If you repeat “Instagram shadowban” three times in the mirror, Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri will appear and tell you that it isn’t real.

“But then, why am I only getting 20 Likes per post when I used get 250+?” You ask. So you frantically brainstorm hashtags to help you find The One that will put your name back on the map.

Maybe it’s not all about the hashtags that you choose.

Fear not: This guide will show you how to avoid an Instagram shadowban and how to recover from one.

Bonus Get a free checklist that shows the exact steps that a fitness influencer took to grow their Instagram following from 0 to 600,000.

Community Guidelines. It is different from a regular ban in that users are not notified when their account has been shadowbanned.

It is important to note that Instagram does not allow shadowbanning, but many users claim that they are affected by mysterious restrictions.

There are many ways to promote or restrict content. The “Insta algorithm”, as many call it, is a network of factors that can affect the visibility and reach of each post in a positive or negative way.

This power is reflected in Instagram’s Community Guidelines: “Overstepping these limits may result in deleted material, disabled accounts or other restrictions.”

The AI that does this in the background has good intentions. It wants to keep Instagram safe and spam-free. These algorithmic tools are used to comply with international laws regarding internet security, misinformation and political interference.

Moderation and legal compliance are two different things. However, users can report an Instagram shadowban as a violation of copyright or other laws. Instagram will tell you directly if you have violated copyright or any other laws or policies.

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Terms of service and Community Guidelines

TL;DR?

Be positive, respectful in all communications (even DMs), do not post inappropriate content or encourage violence, and especially important for companies, ensure that you own the copyright (or have permission to) for everything you post.

There are many opinions on how many comments, likes, and follows you can make in a given time period. Some claim it’s 160 actions per hour, while others say it’s 500. It varies for each account depending on how long you’ve been using it and if you have any “red Flags”.

Meta’s spam policy covers Instagram and tells users to not “post, share or engage…either manually, or automatically, at very high frequency.”

You should not move faster than the limit. Your account could be frozen for hours or even days. You can’t do anything on Instagram until the matter is resolved (although appeals are available).

You should post your content several times per week to keep your followers interested and keep new followers coming in.

You can make exceptions as long your purpose is to increase awareness and benefit the community.

Instagram recommends that you block or blur sensitive or violent images and include a warning in your graphic or text to be safe. Make sure you clearly state your position on the issue so that Instagram doesn’t mistakenly think you’re pro-violence. You can link to an external website if you feel the original image is important in raising awareness.

Bonus: Get a free checklist that shows you exactly how a fitness influencer has grown from 0 to 600,000.+ followers on Instagram. It is completely free and does not require any equipment. Grab the free guide now!

Some users claim that they were shadowbanned by an Instagram notification. This is also known as an “actionblock.” It occurs when Instagram thinks you are a bot if too many comments or likes are made too quickly. #FireThumbs

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Users are not only restricted from the action that caused this pop-up but also notice a decreased reach or other factors, leading them to believe they are being punished for more than what the notification says.

First-hand accounts suggest that the average Instagram shadowban lasts for a while

About two weeks

.

But how long can a ghost stay in a haunted home? There is no clear answer to the question of how long a shadowban stays in a haunted house, just like other urban legends. It’s all word of mouth.

It is possible that Instagram has different levels of shadowbans. Some users report that their account is back to normal after a few days. Others report that their account remains frozen for almost a year.

Prioritize Reels right now. Posting Reels will help you gain more followers and engage with your audience. For a few weeks, post one reel per day.

One Instagrammer I spoke to said that she was shadowbanned for inadvertently violating content guidelines. She was notified and her post was deleted. Despite having experienced consistent growth, she noticed a decrease in engagement for 6 months. Reels helped her get out of this situation for three months, and her engagement is now back to normal.

Reels are a great idea. These Reels ideas are easy to do and will inspire you.


6. Reactivate and deactivate your Instagram account

Some users reported that temporarily deactivating their account for 1-2 day fixed a shadowban. This method is not proven to work, so you should use it at your own risk. The deactivate feature is reversible. It is not the same thing as deleting your account.


7. Boost a Post

(Not the one that got your shadowbanned. clearly. One Instagrammer claimed that this helped them get out of a shadowban.

It’s only anecdotal evidence but boosting a post can be a great way for you to experiment with Instagram advertising.

You might also want to report a problem to Instagram , even though it is difficult, as Instagram claims that shadowbans aren’t real. This is how you do it:

  1. Go to your profile page in Instagram
  2. Tap the menu icon at the top right corner of your screen. Next, go to Settings
  3. Tap Help,then Report A Problem
  4. Follow these prompts to describe your issue in the best possible way

Community Guidelines state that: “We allow content to be made public…after weighing the public interest value and the risk of harm. We look to international human rights standards for these judgments.”

Many anti-racism educators have reported experiencing shadowbans. Many people have noticed a link between shadowbans, using words like “white” or “racism, or raising awareness about the deaths of BIPOC persons. The AI could be misinterpreting words like “murder” as violations, given that Instagram has a zero tolerance policy for violence.

To avoid this, some educators change words (e.g. “whyte”) or censor certain parts of them (e.g. “m*rder”).

You can search for your favorite people, especially BIPOC and LGBTQIA2S+ creators, to find their profiles and like, comment and save their posts.

This post is on Instagram. A post by Amanda Faun (@arborandwood).

Attempted to be shadowbanned

We can see that all platforms regulate content and reward or discourage certain topics or posts. It’s possible that Instagram shadowbans exist.

Instagram, on the other hand, has stated explicitly that they are not real.

Could the algorithm behind what we call a “shadowban” just be changing what’s “hot”? While we can debate about Instagram shadowbans all we want, the truth is that Instagram is not neutral. It’s a company that makes business decisions, just like you.

Maybe your Instagram performance is slowing down or you feel frustrated by a shadowban. If so, it might be time to revamp your marketing strategy. We have 18 ways to grow your Instagram following.


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The post 6 Ways to Avoid Instagram Shadowban in 2022 appeared originally on Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard.

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