Instagram boasts over 1 billion monthly active accounts sharing photos, videos and Stories with friends, family and followers around the world. However, with great scale comes great responsibility for the platform to foster a safe, inclusive community.
That‘s why Instagram maintains clear guidelines restricting certain types of content, institutes thresholds limiting account activities per day, and issues warnings before outright bans for violations.
As an experienced social media manager and marketer, I want to comprehensively equip you to grow your Instagram account successfully without overstepping boundaries. In this detailed guide, we‘ll cover:
- Instagram‘s Community Guidelines: What Content Gets Your Account Banned
- Updated Ban Policy and Pre-Ban Warnings
- Limits on Follows/Unfollows, Likes, Comments, Hashtags and More
- Consequences for Violating Rules
- Best Practices for Compliant Instagram Growth
Over 1 Billion Users – Who Uses Instagram?
Launched in 2010, Instagram has become one of the most influential social platforms in the world. Today it boasts:
- Over 1 billion monthly active users
- 500 million daily active Stories
- 60% of users log in at least once per day
Its user base spans key demographics like teens, young adults and Millenials. But growth amongst Gen X and Baby Boomers is rising.
In fact, a recent survey showed over 50% of Instagram users are older than 34. And users ages 45-54 are adopting the app faster than any other age group.
This wide, multi-generational audience is why Instagram aims to maintain a safe community experience through reasonable rules and restrictions. What some adult users may see as harmless could profoundly impact a teen.
Instagram‘s Community Guidelines – Restricted Content
Instagram maintains community guidelines restricting types of content deemed harmful or inappropriate. Violating these guidelines often leads to post removal or account suspension. Restricted content includes:
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Illegal Activities | Promotion of gambling, firearms, alcohol, tobacco or prescription drugs |
| Sexual Content | Pornography, nudity, solicitation |
| Harmful Behavior | Violence, vandalism, threats, hate speech |
| Regulated Goods | Sale of animals or wildlife |
| Eating Disorder/Self-Harm Content | Promotion of self-harm, eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia nervosa) |
A September 2022 report showed over 104 million posts were removed over 3 months for violating community standards including these guidelines.
So why does Instagram restrict certain content? Simply put – to protect its community, especially younger users. Even if you don‘t find pornography or gambling promotions problematic, a teen accessing this content could face consequences.
While restrictions aim to serve users, Instagram still faced backlash recently around censoring or removing images related to gender confirmation surgery. This shows content moderation remains an evolving, complex practice.
Instagram‘s Updated Ban Policy – They Won‘t Pull the Plug Without Warning
In the past, Instagram faced criticism for suddenly shutting down accounts without notice. But as of 2019, their ban practices changed significantly.
Now if unusual activity like bot-driven engagement or follower spikes occurs, Instagram issues a warning before outright suspension. They also provide guidance to correct the behavior prompting said warning.
So how does this pre-ban warning system work exactly?
First, Instagram detects engagement substantially deviating from normal patterns. This suggests automation like mass liking/following rather than realistic human behavior.
Next, they limit your account privileges temporarily including:
- Liking and commenting on others‘ posts
- Sending direct messages
- Following or unfollowing accounts
- Publishing your own posts or Stories
Simultaneously, you‘ll receive a notification explaining violations were detected, potentially prompting permanent suspension if continuing.
Finally, suggestions help remedy and reset restricted actions, like:
- Stop using third-party apps promising inflated, fake growth
- Post authentic content and engage with others manually
Following this guidance shows good faith effort to contribute value rather than aggressively hack algorithms. As such, within a few weeks your full account privileges are typically restored.
So in summary – this updated policy favors education over punishment. Users have the opportunity to self-correct after formal warning instead of suddenly losing access without recourse.
But repeat violations can still accumulate beyond a point of no return. Taking pre-ban warnings seriously maintains your account‘s standing.
All Instagram Limits – Thresholds Per Account Activity
In addition to restricting certain content types, Instagram limits how frequently you can execute specific account actions per day.
Why institute limits?
- Maintain realistic human engagement patterns
- Enable chronological content consumption
- Prevent spam and bot-fueled growth
While limits exist, Instagram typically doesn‘t reveal defined thresholds publicly to avoid abuse. But user testing and reporting provides reasonable ranges per common activities:
| Action | Daily Limit |
|---|---|
| Follow/Unfollow Other Accounts | 200 |
| Liking Posts | 1,000 |
| Comment Character Length | 180 characters (~30 words) |
| Direct Message Conversations | 50-80 |
| Hashtags Per Post | 30 |
| Accounts Tagged Per Post | 20 |
| Accounts Mentioned Per Post | 10 |
Again – it‘s not just exceeding thresholds, but exceeding them too rapidly that raises flags.
Spikes in follows, likes or comments faster than any human could manually execute signals bots. So does repetitive, generic comments like single emojis.
Sure, you could manually like 2,000 posts in one day. But spacing this activity over weeks seems more realistic, agreeing?
What Happens If You Violate Instagram‘s Rules?
Violating community guidelines or exceeding automated activity thresholds leads to restrictions or account deletion.
Consequences range depending on violation severity, from:
- Shadowbanning – Posts only visible to current followers without hashtag/explore visibility
- Post Removal – Individual posts deleted, often with no warning
- Comment/Like Privilege Limiting
- Account Suspension – Typically 1 week or 1 month, with chance to appeal
- Permanent Ban – Complete loss of account access and followers
Getting shadowbanned or specific posts removed is inconvenient. But losing your entire account permanently means forfeiting organic reach and credibility built over months or years.
For example, fitness influencer Brittany Dawn permanently lost her 200,000+ follower Instagram account earlier this year for repeatedly promoting diet products violating FTC guidelines.
Don‘t let that happen to you! Heed Instagram‘s rules and any warnings so you retain access sustaining your brand over the long-term.
Optimizing Your Instagram Strategy Within Reasonable Limits
Given Instagram‘s restrictions around content and activities, how can you grow your account successfully playing by fair rules?
Here are my top tips as an industry expert:
Post Values-Driven Content Consistently
Aim for once daily rather than flooding feeds, focusing on your niche and audience interests vs broad appeal or virality.
Engage With Others Meaningfully
Comment uniquely and thoughtfully on a few (5-10) accounts per day vs spamming irrelevant phrases.
Follow/Unfollow Strategically
Target followers shares interests and may engage rather than blindly inflating numbers.
Caption carefully with relevant hashtags (5-10). Instagram prioritizes hashtags used least by the account to prevent repetitive keyword stuffing.
Run Promotions and Contests Ethically
Require real opt-ins and enforce rules applying equally to all rather than artificially inflating actions, follows or tags.
Avoid Aggressive Follower Purchase Services
While tempting for vanity metrics, these often utilize unsavory tactics breaking Instagram‘s automation rules and may be purged.
Consider Scheduling Tools Help Streamline Multi-Account Management
Platforms like Seek Socially allow responsible automation for publishing, engagement and growth across profiles without fueling violations.
The key is understanding Instagram restricts certain activities primarily to enhance users‘ enjoyment on the platform. By embracing this community-first ethos in your approach vs chasing impressions and followers at all costs, your account can continue growing impactfully.
There‘s no need to sneak around or get shady. Simply focus on nourishing your followers consistently with value! Building genuine connections earns you loyalty and word-of-mouth over time – no risky hacks required.
Hopefully this comprehensive guide equipped you to navigate Instagram‘s rulebook successfully. While the platform issues warnings before bans if you overstep, taking heed preserves your account‘s good standing.
Remember, guidelines and limits ultimately aim to foster a safe, inclusive experience. Align your growth strategy with these community-focused values vs overly-aggressive follower collection. Consistent, thoughtful engagement earns you a loyal audience in the long run.
Here‘s to growing your Instagram account strategically for months and years without restriction! Let me know if any questions bubble up along the way.