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Instagram has been around since 2010 (WOW – we all had a lot fewer wrinkles then!) and has paved the way for many newer social platforms with its borderline-addictive formula and ability to stay relevant. Since the ‘Gram ain’t going anywhere soon, you need to make sure your account is playing by its rules. We have had multiple clients get Shadowbanned, and as you can probably guess from the name, this is NOT a good thing. Let’s take a look at how you can keep your Instagram account in good standing and not get Shadowbanned.
How to Know if You’re Shadowbanned
When you’re trying to grow your practice on Instagram, you depend on the explore page, hashtags, and algorithm to expand your audience and reach more potential new patients. So it can feel just a smidge discouraging when all of a sudden…BAM! Your…content…can’t…be…found…anywhere. Ground control – we have a problem!
Instagram won’t cop to it, but being Shadowbanned is a very real thing. You may notice an immediate drop off, or you may start to see your content receiving fewer likes, comments, and engagement overall over the course of a few weeks. From the point of view of Meta (Instagram’s corporate daddy), they are trying to keep the platform safe by hiding “inappropriate” content. But you’re a reputable, hardworking doctor – what could you be doing to trigger a visit from the Instagram ninjas? Turns out, plenty.
Why You’re Getting Shadowbanned
Some say there’s a time and place for everything. The powers that be at Instagram kinda don’t agree. Instagram’s community guidelines outline that it is NOT the place for posting content such as:
- Nudity
- Blood
- Body fat
- Fluids
- Excess skin
- Exposed bone
- Cartilage
- Needle punctures
Why you gotta hate on us surgeons, ‘Gram? One good rule of thumb: if it belongs inside the body, keep it there, at least in your Instagram posts. And as far as nudity goes, if you wouldn’t share it with your grandma, don’t share it on Instagram either. Seems simple enough but from experience, we know that some of you just can’t resist pushing the envelope when sharing case results. But we’ve seen another practice get away with it! Sorry, not a good defense in the Instagram Court of Appeals.
Er, if there were an Instagram Court of Appeals. One of the most frustrating things about being Shadowbanned, since it doesn’t officially exist according to Instagram, is that there’s nothing you can do about it once you get slapped. You can dial way back on the gore and nudity of your posts, and that may put your account in good graces again. Eventually. Or it may not.
So What Can You Post?
The good news here is that there are many, many things you can post that fully comply with Instagram’s policies and will pose no risk of getting your account Shadowbanned. We’ve seen clients have great success on social media posting video content such as:
- Patient testimonials
- Patient consults
- Explainer videos on a related topic
- Travel, staff events, birthdays and other things that show off your office’s personality
- Educational videos
- Footage from the operating room (be strategic – like the White House in 2001, No Gore)
- Trendy videos or your take on the latest fad/craze
When it comes to before & after photos, we strongly recommend a less-is-more approach. Less skin, and less of a focus on these than other content types like above. Face cases pose little risk, but go easy on breast and body cases. All that skin on your feed isn’t exactly the most welcoming experience. Keep the nudity off Instagram and encourage your followers to go there to get the full experience of your before & afters.
You can break up content by posting:
- Photos of staff
- Photos of the doctor
- Patient testimonial graphics
- Infographics
- Products
- Specials
- Holiday posts
- Staff birthdays
- Educational content
- Awards
Don’t Let the Ninjas Kill One of Your Best Online Referral Sources
No one wants to hop on Instagram for their daily boost of serotonin and immediately start gagging at the sight of exposed bone, pounds of fat, or blood and bodily fluids on their feed. While getting Shadowbanned limits your exposure on the platform, it also puts you on Instagram’s naughty list. The more frequently the account gets Shadowbanned, the longer it will take for your account to be discoverable again, and no one wants that! Instagram is pretty much an essential component of good social media marketing today.
Getting Shadowbanned doesn’t just limit your reach and visibility. It also hides your account from being searched, along with not showing your content to new and existing followers. All that hard work you’ve done for years to create amazing social content and delight your followers? Kaput. So beware the ninjas – you ignore them at your peril!
