Banned # of Instagram

Hashtags have been successfully used to increase reach and searchability on Instagram and to grow audiences.  But as a result they are also on the radar of Instagram to help protect the authenticity of the platform and monitor and minimise the impact of fake accounts, spammers and bots…..

Hashtags are a great way to increase searchability and engagement and reach new audiences, however if used incorrectly they could be doing more harm than good to your Instagram profile…. so it is worth checking if the hashtag is banned (either temporarily or permanently) before using it.

Repeatedly using banned hashtags may result in your account being flagged with Instagram which will impact on the visibility of your content in the short term and possibly the removal of your account in the longer term for persistent use.

Our top tip is to review Instagram’s Community Guidelines and Terms of Use, and consider working with a social media company to ensure your social media content is on track!  Also:

• search hashtags before you use them
• save your ‘safe hashtag’ set in Preview App to re-use them – but check them regularly
• use hashtags specific to your product, service or audience
• avoid high density hashtags

To find out if a hashtag is banned, search the hashtag on Instagram.

1. Go to the magnifying glass.
2. In the search bar, type a hashtag you want to use.
3. If it does not appear in the search results, the hashtag is banned either temporarily or permanently- so it may be banned one day and back the next day, so it always pays to check
4. If the hashtag does appear in the search result, tap on it. You have to confirm it has not been banned. Sometimes it will show in the search result but it links to a broken page

You can also use the search in the Preview app on Instagram.

And finally, you can also check the list on this blog from Dapper Goat social media…. but remember hashtags can be banned temporarily or permanently, so the list of banned hashtags will change frequently.