Ever since the hashtag was first created in 2007, they have been a vital part of almost every social media strategy. First used to organise and group content better and now often used to help users find content or inspiration, they continue to be one of the best tools to help your Instagram account and content get discovered.
If you’ve been using many different hashtags and other organic Instagram growth strategies and your account hasn’t been growing much (or at all), you might be accidentally using banned hashtags.
What are Banned Hashtags?
Simply put, banned hashtags have been put in place to stop the reach of spammy Instagram accounts or that cover sensitive topics (examples: #weightloss and #selfharm).
Banned hashtags refer to hashtags that have been reported by Instagram users because the posts using those hashtags go against Instagram’s guidelines. This means that any posts that use that hashtag will be hidden, which will only hurt your organic reach.
Banned hashtags are constantly changing based on community reports and guidelines as well as Instagram’s own investigations. Unfortunately, Instagram doesn’t publish a list of the currently banned hashtags, which is why I’m here to help!
Why does Instagram Ban Hashtags?
Instagram bans hashtags because of reports from users. Typically, it happens because people are posting inappropriate content and using specific hashtags. Some of the hashtags that are banned, though, are ones you wouldn’t necessarily expect, like #beautyblogger or #desk. Sometimes, though, close alternatives are still okay. For example, #beautybloggers, with an “s” on the end, is not banned.
Most users wouldn’t post inappropriate content with otherwise innocent hashtags. Instead, these posts typically come from bots or spam accounts. Hiding posts from fake accounts on the explore page is another way Instagram is trying to make a better experience for its real users.
What Happens if You Use a Banned Hashtag?
If you use one of these hashtags, your post won’t be shown to your audience (on the Instagram News Feed or the Explore page). The only way people will be able to see it is by visiting your profile. Instagram could also flag your account (especially if you repetitively use banned hashtags), which could eventually lead to a “shadowban” or even your account being removed.
Banned hashtags can be a tricky thing to navigate, mainly because they’re constantly changing, and there’s never direct information from Instagram about them. However, the benefits of using hashtags (think engagement and growth) majorly outweigh the risk of using a banned hashtag – but it’s worth the extra steps it takes to avoid using a banned hashtag.
How to Avoid Banned Hashtags
As mentioned above, Instagram doesn’t publish a list of banned hashtags, and the list is constantly changing (some hashtags only have a temporary ban). Here’s a couple of things you can do to help avoid banned hashtags
Do your research
- You can begin by looking for resources like this and scanning through the list of currently banned hashtags. If you’re using any of them, remove them from your plan.
- Look up hashtags on Instagram. If you see something like the below, then it’s a banned hashtag
Use hashtags specific to your niche
- It’s not as common for niche-specific hashtags to be banned. Depending on your niche, you can gain more reach with your content as opposed to using generic hashtags. However, there are a few niche keywords that are blocked:
- You might sell furniture, but #desk is banned.
- You might have a fashion shop for curvy women, but #curvygirls is banned.
- You might be an entrepreneur who wants to use #hardworkpaysoff or #workflow. These hashtags are banned too.
Create a go-to hashtag list
- Create a list of tried-and-true hashtags to pull out for any content you want to post. Of course, these should relate to not just your brand or niche but the post.
- It’s important that you watch hashtag use, so it doesn’t come across as spammy. If you use the same 10 hashtags on every single post, that’s an indication to Instagram that you might be a bot or a fake account. Try using hashtags that relate to the image and your caption. Instagram’s algorithm uses software to see if the hashtags you use matches the objects in the image you posted, and this can help show that you are a real person running a real account.
Know about hashtag performance
- We’re a big believer in knowing your metrics and how things are performing. If your account is set to professional or creator, you have access to Instagram highlights. As well as tracking your post, note which hashtags you use on top-performing posts. Experiment with these hashtags, and then add the best performing one to your hashtag list.
- Note: when you do hashtag tests, you should use pieces of content that are relatively similar so you can be sure that the hashtag is having some effect on the reach rather than the type of content that you’ve posted
Create your own hashtag
- Using your own invented hashtags or branded hashtag can be an excellent way to avoid banned hashtags on Instagram. Not only that, using a branded hashtag gives you a central feed that people can search for in order to see more about your brand.
- Users can also put the hashtag on their own content, which will then appear in the hashtag feed. This is also a great way to find UGC. Remember you can also use a branded hashtag in your bio!
Banned Hashtag List:
A
• #abdl
• #addmysc
• #adulting
• #alone
• #always
• #armparty
• #asiangirl
• #assday
• #assworship
B
• #beautyblogger (Note: #beautybloggers plural works.)
• #besties
• #bikinibody
• #boho
• #brain
C
• #costumes
• #curvygirls
D
• #date
• #dating
• #desk
• #direct
• #dm
E
• #edm
• #eggplant
• #elevator
G
• #girlsonly
• #gloves
H
• #hardworkpaysoff (Note: #hardworkpaysoff💪works.)
• #hawks
• #hotweather
• #hustler
I
• #ice
• #instasport
• #iphonegraphy
• #italiano
K
• #kansas (Note: #kansascity works.)
• #kickoff
• #killingit
• #kissing
L
• #loseweight
• #lulu
M
• #master
• #mileycyrus
• #milf
• #models
• #mustfollow
N
• #nasty
• #newyearsday
• #nudity
O
• #overnight
P
• #parties
• #petite
• #pornfood
• #prettygirl
• #pushups
R
• #rate
• #ravens
S
• #saltwater
• #samelove
• #selfharm
• #single
• #singlelife
• #skateboarding
• #skype
• #snap
• #snapchat
• #snowstorm
• #sopretty
• #stranger
• #streetphoto
• #sunbathing
• #swole
• #shower
• #shit
T
• #tag4like
• #tagsforlikes
• #tanlines
• #todayimwearing
• #teens
• #teen
• #thought
U – Z
• #undies
• #valentinesday
• #workflow
• #Youngmodel
Happy Hashtagging! And don’t forget to let us know if you discover any new banned hashtags – we’ll be updating this blog as we discover them too!