An action block on Instagram means that you can’t engage with your community for a set period of time. If your account was action blocked, it’s likely due to the fact that you were doing something that Instagram would consider spammy.
Here are some reasons you can get action blocked on Instagram
First, brand new Instagram accounts are most likely to receive an action block, if partaking in spammy activities. Instagram knows how their users tend to use the app, so if they see a brand-new account liking hundreds of posts, or following hundreds of accounts, it’s reasonable for them to think that something spammy is going on.
If you followed too many accounts in a single session, this could definitely trigger an action block. If you’re consistently following a large amount of accounts in multiple sessions, this could also warrant an action block. Instagram doesn’t really want people to use “follow for follow” methods to grow your profile. If people are only following you for a follow, instead of following for your content, it’s possible your engagement rate could suffer.
You might have accidentally used a hashtag that was banned on Instagram. Sometimes, Instagram will ban a certain hashtag if people were using it for something that would violate their terms of service. In recent updates, they will generally tell you before you try to upload your post that it contains a banned hashtag.
Instagram also doesn’t want you to connect third party apps to their platform. It’s highly recommended to avoid automation software that engages on your behalf. It is understood that it’s still possible to get away with these tactics, but for the sake of the safety of your account, it isn’t something I would recommend you do.
If your account gets action blocked, you need to wait it out. Put your phone down and wait out the duration of your action block. If you have any third-party apps connected to your Instagram account, you should consider disconnecting them. If you were blocked for following and unfollowing too many people, consider doing so in smaller batches.
For more on Instagram action blocks, visit https://www.johnsottile.net/instagram-action-block/