Sam Saideman co-founder and CEO of the entertainment company Innovo Management, shares his knowledge on shadowbanning and social media content quality.
Algorithms adapt to changes in the environment. When the data tells platforms that some posts needs to be viewed by more users, the platforms push out native content. What does that mean for someone who makes content? The content approach from yesterday might not be relevant today. People's requirements for various forms of consumable content alter as they develop and adapt.
Innovo receives frequent requests to get in touch with their representatives at the relevant social media outlets to have customers' accounts checked for any potential issues that could be lowering viewership. According to their observations, the content itself is frequently the reason why it does poorly.
There are instances where a client is genuinely being throttled by Instagram or TikTok owing to a violation the creator may or may not have been aware of. However, more often than not, the simplest way to get past the "shadowban scaries" is to change the approach to content and keep going. It's simple to believe that what is happening to you is just because of the fictitious scapegoat for poor viewership.
You can find a dozen social media gurus explaining how to cure a shadowban if you search Google for five minutes. Let's examine a few strategies for shifting your perspective and getting rid of this outdated explanation.
Saideman advocates using a macro-driven thought approach for the majority of business decisions. Particularly in the context of social media, it is pertinent. With the introduction of TikTok, marketers and content producers across all industries are concerned about the performance of each video. Focusing on such a small audience makes it very simple to experience poor viewing, minimal engagement, and eventually, to think that you have been shadowbanned.
It's far simpler to notice the effects of remaining steadfastly consistent if you retrain your mentality to consider the facts from a zoomed-out perspective. Review data and content on a weekly, monthly, and quarterly basis to check for growth. Despite a particular video's poor performance, macro growth is probably still occurring. If it's not, it's time to modify the posting frequency and content style.
Pivoting is essential for long-term success, particularly with short-form video platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.
When considering content, Saideman prefers to perform an exercise where he first defines his top-of-funnel content bucket. This topic is as broad as sports, cuisine, attractiveness, etc. (Note: You are not yet prepared to begin creating if you are having difficulty with this.) He then sets a timer for two minutes and writes as many sub-content buckets as possible off of the main topic. For illustration, let's take meal preparation. Food reviews, unusual yet delicious food pairings, home-cooked meals versus restaurant versions, etc. These buckets need to contain both your existing work and brand-new concepts.
Take minor turns and tweak the material to keep within the overarching wide theme (in this example, cooking), but change the particular content inside that, when one piece of content is no longer performing. You may also think about continuing to produce videos that are similar to what you're now doing while altering the actual video format, such as going from text-on-screen to narration or from point-of-view to a selfie video. You can always go back to your old habits and combine other concepts, but Innovo discovered that the key to continuing to succeed with short-form content is to not be scared to pivot. Stasis is the same as death.
It's crucial to stay focused on creating with intention as you acquire traction and plan how you're going to create and when you're going to post. There are several businesses that provide widespread social platform participation. Even while it can first seem alluring, taking shortcuts and being untrue will eventually hurt your business. We all want more followers and more interaction, but if your primary emphasis is on following and unfollowing hundreds of accounts every day rather than providing value to your audience, you won't be able to maintain a following.
Despite the misconception that shadowbanning is more frequent than it is, the following two factors are the main causes of temporary shadowbans:
Frequent spam-resembling engagement and following of accounts. Concentrate on deliberate and organic growth. Utilize hashtag searches and suggested content to interact with your audience and potential customers. Don't mass-follow users in the hopes of receiving a follow-back. This is a quick way to experience a brief reduction in reach.
Ignoring the Community Guidelines for each platform. Temporary bans will be imposed for posting content that is inappropriate for public consumption (and can lead to permanent suspensions). Applications will automatically report these kinds of videos, and when they are flagged, content moderation employees will review your profile in more detail.
Simply said, don't spam others or publish graphic or illegal content. You're probably not shadowbanned and won't be if you're being deliberate about what you create and how you develop.
In the end, it's critical to take into account that people are diverted by both other information and events in their daily lives. To avoid competing, make content with that in mind and establish a distinctive differentiator for your accounts. No one else is in charge of creating a safe atmosphere for your followers; it is your duty. If you stray from that strategy, you could really earn a shadowban, but be aware that if you check all the boxes, you're probably not one; instead, it might be time to make a change.