By J.E. Nickerson | Wise Thinkers Help Desk
If you’ve ever poured your heart into a reel or video—only to watch your views nosedive compared to your last post—you’re not alone. It’s happened to me more times than I can count. But here’s the truth: it’s not your fault.
We tend to think our views are entirely based on how engaging or interesting our content is. That’s only partially true. Too many creators overlook the role of the platform’s algorithm—an invisible force that decides who sees what, and when. Sometimes it favors your content; sometimes it doesn’t.
The biggest mistake you can make is taking that dip personally or trying to please the machine. That path leads you away from your voice, your vision, and ultimately, your value.
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🎯 The Algorithm Is Not a Mentor
Creators today live in a rhythm of approval from platforms that don’t owe us anything—not stability, not clarity, and certainly not fairness.
One day, your reel hits 16K. The next, it gets 7K with no explanation. That kind of sudden shift feelspersonal. But it’s not. It’s mechanical. Algorithms are built to favor trends, test patterns, and optimize for platform goals—not your creative journey.
As the saying goes, you can’t please everyone all the time. And you definitely can’t please a computer program.
The algorithm is not your audience or your judge. Your voice is.
When creators start chasing algorithmic patterns instead of meaningful expression, they lose the very thing that makes them worth watching in the first place.
Your website, your book, your art—everything you create—should reflect your voice and your mission. Don’t let temporary dips convince you your work isn’t good enough.
It is more than good enough.
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🧭 Chase Your Voice, Not the View Count
If you built something authentic—something you believed in—and it resonated once, it will resonate again. Not because you repeated a formula, but because your intention was honest.
People may chase trends, but they come back to truth.
In my own journey as a creator and writing coach, I spent months chasing algorithm numbers by posting trend-based reels. While my views rose temporarily, I lost sight of why I started my channel.
When I returned to creating reels focused on writing and helping authors—my true mission—my view count dipped. But my purpose returned. And slowly, the right audience began to return too. Not because I followed the algorithm—but because I followed my voice.
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📉 Sudden Drops Happen—Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Panic
There are real, practical reasons your numbers fluctuate:
• Platform testing: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube—they all run A/B tests that bury some content and promote others, often without explanation. It’s not about fairness. It’s about data.
• Time of day: Posting at 8 a.m. vs. 2 p.m. can mean a 10K view difference. Pick a consistent time that fits your workflow rather than chasing perfection.
• Audience fatigue: Even solid content can get scrolled past if it feels repetitive. Stay in your niche, but rotate your approach.
• Audio trends: Yesterday’s viral sound may be invisible today. If you use original music (or avoid copyrighted audio), your content might get deprioritized—but that doesn’t make it less valuable.
These are external factors. They don’t define your worth. They just change the terrain.
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🧠 What You Can Control
Focus on what’s in your hands:
• Consistency with purpose, not just timing
• Content variety that still aligns with your message
• Creative evolution, not repetition
• Listening to feedback, not just analytics
If someone tells you, “This helped me,” take note. That feedback is gold. Respond to it. Build on it. That’s the kind of data that matters.
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💬 Final Word: Stop Stressing Over the Machine
You are not here to serve an algorithm.
You’re here to say something.
To make something.
To connect with someone.
Let the algorithm do what it does. You keep doing what only you can do.
Keep creating. Keep speaking. Keep showing up.
“If the algorithm gets bored of you, that’s fine. Don’t get bored of yourself. Your voice matters more than the view count.”
Even if the algorithm doesn’t recognize your effort, your audience will. Read the article Staying Focused on Your Writing When Life Feels Overwhelming to maintain your clarity and continue to build something that will outlast platforms and trends.
📚 And if you’re new here, I’m J.E. Nickerson — faith based author and inspirational storyteller. You can check out my books here or follow me on YouTube for more inspiration and encouragement on this writing life.
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