Banned hashtags??? I never even knew that those were a thing until this year. Why do hashtags get banned and how can we know whether a hashtag is banned or not? Let’s find out!
Why Hashtags Get Banned
Hashtags can sometimes get banned because they are used by spammers, reported porn photos or appear frequently in posts that go against community guidelines. If Instagram associates a hashtag with an account or movement that’s up to no good, it gets banned.
Some banned hashtags are silly. Something like #logodesign seems like a fine hashtag, right?
Wrong! It’s banned. I have no idea why. However, at the time of writing this blog post, the hashtags #logo and #logodesigner are just fine.
How to Find out If a Hashtag Is Banned or Not
Go to your Instagram search bar and type in the hashtag. If it doesn’t show up in suggestions, or there are no search results, it’s likely banned. Use some common sense with this method though. For instance, if you had the hashtag #unicornsarereallyawesomeandloveicecream I doubt that it’s a banned hashtag. It’s just literally never been used before. However, if you search for a really broad hashtag like #organicdogtreats and it doesn’t show up, odds are that it’s banned.
If your hashtag is available in search suggestions, click on it. When you view the search results, scroll down three or four rows. If the hashtag is banned, a message from Instagram will appear a few rows down that says “This hashtag has been banned.”
Why This Matters
Instagram is very picky nowadays about what it considers to be quality, human-derived content. It’s AI senses are heightened and very anti-robot. If it perceives spamming (aka robots doing a ton of actions at once), the level of trust that the algorithm has in your account goes down.
So, it’s important that you only use above-board hashtags so that:
- People can actually see your post
- Your trust level with the algorithm remains high
I hope these tips will help you stay safe on Instagram and help your posts to continue getting the reach they deserve. Speaking of reach, if you’d like a personalized strategy on how to get more reach with your posts on Instagram, check out this page.
