Instagram is one of the most popular social networks. Its daily active audience exceeds 180 million people, making it an excellent platform for working with conditionally free traffic.

At first glance, managing an account may seem simple, but achieving maximum efficiency requires a deeper understanding of the platform's algorithms, content promotion principles, and user interaction. This material covers the key aspects of working with Instagram.

What Data Does Instagram Collect?

Instagram collects data from all devices you use to interact with the platform. This data is used to personalize content and ads, as well as for the operation of an anti-fraud system that detects multi-accounts and bots.

Key Data Collected by Instagram:

device and its ID;
network signal strength;
device settings: language, time zone, etc.;
connections, including information about networks and devices the user is connected to;
data from cookies.

If a user links their Instagram account to Facebook, the platform also gains access to the following data:

name;
email address;
phone number;
activities on Facebook: likes, comments, posts.

Additionally, Instagram gathers information about users and their interactions with the platform: metadata of files, published content, messages, used tags, subscriptions, and connections with other users. It also considers profile details such as religious and political views.

The platform records usage patterns, including preferred content types, actions performed, and data related to transactions like purchases or financial operations. Instagram also receives information about you from other users, such as photos, comments, and contact details.

How Instagram Moderation Works

Unlike TikTok and YouTube, Instagram is more lenient towards content related to gambling and betting. However, an account can face restrictions or risk being blocked for the following reasons:

Mass user complaints. For example, if you completely copy someone else's profile, the owner might engage their followers or use services to submit complaints. To avoid this, create unique content and develop your own style;
Suspicious activity resembling spam. This includes excessive likes and comments, as well as mass following/unfollowing and sending messages in DM. To avoid penalties, act like a regular user and don't overdo activities;
Use of automation software. The platform prohibits automation, including mass following, liking, auto-posting, and bulk messaging. Algorithms quickly detect and block bots;
Suspicious logins. Frequent changes in devices or IP addresses used to log in can raise red flags with the platform’s security system;
Multiple accounts on one IP address. Instagram allows up to five accounts per IP address. Exceeding this limit may result in shadow banning or blocking the entire network of accounts due to a violation on one of them.

Most account bans are linked to suspicious activity. To minimize risks, try to mimic real user behavior as much as possible.

Types of Bans

Shadow Ban

This method reduces an account's visibility or content reach, often without notifying the user. Shadow banning hides posts from users who are not followers, prevents the profile from appearing in search results, and may even restrict content visibility to followers. Typically, a shadow ban lasts 2–3 weeks to a month.

Key indicators of a shadow ban:

significant drop in likes and views on posts;
inability to find the account in search results.

Recommendations for shadow bans:

continue using the account as usual without disrupting the normal posting schedule;
avoid suspicious activities: do not change the IP address or perform bulk actions.

Temporary Ban

A temporary ban limits account functions for a specific period, such as liking, commenting, following, or sending messages. Instagram notifies users of these restrictions.

Key features of a temporary ban:

the duration depends on the violations and can range from a few hours to several months;
during the restriction period, all account activity should be halted.

To check for a shadowban, use special services like Spikerz, or the «Account Status» feature in the settings. To check your account status:

Go to settings and scroll down.
Check for any flagged content on your page.
Remove content that violates the platform's rules.

Permanent Ban

A permanent ban is the strictest measure. The account and its associated content are entirely blocked, often imposed for repeated or severe violations of platform rules.

Consequences of a permanent ban:

complete loss of access to the account, content, followers, and saved materials;
inability to register a new account with the same email, phone number, or username;
in some cases, the platform blocks access from the device or IP address.

How the Recommendation System Works

Instagram’s recommendation system helps users discover engaging content and interact with it.

Key elements of the recommendation algorithms:

Built-in AI: The platform analyzes user behavior, such as likes, comments, saves, and other actions, to predict what content might interest them.
User’s social connections: Algorithms prioritize content from friends and frequently interacted accounts in the recommendation feed.
Content popularity: Posts with high engagement rates (likes, comments) are more likely to appear in recommendations, even for non-followers.
Preferred content types: Instagram evaluates user preferences for photos, videos, or Stories to suggest similar content.
Time factors: New posts are given priority to ensure users see the latest updates. Higher interaction within the first hour of publishing increases the likelihood of recommendations.
Negative feedback: The platform considers content that users hide or mark as irrelevant to refine its recommendations.

Instagram aims to keep users engaged on the platform by showcasing content they are most likely to enjoy and revisit.

Preparing Your Device for Work

Unlike TikTok and YouTube, Instagram does not require constant resetting of devices or hiding contact information. The platform allows up to five accounts per device.

When using multiple accounts, avoid linking them with the same data (email, Facebook account). If one account is blocked, restrictions may extend to all linked profiles.

Using Proxies and VPNs

If you plan to publish content for another region or Instagram is unavailable in your country:

Use IPv4 proxies via apps like Potatso (iOS) or SocksDroid (Android), or opt for a high-quality VPN service;
Prefer mobile proxies as server proxies are more likely to be blocked;
Keep track of which proxies are used for each account to avoid suspicions.

Creating and Preparing Accounts

To upload content on Instagram, you can purchase a warmed-up account, repurpose an existing one, or create and «warm up» a new one. Let’s examine the pros and cons of each option.

Purchasing an Existing Account

To purchase an established and warmed-up account tailored to the required GEO, you can use marketplaces such as hstock or funpay. However, exercise caution when making deals and beware of scammers. When purchasing an account, review seller feedback, check the registration date, and use services like TrendHero to identify sudden spikes in followers or activity, which may indicate bot use. Choose accounts with real followers and regularly published content. Always request a screen recording showing the account's analytics before buying.

Pros:

Increased trust from platform algorithms;
Reduced risk of bans;
Content is more likely to appear in recommendation feeds;
An existing follower base if the account was previously used for similar purposes;
Saves time and effort in development.

Cons:

Inability to verify the account’s history (possible violations or bot activity);
High risk of fraud (seller altering account details post-transaction).

Transferring an Existing Account to Another GEO

If you already have a warmed-up account and need to switch the working GEO:

Change language and region settings in Instagram and on your device under «Date & Time» or «Region.»
Use geotags and hashtags relevant to the new GEO. Check local influencer posts for trending hashtags.
Adapt content for the GEO audience by adjusting the language and incorporating local memes and trends.
Interact with major accounts in the target GEO and their followers.

Creating Your Own Account from Scratch

Pros:

Complete control and understanding of successful actions;
Ability to target the desired audience right from the start;
Avoids issues with IP overlap and other technical restrictions.

Cons:

Need to build trust with the platform algorithms;
Lengthy account «warming up» period.

If further details about warming up accounts or additional nuances are needed, let me know!

Account Creation Algorithm

If you plan to target an audience from a different GEO, set up a proxy or VPN for the desired country and register your account using an email or phone number associated with that region. If you're targeting your own GEO, you can skip the VPN/proxy and use your own country's details.

Fill out your profile: provide a name, set an avatar, and write a description. Important: Do not add any links at this stage of account setup.

Account Warm-up

Warm-up is a gradual process of increasing activity to build trust with the platform and reduce the risk of being blocked. This usually takes 2-4 weeks.

Warm-up goals:

Increase trust with platform algorithms by mimicking the behavior of a regular user.
Gradually build a base of active followers.

How to warm up the account:

Post a few posts or Reels.
Find large accounts (preferably with 30,000+ followers) in the relevant niche through search and follow 3–4 of them within an hour.
View their profiles, like posts and Reels.
Spend at least 2 hours a day on the new account, breaking the time into sessions of 30–35 minutes.
Actively engage with accounts you follow, especially in the first hour after they post.

Activity Limits During Warm-up Period:

5–8 follows/unfollows per hour, up to 30–50 per day.
2–4 direct messages per hour, up to 5–8 per day.
5–10 likes per hour, up to 30–40 likes per day.

Content Posting

Recommendations for posting videos:

Do not upload videos again from other social networks and apps.
Avoid low-quality content, such as blurry images and poor sound.
Follow community guidelines and post materials relevant to the theme.
Instagram algorithms do not promote horizontal videos or videos with frames.
Unique content uploaded for the first time takes priority. Plagiarized and reposted content receives lower visibility in posts.

Consistency in posting plays a key role for Instagram algorithms. It’s important to plan your posting schedule in advance and stick to it until your account gains enough active followers.

Hashtag usage recommendations

Hashtags on Instagram play an important role in content promotion.

Use no more than 5–10 hashtags per post or Reels.
Watch for frequency and avoid copying the same hashtags, as this can lead to a shadowban.
Hashtags should be readable.

Avoid:

Overused tags.
Profanity and insults.
Words related to fraud or promoting violence.

You can check hashtags for spam using special services, like Metahashtags.

Redirecting Players Through a Microlanding

After 2–3 weeks of active posting, you can add a link to your website or Telegram channel to your profile. It is recommended to create a microlanding and redirect traffic to it to avoid bans. The most convenient option is Beacons.ai.

Microlandings are a convenient and free tool for protecting links. A single microlanding can host links to a channel, website, or, for instance, a signal bot. Such services are rarely blocked and appear safe to users. Details about creating a microlanding on popular platforms (Linktree, Heylink, Tap.bio), as well as other mechanisms for protecting referral links, are described in this material.

Alternatively, you can place a link to your Telegram channel in your profile description. This way, you can gather your audience in one place and gain an additional opportunity to engage with players.

Conclusion

In this material, we explored the main principles of working with Instagram. Now you know how to get started and what actions can help your videos reach recommendations.

Remember that algorithms on any platform are subject to change, and Instagram is no exception. Analyze the effectiveness of your approaches, pay attention to details, and adapt to changes. Success won’t be long in coming!

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How to Work with Instagram Accounts