Have you been getting fewer comments than usual? Is literally nobody liking your posts anymore? And your followers? Are they ghosting you as well? Geez, Instagram can be pretty scary sometimes. All of this looks like the recipe for a perfect nightmare for a social media influencer. What is happening? Is Instagram shadow-banning you? But, wait. What does shadow banned mean on Instagram?
Oh, and in case you’re thinking that you’re the only one facing this nightmare, well, you’re not alone. Several Instagram users have been facing exactly the same issue for the past few months now. Just like you, they too have been trying to make sense of the sudden changes happening with their Instagram account. However, no more looking around now. After you know what does shadow banned mean on Instagram, things will start to make sense to you.
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Find Out What Does Shadow Banned Mean On Instagram Here | Everything You Need To Know!
From whatever you’ve read till now, I’m sure you’ve understood one thing: you’ve been shadow-banned. I know this sounds scary and unfair. But, before you think negatively of Instagram, you must try to understand the situation fully. You must first find out what does shadow banned mean on Instagram, why it is needed, how to check if you’ve really been shadow-banned and what you can do to remove it.
Plus, knowing how to avoid getting shadowbanned on Instagram will be of use as well. All of this will be covered in this article. So make sure that you read this post till the end.
What Does Shadow Banned Mean On Instagram?
In the simplest of terms, shadow banning on Instagram refers to blocking a user’s posts, restricting its reach in such a way that they do not find out that something like this is happening.
What essentially happens in a shadow ban is that Instagram doesn’t let your content be discovered by other users or it doesn’t allow your posts to appear in other people’s explore feeds. If they want to see what you’re posting, they will have to follow you. But, the thing is, if you don’t pop up on explore pages anymore, how is anybody ever going to find out about your account?
This is why, when someone is shadowbanned, they are unable to gain new followers. Their visibility is lowered and in turn, their engagement rate takes a dip too. Everything put together, their growth on Instagram is stagnated.
You’re not being blocked outrightly here, but your growth is being curtailed in a very subtle, secretive manner. I think this is why this nightmarish phenomenon is called a shadow ban. Instagram doesn’t notify you about it.
For the longest time, Instagram kept denying that it has been doing any such thing with its users. Instagram straightforwardly denied the existence of anything like a hashtag. However, very recently Instagram has accepted that it does shadow ban accounts when it deems fit.
Why Are Shadow Bans Necessary?
After understanding what does shadow banned on Instagram, you might be thinking too poorly of Instagram. Well, shadow bans certainly lie in the gray area, there’s no denying it. But, the thing is, sometimes they are absolutely necessary.
Shadow bans come in necessary when users post content that is in violation to Instagram’s community guidelines. For example, a lot of Instagram business owners make use of bots to increase their follower count, boost their engagement etc. This is clearly against Instagram’s guidelines. So, Instagram responds by shadow-banning such users.
Next, using too many hashtags or worse, broken hashtags can also lead you to come under Instagram’s radar and get your account shadow-banned.
How To Check If Instagram Has Shadow Banned You?
Even though you know what does shadow banned mean on Instagram, you may want to know how to check if you’ve really been shadowbanned or not. Although Instagram has always been very discreet about it, checking your account status has now become possible. All you have to do is to follow the below-mentioned steps. But before you start, make sure that you’ve got a professional Instagram account.
- Open Instagram.
- Tap on your profile icon located at the bottom right.
- From there, tap on the three-line icon at the top right.
- Then, choose the Settings option from the menu that appears.
- In Settings, tap on the Account option.
- From there, you’ll be able to see your Account Status.
In the account status section, you’ll be able to find out if something is affecting your account or if the content that you post is going against Instagram’s guidelines. You will also be getting suggestions on how to remedy the situation.
How To Remove/ Prevent Getting Shadowbanned?
There’s no denying that getting shadowbanned seems like the worst thing to happen to anyone. However, you might be relieved to know that there are certain things you can do to remove the shadow ban or prevent it altogether. Those things are mentioned below:
- If you make use of an Instagram bot, for whatever reason, stop using bots immediately. You may think that Instagram will not find out, but it does. If you run your business on Instagram, remember that having more followers doesn’t mean having greater growth.
- Sure using hashtags is beneficial for Instagram users. However, it is also true that using too many hashtags– especially the ones that are broken or have been banned can get you into trouble with the gram. So, be very careful about the hashtags you use. And only make use of the ones that are relevant to your niche.
- If you’re going to post sensitive content on the gram, using a content warning can go a long way. Otherwise, people might report your account for posting sensitive content.
- This one goes without saying, but take out some time to go through Instagram’s content rules and regulations. This will prevent any accidents in the future.
Final Words
Okay, everyone! We’ve reached the end of this article and so, I hope you know what does shadow banned mean on Instagram! In this article, I walked you through everything you needed to know about the scary Instagram shadow ban. If you happen to have any doubts or if there’s something I missed about the whole shadow-ban affair, let me know about it in the comments!
How long does a Instagram shadow ban last?
According to users, an Instagram shadowban can last anywhere from 14 to 30 days. However, most users’ shadowban is lifted within 2 to 3 weeks
What hashtags get you shadowbanned?
If you’re using irrelevant hashtags, or if you’re using the same hashtags over and over in posts… you’re going to get hit by the Instagram Shadowban (eventually). Here’s what to do instead: You should only be using highly relevant hashtags in your posts
Why is no one seeing my reels?
the average attention span is up to 8 seconds only. This means that people will be less likely to watch your Instagram reels if they’re longer than 8-10 seconds. They may be too busy scrolling to the next reel if you couldn’t get their attention in the first few seconds.
Should I keep posting during shadowban?
If you have been on the receiving side of a ban, consider just taking a break from your accounts for a while. You don’t have to stop posting, liking or sharing posts forever. Even if your account is the lifeline of your business, if you suspect a ban, step away for a few days.
