Difference between Instagram explore and top 9 hashtags?

I got my post to the top 9 posts of my hashtags once but it did not help with followers. How is getting on the explore page different?
And what do we need to do to get there.
Also, how to avoid shadowban?

What is engament rate of hashtag?

If I understand it well...

Explore is different for every account, top 9 for hashtags should be the same for everyone.

The easiest way to get to someone's explore is if someone likes your picture. People that interact with that account a lot will get their likes in explore.

That's why people tagging big accounts in their pics, they are hoping that they would like their picture and that way they will hit explore tab of their followers.

maybe about niche