Noticing any change in your TikTok? Wondering why your engagement rate has suddenly dropped so low? These are all signs of the TikTok shadow ban.
If you’re experiencing these signs, this means you have posted or done something that goes against TikTok’s community guidelines, and as a result, your account is on time out, your content won’t be shown to anyone, and you can’t get views on TikTok.
But what causes this restriction and how can you fix it? Read till the end to find out!
What Is TikTok Shadow Ban?
A TikTok shadow ban happens when your account’s visibility is significantly reduced without any official notification from the platform. This means your content is less likely to appear (or won’t appear at all) on the For You Page, leading to a dramatic drop in likes, views, and comments.
Basically, when you’re shadow-banned, TikTok assumes your content is harmful and against TikTok’s terms of service, so it won’t show your content to its users anymore, no matter how much you post.
Let’s give you some numbers to understand it better. Assume you have 1000 followers on TikTok. Typically, those 1000 followers will see your content, right?
But when you are shadow-banned, TikTok will only show your content to less than 100 of your followers. This means your engagement rate will drop by about 90%.
Why Does TikTok Shadowban?
TikTok typically shadow bans as a way to protect users from spam, copyright infringement, and inappropriate content.
What Types of Content Can Get You Shadowbanned?
Content that violates TikTok’s community guidelines is more likely to get shadowbanned. This includes but isn’t limited to:
- Spam,
- Hate speech,
- Bullying,
- Copyright infringement,
- Nude or suggestive content,
- Violence,
- Promoting illegal activities.
Now let’s see what a TikTok shadow ban looks like
How Do I Know If My TikTok Is Shadowbanned?
TikTok doesn’t officially notify users about shadow bans. One day you just wake up and see your engagement is gone.
However, several signs can alarm you that your account has been shadowbanned:
Key Signs of a TikTok Shadowban:
- A Sudden Drop in Views, Likes, and Comments: A significant decrease in engagement without any apparent reason is a strong indicator.
- Reduced Reach: Your content isn’t appearing on the “For You” page as often as before.
- Video Upload Issues: Videos might take longer to process or fail to upload entirely.
- Hashtag Performance: Check if your videos appear when searching for relevant hashtags. If not, it’s a potential sign.
How Long Does The Shadow Ban Last on TikTok?
Now, you don’t need to worry if you’ve been shadowbanned on TikTok. Typically, a TikTok shadow ban lasts around two weeks. But there is also no definitive timeframe either, and it can vary depending on several factors:
- The Severity of The Violation: Minor violations might result in shorter bans, but repeated or severe violations could increase the duration.
- Responses to The Ban: Taking corrective action, such as removing flagged content and following TikTok’s community guidelines, can potentially shorten the ban period.
- Algorithm Adjustments: TikTok’s algorithm is constantly changing, which can influence the duration of a shadow ban. Some actions that used to cause shadowban for a couple of days could lead to weeks of shadow ban.
So, now that we know what a shadow ban on TikTok is and what causes it, let’s see how we can fix it.
How Do I Fix TikTok Shadow Ban?
TikTok doesn’t officially endorse shadow bans, so there is no guaranteed method to reverse one and fix a shadowban. You need to wait until the ban is over.
However, the following steps are based on common experiences and strategies that have helped users with shadow bans:
Potential Shadow Ban Solutions
- Review and remove violating content on your account.
- Follow TikTok’s community guidelines and avoid excessive self-promotion, repetitive content, and suspicious activity.
- Give your account a short break to let things cool down. Avoid posting too much during this period.
- Reinstall TikTok, some users have found this helpful.
- Engage authentically and interact with other users by liking, commenting, and sharing their content.
- Avoid overusing hashtags or using irrelevant ones.
- Shadow bans can take time to resolve. Be patient and consistent in your efforts.
TikTok Shadow Ban Checker and Remover
To be honest, there is no official TikTok shadow ban checker or remover tool. TikTok doesn’t publicly disclose information about shadow bans. So, it’s impossible for external tools to accurately detect or reverse them.
Many third-party websites or apps claim to offer such services, but they are often scams or ineffective. Let’s see why shadow ban checkers and removers are scams:
- Potential Harm: Using these tools might violate TikTok’s terms of service, so they might get things even worse and extend your restriction.
- Lack of Official Data: TikTok doesn’t provide data on shadow bans to third-party developers. So there’s no way for them to check if you’re shadowbanned or undo it.
- Algorithm Complexity: The TikTok algorithm is constantly changing and is not fully understood, so it’s difficult to predict or manipulate.
Wrapping Up
In conclusion, while there’s no guaranteed way to prevent or reverse a shadow ban, following TikTok’s guidelines and avoiding using banned hashtags and content can significantly help reduce the risk of a shadow ban.
Even if you are shadow-banned right now, stay patient and stop your activity on TikTok for a couple of weeks till the restriction is off your account.
FAQs
Now let’s answer some frequently asked questions on this topic:
Q1. How Do You Get Unshadowbanned on TikTok?
There’s no guaranteed way to reverse a TikTok shadow ban. TikTok doesn’t officially acknowledge them. But you can try these steps:
- Review and remove violating content.
- Give your account a short rest.
- Be patient until the shadow ban is over.
- Make content that aligns with TikTok’s algorithm.
Q2. Can You Get Shadowbanned on TikTok for Posting Too Much?
No, posting too much on TikTok isn’t directly linked to shadow bans, but the content you share is. If you share too much banned content, you can get shadow banned on TikTok.
Q3. Does Using Certain Hashtags Increase the Risk of a Shadow Ban?
Sometimes, using banned or irrelevant hashtags on TikTok could lead to shadowban.
Q4. Can Buying TikTok Followers or Likes Lead to a Shadow Ban?
Yes, buying free TikTok likes or followers is against TikTok’s community guidelines and can result in a shadow ban or even account termination.
Q5. How Does a TikTok Shadow Ban Affect My Account’s Analytics?
A shadow ban significantly impacts your account’s analytics. You’ll likely experience a noticeable drop in views, likes, comments, and overall engagement because TikTok isn’t showing your content to users.
