no longer see your posts there, this could be another sign that your account has been shadowbanned. The Popular Section is a place where users can discover new content and follow new creators.
- Low Follower Count, High Activity The first sign of a shadow bank on Instagram is a discrepancy between the number of followers and the level of activity on the account. Such an account may have only a few hundred followers, but receive hundreds or thousands of likes and comments on each post. This may seem suspicious, as an account with such a small number of followers would be expected to have corresponding activity. Such activity can be achieved through automated bots that like and comment on posts. These bots create a false impression of activity in order to attract more users and increase trust.
Odd and unrelated posts The second sign of a shadow bank is the presence of odd and unrelated posts. These accounts may include a variety of content types that seem random or have no common theme. For example, an account may start out posting about fashion, then switch to selling dietary supplements, and then political advocacy. This may be a sign that the account has multiple goals, including fraud or an attempt to manipulate the audience. Regular users rarely have such a wide range of activity, so such accounts may raise suspicions.
- Lack of personal information and contacts The third sign of a shadow bank is the lack of personal information and contacts. Legitimate Instagram accounts usually have information about the account owner, contact details, links to websites, and other means of communication. Shadow banks, on the other hand, usually try to hide their real identity and remain anonymous. The lack of contacts and personal information makes it impossible to contact the account owner in case of questions or problems. This may be a sign that the account does not have honest intentions.
Reasons for shadow ban
- Violating Instagram Rules: Posting content that violates the platform's rules, such as posting profanity, military, or illegal content, may result in a shadowban.
- Using banned hashtags: Using banned or spammy hashtags can result in a shadowban. Therefore, it is important to be careful when choosing hashtags for your posts.
- Activity that looks suspicious: Instagram may consider your account suspicious if you are too active, such as liking and commenting a lot in a short period of time. This may be considered spam and lead to a shadowban.
How to Avoid Shadowban
- Follow Instagram's rules: Make sure your content is compliant platform rules. Avoid publishing profanity, military or illegal content.
- Use relevant hashtags: When choosing hashtags for your post, make sure they are relevant and relevant to your content. Avoid using banned or spam hashtags.
- Be active, but be conservative: Try to be active on the platform, but don’t overdo it. Spread out your activity, expand it, and avoid engaging with other users’ content too quickly.
What to do if your account has been shadowbanned?
If you suspect your account has been shadowbanned, here are a few steps you can take to regain visibility of your content:
- Change your hashtag strategy: Check what hashtags you use in your posts. Sometimes using banned or spammy hashtags can lead to a shadowban. Try using more relevant and unique hashtags to avoid suspicion from Instagram.
- Remove unwanted content: If you have posts that violate Instagram rules or contain spam content, delete them. Unwanted content may be one of the reasons why your account was shadowbanned.
- Contact Instagram Support: If you believe your account has been shadowbanned and you can't recover it yourself, contact Instagram Support. They can provide you with additional information and help restore your account's visibility.
In conclusion, shadowban on Instagram can be a problem for users who strive to be popular and grow their audience. However, with the help of the above signs and actions, you can identify and deal with shadowban. It is important to remember that following Instagram rules and guidelines is the key to avoiding shadowban and successfully growing your account on this popular social network.
Conclusion
Being banned from Instagram can seriously affect your account's visibility and activity. To avoid this, you need to follow the platform's rules, use appropriate hashtags, and be active but respectful. Remember that long, high-quality content will always have a better chance of success on Instagram.
English 
Russian