If you’ve ever felt like you’re in a never ending cycle of getting shadowbanned on Instagram, getting out of jail and then ending up straight back in, this post is for you. It might look like:
- a sudden drop in reach and/or engagement.
- your followers start telling you your posts and Stories don’t come up in their feeds, though they’re definitely still there, and you can see them.
- And you’re not notified in any way that your account has been restricted.
Sound familiar? Buckle up because we’re diving into one of the spiciest topics in the Instagram universe: shadowbanning. Spoiler alert: shadowbanning isn’t real.
Yes, you heard me right. So, let’s break it down and understand what’s really going on before you abandon ship and start a new instagram account.
What is shadowbanning?
Shadowbanning is one of the biggest misconceptions about Instagram, Facebook, and Meta in general. It’s often used as a scapegoat when posts don’t perform well. But here’s the truth: shadowbanning doesn’t exist. It’s a made-up term that has no basis in reality.
When people talk about shadowbanning, they’re usually referring to a situation where their content seems to be limited, hidden, or suppressed without any warning or explanation. But Meta doesn’t operate this way. If your content isn’t performing, it’s likely due to other factors… think about it for a second.
HANDING OUT SHADOWBANS ON INSTA isn’t in Meta’s best interests
Meta’s business model is built on engagement.
Advertisers spend billions (yes, billions) of dollars on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. It’s in Meta’s best interest to keep users engaged and happy, which means showing them relevant content. If you’re not overtly violating community guidelines, your content won’t be arbitrarily suppressed.
I’ve sat in on enough of Brooke’s masterclasses in Catalyst to know hand on heart that this is true. Having worked on Meta’s business integrity team and written ad policies, she’s confirmed that Meta aims to keep as many people on the platform as possible. Hiding content doesn’t do that. But it doesn’t limit reach on certain occasions…
When does Instagram limit your reach?
While there is no shadowban, Instagram does admits certain posts won’t be recommended to people who don’t follow you if you go against Instagram’s terms of service and its guidelines. You can find out whether this applies to you by checking your account status.
To find this out, go to your profile menu settings on the Instagram app, and scroll all the way down to Help, then tap Account Status. This will show you if any of your posted content has been removed and why. If you look at my profile, I’m safe…
If I’d violated any of Instagram’s Recommendation Guidelines, I wouldn’t have been so lucky. This includes, for example:
- Violent content
- Sexually explicit content
- Low-quality content related to finance (e.g., promising shady investments) or health (e.g., promoting “miracle cures”.)
- Clickbaity content or posts people tend to report a lot
- Unoriginal content
- False and misleading content
To put this in language we’d all understand as a faceless creators, you might just be using a banned hashtag that relates to finance. For example, #makemoneyfromhome. If that’s in your hashtag set, your content won’t be pushed out.
Meta will keep you in the loop
If you ever do go against Meta’s guidelines, you’ll receive a notification explaining what happened and how to fix it. This transparency ensures you know exactly how to improve and stay within the rules.
Remember, Instagram wants to maintain a safe and engaging environment for everyone. If there’s a real issue with your content, you’ll be informed and given a chance to rectify it. This is very different from the mythical shadowban.
Just because you notice a change in your engagement after a certain action doesn’t mean that action caused the change. For instance, if you stop posting for a day and then see a drop in engagement, it doesn’t necessarily mean the two are related. It’s correlation vs causation.
This concept is crucial for understanding and improving your Instagram strategy. Always ask yourself: is this correlation or causation? If you can’t prove a direct link, don’t stress about it. Focus on what you can control.
How to improve your engagement
If your posts aren’t performing well, it’s likely because they didn’t resonate with your audience. This isn’t a bad thing—it’s an opportunity to improve. Here are some tips to improve your reach:
- Know Your Audience: Understand what your followers want to see and create content that resonates with them.
- Engage Consistently: Respond to comments, interact with your followers, and keep the conversation going.
- Use Insights: Utilize Instagram’s analytics to see what works and what doesn’t.
- Be Original: Unique, creative content will always outperform reposted or generic content.
- Stay Within Guidelines: Avoid any violations of Instagram’s community guidelines to keep your account in good standing.
The bottom line…
Shadowbanning is a myth. Meta has no reason to arbitrarily suppress your content. If your posts aren’t performing, it’s likely due to a lack of resonance with your audience. Focus on creating engaging, high-quality content, and don’t get bogged down by unfounded fears.
So, queens, let’s bust this myth once and for all. Keep creating, keep engaging, and keep slaying the Instagram game. Shadowbanning? Not on our watch.
