If you wonder why my Instagram couldn’t follow hashtags, the reasons can be many, and fortunately, these aren’t as complicated as you may think. Whatever might be the case, the crucial part is getting it fixed, and this is why I’m here. Stay tuned and get all your queries resolved.
Hashtags are an important way to increase engagement, categorize posts, strengthen a brand image, attract followers to a specific niche, and help reach the targeted audience. But, you can’t enjoy this incredible way of expanding your audience if your Instagram fails to follow a hashtag, and I guess you are already suffering from this issue.
Experiencing the Instagram couldn’t follow hashtag issue is quite frustrating. But just like we tackle every other issue that troubles a user, Favtechie and I are here again to save the day. All thanks to the team’s deep research, I’m ready with all the resources you need right now.
Before answering questions and diving deep into why Instagram couldn’t follow hashtags, it is crucial to first uncover whether or not you are shadowbanned on Instagram. If you ask me why, well, then it is one of the main reasons why several users fail to operate hashtags.
Are you Shadowbanned on Instagram?
The Instagram shadowban essentially doesn’t allow anyone to view your account, but only your current followers. All the hashtags you’ve been putting effort on? Useless when you are shadowbanned. Anyone who isn’t your follower, trying to reach you using hashtags, can’t see your content. Therefore, your potential to grow is squandered immediately.
Shadowbans are designed in a way that users won’t know it happened to them unless they are looking for it.
To check if you are shadowbanned, post something with some uncommon hashtags (this will make the test easier) in the caption and first comment. Find your post on those hashtags from the accounts that you are not following. If your posts are appearing under those hashtags, you are safe; however, if they don’t, you’ve been likely shadowbanned.
Tips to Avoid Getting Shadowbanned
Aren’t you shadowbanned on Instagram? Well, congratulations. Still, it is vital to ensure security for the future as well. Here are some quick tips that will help you prevent your account from getting shadowbanned.
- Avoid using third-party apps for scheduling post updates.
- Restrict yourself from employing platforms that promise to increase your follower count
- Avoid spamming comments
- Don’t keep on spamming DMs
- If you opt for the follow-unfollow rule, make sure to do that within the projected limit. Do you need help with that? Read the piece of information here.
- Keep yourself away from any activity that tends to hurt the terms and conditions of Instagram.
Enough of introduction, it is time to learn why is your Instagram failing to follow hashtags even when your account is not shadowbanned.
The first and the most common reason why your Instagram couldn’t follow hashtags is that you are using the blocked hashtags. Instagram blocks the hashtags that violate Instagram rules.
Get it straight, even if a single hashtag is banned from your 30 hashtags, all the others will be restricted.
Keep in Mind: Some hashtags (such as hashtags related to terrorism, pornography, hate speech, physical and verbal violence) have been blocked permanently by Instagram. Moreover, hashtags that generate loads of spam or are reported by the users are temporarily blocked, so their situation might vary regularly.
When you regularly post such content, Instagram may limit your reach and treat your content as suspicious since they will think you are focused on posting content that doesn’t comply with their regulations – and I am sure you don’t want to do that!
(Method 1) How to Fix it and the Issue Instagram Couldn’t Follow Hashtag
Before using any hashtag, you should check if it’s banned. Make sure you are checking in “real-time” since they can be blocked and unblocked temporarily.
Search for a list of the banned hashtags and edit your content to remove every banned hashtag from all your public and archive posts.
Furthermore, you can use some hashtags tools to check all hashtags on your profile since they may affect your account’s visibility.
2. The Type of Account You’re Using
Why my Instagram couldn’t follow hashtag? Does this have anything to do with my account settings? Of course, it does! It may come as a surprise to many, but the operational overview of Instagram depends on the type of account you own.
Instagram offers two types of accounts; public and private. Private: Anyone who wants to follow you has to send you a follow request. Only your followers can see your photos and videos on location and hashtag pages. Public: Anyone can see your profile and posts on or off Instagram; they can see your posts on hashtag and location pages.
Therefore, when you have a private profile, Instagram will think that you don’t want followers, and that’s the reason why your Instagram fails to follow hashtag.
If your account is a small one i.e. the one with limited reach, setting it to private won’t grow with hashtags because your followers are not enough.
(Method 2) How to Fix it and the Issue Instagram Couldn’t Follow Hashtag
The fix is quite simple, and I hope you know it too; Set your account to public. And how to do it? By following the steps below.
- Open the Instagram app on your smartphone.
- Tap your profile picture icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen. It will open your profile.
- Tap three horizontally stacked lines in the upper-right hand corner, then tap Settings.
- Tap Privacy.
- Tap Account privacy under Connections.
- You’ll find a Private account with a toggle button. Turn that button to the left.
- A pop-up box will appear. Tap Change. That’s how you make your profile public.
If the subject of your photo and the hashtag you are using doesn’t match, this can also be the reason why your Instagram couldn’t follow hashtag.
When a user searches for content under some specific hashtag, they want to see something related to that keyword. So, when they see a post there that doesn’t match with the given keyword, they could report that post as inappropriate.
A user can hide a post by tapping on three dots’…’ in the upper right corner of the post and selecting “Don’t show for this hashtag,” and Instagram will then try to show fewer posts like that posts on their feed.
(Method 3) How to Fix it and the Issue Instagram Couldn’t Follow Hashtag
While posting anything on Instagram, you shouldn’t simply write random keywords or search for the most popular keywords and use all of them for your post. Instead, you should use hashtags that match your visual content subject.
4. You are Not Posting Consistently
Inconsistency may also be a reason why your Instagram couldn’t follow hashtag. Surprised to hear that? Well you better be.
You are sharing two posts per day, and then you stop posting until 7-8 days, and then you share 5 posts together. In such a manner of inconsistency, you are breaking the pattern, and your content will not reach a wider audience since the Instagram algorithm will not show it randomly.
(Method 4) How to Fix it and the Issue Instagram Couldn’t Follow Hashtag
Determine what posting frequency you can manage? 5 posts per week? 3 posts per week? Because when you are consistent, your followers will know when to expect to see your fresh content, and they are more likely to engage more.
While using hashtags to grow on Instagram, you should avoid using too broad hashtags. Although you can reach a more expansive audience with broader hashtags, you will more likely increase your account engagement and win new followers by using hashtags specific to your industry or niche.
When you use hashtags relevant to the targeted audience, you’ll likely reach users who have an interest in your niche. Although you will not reach a wider range of people, you will gain followers who’ll be engaged more with your content.
(Method 5) How to Fix it and the Issue Instagram Couldn’t Follow Hashtag
To fix this issue, you should use more specific hashtags, that are more searchable. For example, your account focuses on posting sad poetry. Someone with interest specifically in this niche is more likely going to search for #sadpoetry instead of a general tag like #poetry.
Using niche hashtags will improve engagement rate, but it’ll also help you gain followers with an active interest in your niche. If you are selling on Instagram, it’ll help turn followers into your customers.
These were some common reasons why you can’t use hashtags on Instagram and why your Instagram fails to follow hashtag. Now, let’s move ahead and look at some common queries revolving around my Instagram couldn’t follow hashtags.
What if Nothing Helps Resolve Instagram Couldn’t Follow Hashtag?
Chances are minimal that you’re still facing the Instagram Couldn’t Follow Hashtag error, provided you have followed the fixes mentioned above. However, if you are not among the lucky ones, the last resort for you is getting in touch with the Instagram team of experts. For that you can either visit the official support link or hover over to the Help section from your Instagram app.
You are asking questions and being troubled with the issue that I can’t use hashtags on Instagram, and my Instagram fails to follow hashtags, but do you know how to use hashtags on Instagram? I hope you do.
But in case you don’t, there’s no real need to worry about that! I am here to guide you through everything important. After that, trust me a number of users will get relief from the query Instagram couldn’t follow hashtag.
To use hashtags on Instagram:
- Upload a video or photo.
- Tap Write a caption… and type # followed by either text or emoji (example: #sky). Choose if you want to apply a filter, then tap Next.
Note: You are allowed to use numbers in hashtags. However, special characters and spaces, such as % or $, won’t work.
- Tap Share.
If you want to use hashtags for a post that you’ve shared already, edit the caption or add your hashtags in the post’s comment section.
Now, let’s move on to why Instagram couldn’t follow hashtags, and look at some common reasons why your Instagram fails to follow hashtags.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. I am shadowbanned on Instagram; how long will it take to end the shadowban?
The shadowban on Instagram is not permanent. Most users agree that shadow normally lasts for 14 days. However, it is important to know that the effects of this temporary penalty can last even longer.
You can use up to 30 hashtags for a regular post and 10 hashtags for a story. When you try to add more, your caption or comment will not post. That said, since you can use a lot of hashtags on Instagram, it doesn’t mean you should.
It is confirmed that the hashtags work effectively in both the comment section in the post caption on Instagram – So it’s entirely up to you where you want to use them.
Final thoughts – Instagram couldn’t follow hashtag
The query why my Instagram couldn’t follow hashtags and why I can’t use hashtag on Instagram is nothing new, but the troubling nature never seems to rest. Luckily, not anymore. In this blog post, I have uncovered some common reasons for the issue. And to make sure you don’t again complain about “I can’t use hashtag on Instagram, “I made sure to list the best possible fixes for every mentioned issue. In case you read the article entirely, you will know what I am talking about.
This gets us to the end of this guide. If you have any further queries, head to the comments section and wait for them to get answered.
Further reading:
That’s all about Instagram couldn’t follow hashtag.
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