How Long Does Instagram Shadowban Last? Let Me Out of Jail!

The strangest thing that could befall your Instagram account is a shadowban. You might be doing your absolute best, but nothing is working. You aren’t gaining new followers, and your engagement is low. It’s not just in your head. It could be an Instagram shadowban. How long does Instagram Shadowban last?

That is as much a mystery as deciphering whether the ban even exists. Let’s pause for a second. We must get through the basics before getting into the spooky stuff. Firstly, what is shadowbanning? Let’s talk about it.

What Is Shadowbanning on Instagram?

An Instagram shadowban is when the platform limits your account without informing you. There is no official notification, but the effects are palpable. The ban limits how many people can see your content and prevents new people from discovering you. 

There could be a limit on a few posts or the entire account. It affects Instagram users to varying degrees. They usually have to deduce for themselves whether there is a ban. 

Do you think that Instagram banned your account? Creators will use engagement pods to determine if people see their content. We can help you figure that out.

4 Points To Check If You Ask, “Am I Shadowbanned?”

You are asking, “Am I shadowbanned?” because Instagram didn’t send you an official notification. It’s frustrating not to know if the platform is doing this to you. You just know that the vibes are definitely off on your Instagram. 

Here are four signs to check if you are the victim of an Instagram shadowban.

1. You’re Not in Search Results

Instagram has banned your account if it doesn’t want people to find you. They will search for you using the search engine. Unfortunately, your name does not come up, even when they use your Instagram handle correctly. Instagram wants to prevent new people from seeing your content. It makes you invisible to new people. 

You can test this out using your personal accounts. If you don’t have one, grab a friend. This works best if they don’t follow you. Search for an account that does not follow your account. Do you come up with the results? Maybe you do. There are other ways to check if you are the subject of a shadowban.

2. You’re Not in Hashtag Search Results

As a creator, you know how important using relevant hashtags is to your growth on the platform. It’s how new Instagram followers find you. They were interested in the subject, so they searched using a hashtag. Ideally, your content comes up.

You may not be using the right hashtags. You may be using a hashtag that is too popular. Naturally, your content must compete in a sea of other posts. But what if you used a very niche hashtag? 

There shouldn’t be that much competition to find your content. Still, it does not show up in the search results. Instagram could be hiding your content from potential viewers. This stops you from reaching new followers. They won’t know that you create content that they are interested in.

3. You Aren’t on the Explore Page

Landing on the Explore Page can feel like winning the lottery. It’s not a spot that you can pay to get. You can’t pull Instagram’s leg and get them to share you there. It is how so many creators find a wider target audience. If the platform deliberately keeps you from that page, there might be a shadowban. 

This is not something that you can search for using keywords. It’s also difficult to tell if you would be on the Explore Page if not for the shadowban. This could be a sign if you are usually on that page but aren’t anymore. This trick is not the best measure to know if a shadowban exists. 

4. People Have To Search for Your Comments

Leaving comments is a great way for people to find your page. You can leave comments under Instagram pages that members of your community frequent. 

Maybe you are a fashion influencer. Leave some comments under some popular brands. Talk about how you just made a Reel using the featured product. It could lead people to your page. 

Unfortunately, it will be hard to find your comment if there is a shadowban. Instagram will bury your comment underneath other people’s comments, making it hard for them to find you. Use another account to see how far down your comments are. It could explain whether there is.

Why Am I Shadowbanned on Instagram? 4 Potential Reasons

Instagram shadowbans accounts for many reasons. It will be difficult for us to tell you why your account is going this way. Hopefully, we can still help you with the question, “Why am I shadowbanned on Instagram?” We will give you four potential reasons. Check to see if any of these apply to you.

1. You Used Banned Hashtags

We are happy you are incorporating more hashtags into your content. Unfortunately, you still have to use this tool responsibly. Not every tag is appropriate for Instagram. Some of them have connections to nefarious activity. You might be thinking of tags with obviously obscene language. 

It might surprise you that some innocent-sounding phrases are on the Instagram blacklist. They may seem very innocent to you. But there may be a group of people who may use that same phrase to mean something else. 

Instagram has no idea that you are using these tags innocently. Unfortunately, your account will suffer along with those accounts. Consider using an Instagram checker before you incorporate a tag in a caption.

2. You Buy Followers

You should know whether to buy followers or not. Instagram does not like you fabricating a huge following. It prefers that you gain your followers organically, no matter how hard that is. 

IG is aware that people inflate their following this way. It doesn’t stand by and do nothing. On occasion, it will purge the site of these fake accounts. It’s fully within its power to punish your account as well. So, in the end, you have fewer followers and a shadowban. This is a risky game to play.

3. You Fabricate Engagement

Some people take it a bit further. They don’t just buy followers; they buy the likes, comments, and views to accompany them. This ensures that everything matches. 

Of course, Instagram doesn’t endorse this activity. It can purge your content of all of this engagement. On top of that, it can punish your entire account with a shadowban.

4. You Don’t Comply With IG’s Terms

To join IG, you must agree to Instagram Community Guidelines. It may seem like a distant memory now. But you agreed to behave a certain way on the social media platform. 

There might be a shadowban because you broke your promise. Maybe you unwittingly used hate speech, or perhaps you shared inappropriate content that went against their terms of service. 

There are many possibilities when it comes to infractions. You may not have done it on purpose. You should let Instagram know that you never intended to offend anyone.

Take a moment to sift through your posts and Reels. You may find content that offends Instagram. It’s a good idea to remove it immediately.

There Is an Instagram Shadowban Because Someone Reported Your Page

There are so many Instagram accounts. The platform needs the help of other users. They offer their assistance by reporting Instagram pages. They simply have the top on the three dots in the upper right corner of a post. 

Then, they will see several possible reasons to report the post. Here are some of the options:

• Violence or dangerous organizations
• Bullying or harassment
• Eating disorders
• Intellectual property violation
• Suicide or self-injury
• Scam or fraud
• Nudity or sexual activity
• False information
• Spam
• Drugs

They can also report a post because they don’t like it. Instagram may take this report very seriously, especially if multiple people make a report on the same post.

How Long Does Shadowban Last on Instagram?

Instagram has not officially stated how long this ban lasts, which is consistent with their not even telling you that a ban exists. 

You could limit the length of the ban by removing the questionable content. Using our tips above, you should have a good idea of what that content is. 

In more severe cases, a shadowban on Instagram could last months. Make sure you follow Instagram’s terms of service. You don’t want to violate them and jeopardize your account accidentally.

The Answer to “How Long Does Instagram Shadowban Last?” Won’t Matter With Us 

It’s normal to be paranoid about the type of content you share. You don’t want to post suggestive content accidentally. Maybe you already experienced a ban. 

Did it significantly stunt your growth? You reached out to Instagram support, but it was too late. Now, you need to make up for lost time. 

You are in the right place to do that. We can help restore your Instagram page to full strength and make it much better than it was before. What are your growth goals? We can help you reach them.

You might be asking, “How long does the shadow band last?” Well, you don’t have to wait until it is over. We can start rebuilding your site in the meantime. You might not think it’s possible, but we have the tools. 

We have an in-house platform for Instagram influencers, and our AI targeting algorithm gives them great support.

We will take care of your page. Are you ready to grow your Instagram following? Sign up with Plixi today!