Shadowbans are the bane of any online account, possibly cutting your metrics and engagement overnight. Secret TikTok bans even hide you from the For You page. This makes it much harder to find new fans. You must know how to get unshadowbanned on TikTok if this happens. 

In this guide, the snsflow.com team walks you through these problems and how to fix them.

What Is Shadowbanned on TikTok?

If you’re wondering, “What is shadowbanned on TikTok?” simply put, a shadowban is when TikTok (or any social media platform) “hides” you from others. You won’t even know it’s happening until your view stats come in. 

Some people will still be able to see your videos. But you likely won’t show up on the For You page, which will lead to you not getting new followers any time soon.

The Pew Research Center found 40% of TikTok users find their For You page “very or extremely interesting.” So many people use this as their main source of content. This means your account will be in hot water if you don’t show up for them.

TikTok’s staff don’t shadow ban people directly — the algorithm takes care of this. The app itself sees signs that your account isn’t legitimate in some way and takes action. You’ll naturally want to find out why it’s happening. But you need to know how to fix it first.

How Do You Get Shadowbanned on TikTok?

There are plenty of possible reasons for a shadowban. None specific to TikTok, however. In fact, many reasons for a shadowban are the same across most platforms. Here are just a few of the main ones.

1. Breaking TikTok Guidelines

Quite a broad reason, but TikTok has clear standards for their For You Page. Your account is at risk if it broaches these topics. This is an automatic process, meaning the app listens for certain keywords and might get things wrong.

2. Posting Harmful Content

Hateful or offensive content is a definite red flag, though this could be another error. People who want to suppress your account can report your content for no reason. TikTok is no place for hate speech; the app takes this very seriously.

3. Using Banned Hashtags

Some people just use the wrong tag or keyword and get an instant dent in their metrics. This will likely be because a lot of spambots are riding popular tags. Banned hashtag checkers will show you which words you should avoid adding.

4. Posting Spam

Are you posting too many videos? TikTok loves it when people post several times a day. But there is a point where this looks like spammy behavior. Posting more than three times daily is playing with fire. Don’t push the platform to its limits.

How To Get Unshadowbanned on TikTok: 5 Steps To Follow

A shadowban isn’t the end of the world. And it’s definitely not permanent. But you should still try everything you can to get rid of it. 

You’ll miss out on a lot of great engagement until then — and the videos you post will fall on deaf ears. Here’s how you can fix a TikTok shadow ban.

1. Delete the Video

Shadowbans are usually caused by a recent video that tripped TikTok’s sensors. The app even tells you when they’re doing this. Did TikTok give you a warning or notice on your latest video? You should delete it, especially if your engagement is quickly going down.

2. Appeal the Ban

You might not agree with the warning above. The app might be mishearing one word as another and assuming the video’s full of inappropriate content, for example. Their notice gives you a way to appeal. But this could just draw out the process further.

3. Wait It Out

These bans don’t last long in most cases. Your engagement will slowly come back — assuming you don’t keep breaking the rules. You could (and should) keep posting great original content in the meantime. Just make sure you aren’t spamming or misusing the platform.

4. Reinstall the App

Some shadowbans actually go away if you uninstall and reinstall TikTok. Clearing the cache can also help. 

But a clean reinstallation helps much more. Your account might just have a glitch. It’s not too likely, but enough people have reported it that it’s worth a shot.

Checking Your Shadowban Status

Most people find out they have a TikTok shadow ban from the app itself. Your video might have a warning on it that says it isn’t “eligible for the For You feed.” This is a death knell for most videos on the platform. Some people, however, report a shadowban even without a notice like this.

Are you suddenly getting nearly no views on your latest videos? You might have a shadowban. But what are shadowbanned TikTok accounts meant to do to prove this? 

You can always take a look at your analytics. Press the three horizontal lines in the top right of your profile. Click on TikTok Studio and you should see your analytics right away.

A big stat drop usually means a secret TikTok ban, even if you don’t know how you violated their community guidelines.

How Can TikTok Tell Your Videos Break the Rules?

TikTok sometimes uses community reports to decide which accounts to shadowban. However, it also has an automated approach to this. The app transcribes every video you post and can use this to tell if you’re discussing adult content. This is also how YouTube penalizes videos with curse words in the first minute.

Explicit content is a big problem on a platform with relatively young users. Avoid posting it where you can — though the app still makes mistakes. Its tech is far from perfect. One wrong guess at what you’re saying can cause a shadow ban. And how long does it take to get unshadowbanned on TikTok? Long enough that your account will suffer.

Speaking clearly is a simple way to protect yourself. This might be all it takes to stop the app from getting it wrong.

Tips for Avoiding the TikTok Shadow Ban

There are plenty of rules (big and small) that can help your profile avoid a secret ban. Following these might be the key to consistent TikTok engagement without any gaps. Here’s how you can stay on top of shadowbans:

• Fact-check your videos: TikTok wants to stop the spread of fake news. It may limit your content if people think it’s inaccurate or spreading lies of any kind.
• Don’t spam hashtags: There’s no clear limit to TikTok’s tag system. But adding a ton of hashtags could convince the app you’re just trying to cheat the algorithm.
• Censor graphic content: You might be using TikTok to raise awareness about a serious issue. Even so, you must still censor or blur explicit images of any kind.
• Be careful with jokes: TikTok is an app full of funny videos. However, there’s a thin line between dark humor and just being cruel — try not to cross it.
• Ask for shares: You can give your engagement the best chance by asking followers for video shares. This could be the boost you need to get your metrics back.
• Don’t repost: Apps often penalize posts that have other watermarks on them. You’ll need to put more effort into your content than just reposting it from your other sites.
• Avoid copyright problems: Sharing someone else’s video will similarly cause copyright issues. You should also never use music that isn’t in the app’s own library.

How Long Does It Take To Get Unshadowbanned on TikTok?

There’s no clear answer to how long a shadowban lasts. Many users settle on about two weeks, but TikTok doesn’t say. Some report these bans lasting over a month. This is naturally frustrating when waiting it out might be your only way forward. However, deleting a suspect video can clear your limits right away.

The length might also depend on how suspicious the app is. But how do you get shadowbanned on TikTok permanently? Is this even possible? If you don’t change your behavior, yes. However, it’s much more likely the platform would just ban you outright.

It’s always possible to fix a shadowban. You could still make a new account if you’re sure you’re not going to get your numbers back on track. This should only be a last resort.

Get Unshadowbanned on TikTok and Continue To Thrive

Learning how to get unshadowbanned on TikTok is vital when your engagement is low. This may be the same across every app. Luckily, snsflow.com can help your TikTok stats even in the face of a shadowban.

Our team will boost your account so it gets the right number of followers and views. It’ll then keep on growing exactly how you want it to! Check out snsflow.com today to make sure your TikTok analytics and engagement keep thriving.