Problems with boosting posts are a common struggle for Instagram users. For those with business accounts, not being able to advertise is a huge obstacle. The situation is not made any easier by the fact that finding the cause of the problem is sometimes complicated, and the service’s support relies on ready-made forms. Unfortunately – the social networking giant is not able to provide each user with an individual approach and human support.
For today, I have prepared a list of the 7 most common reasons why boosting posts on Instagram is impossible, along with suggested solutions. I hope you find them helpful. 🙂
Why can’t I boost my post on Instagram? 7 Causes and solutions
Here are the most common reasons which make it impossible to boost posts on Instagram. For each of them, you will find possible solutions. Review them and see which ones might apply to your account.
1. You can’t boost a post on Instagram due to app bugs and glitches
Although it may seem unlikely, one of the reasons why you can’t boost a post on Instagram is due to app bugs and glitches. I experienced this myself when I was running my Instagram account.
If you notice any issues with the app, I recommend going to the Downdetector website straight away. It will let you know if the service is currently experiencing a crash and if the problem is also affecting other users.
I recommend looking through the comments section – there users often like to share and exchange their experiences.
How do I solve a problem with boosting a post on Instagram due to app errors?
If the cause of the problem is faults on Meta’s side, practically the only option is to wait out the failure. The staff try to fix any errors on an ongoing basis. However, if the problem is only with you, uninstalling and reinstalling the app, as well as restarting your smartphone, may help.
2. You can’t boost a post on Instagram by misinterpreting the intention of your ad
The meta has clear and explicit ad posting rules and community standards to follow. However, it sometimes misinterprets advertisers’ intentions. So if you’re wondering why you can’t boost a post on Instagram, one of the reasons could be that the algorithm is misinterpreting your ad. For example, people who offer marketing services such as social media management, amongst others, often have a problem with boosting their posts.
This is because such posts are often interpreted by the algorithm as promoting multi-level marketing. It is worth knowing that it is against the rules of the service to advertise network marketing. For marketers, the problem with boosting posts often stems from the ban on using the registered and owned names “Facebook” and “Instagram”.
I also once encountered a situation where the problem with boosting a post was related to targeting the message to a specific audience. The content of the post started with the words: “Are you a dietitian?…”. The algorithm considered this to be a reference to personal characteristics and rejected the promotion. Indeed, referring to certain personal characteristics is prohibited. You can find a list of these characteristics here: link.
How do I solve the problem of boosting a post on Instagram resulting from a misinterpretation of the algorithm?
Pay attention to the notifications that appear on Instagram after each attempt to boost a post. You can find out from them the reason why Instagram rejected your promotion. If you missed the notification, no harm done. In the Account Quality section, you can find out about the ads and any problems.
Next, try to edit the content, not forgetting the hashtags. It might be one of them that the algorithm finds ‘suspicious’.
Caution – never ask for an ad to be re-verified without changing the content! Otherwise, you run the risk of having your ad account completely blocked. You don’t argue with algorithms – even if they are wrong.
3. You can’t boost a post on Instagram because the content of the ad is against the rules
Although boosting posts on Instagram is often rejected by the algorithm’s misinterpretation, there is no denying that users themselves just as often publish content that does not comply with the platform’s rules. However, they usually do so unknowingly.
There are a lot of rules on the Meta platform and they are divided into different categories. It is therefore possible to get lost. Especially as some rules are not obvious, such as not using the registered names “Facebook” or “Instagram” or addressing a specific audience, such as people of a certain age.
How do you solve the problem of boosting a post on Instagram related to non-compliance with the rules?
The solution to this problem is the same as in the previous step. First, check and analyse what Instagram prompts you with in the notification, and then edit the content of the post and hashtags. Only after making changes is it worth asking for the post to be verified again.
4. You can’t boost a post on Instagram because you don’t have a professional account
If you don’t see the Boost button on Instagram at all, it’s possible that you are simply using a personal account. To be able to boost a post, you need a professional account – a business or creator account.
How do you solve the problem of boosting a post on Instagram caused by not having a professional account?
Fortunately, this problem is trivially easy to solve. Simply click on your profile picture located in the bottom right corner, select the menu icon (three horizontal dashes) and then: Settings >> Account. Then scroll down and see if the option: ‘Switch to professional account’ is available. If so, this means that you have so far been using a personal account. You will then need to switch to a professional account.
However, to be able to do this, your Instagram account must be connected to Facebook. If your account is not connected and you do not know how to do this, I refer you directly to Meta’s instructions.
5. You can’t boost a post on Instagram because of a problem with the page administrator
If you have a professional account but you still can’t boost a post, it could mean that you are not the Facebook page admin connected to your Instagram.
How do you fix a problem with boosting a post on Instagram due to a lack of admin function?
Ask your Facebook page administrator to add you as an administrator. This is the only way you will be able to start boosting posts on Instagram.
6. You cannot boost a post on Instagram through a banned advertising account
If you have previously submitted ads for re-verification without changing their content, your advertising account may have been banned. So once again, I refer you to the Account Quality section, from which you can find out if there are problems.
How do I resolve an issue with boosting a post on Instagram resulting from a banned advertising account?
If the Account Quality section shows a message that your advertising account has been restricted, you will need to verify with your ID. With successful verification, you will be able to regain the opportunity to boost posts. You can read more about this here.
Unfortunately, you may also find that a restriction has been imposed permanently. This happens if you do not react in time to your account being banned (users have 30 days to do so). Then the only solution is to create a new advertising account.
7. You cannot boost a post on Instagram through a restricted account
It’s not just the advertising account that can be banned. The algorithm may have imposed restrictions on the entire account on Instagram. This is usually caused by posts that break the site’s rules and regulations, or by excessive activity, such as mass liking or messaging.
How do you solve the problem of boosting a post on Instagram caused by a restricted account?
If you have been posting content that is against the rules, delete it. You might also consider creating a new account with a ‘clean slate’. Don’t do any mass actions – don’t like or comment on too many profiles.
In summary, there are various reasons causing problems with boosting posts on Instagram. I’ve listed the most common ones above, so hopefully you can solve the problem. When you do, be sure to describe your experiences in the comments. They will certainly be useful to other users.
