54: Algorithm Fatigue? What ACTUALLY Makes People Follow & Unfollow (For Solopreneurs)

🤯 The Algorithm Is Exhausting (And You're Not Alone)

You know that feeling when you've spent 45 minutes trying to figure out if you should post a reel or a carousel, whether your hook is "trendy enough," and if your lighting is Instagram-worthy? And then you post it anyway, hold your breath, and watch as it gets about 12% of the engagement you hoped for?

Yeah. Algorithm fatigue is real, and honestly, I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a business owner who doesn't have it.

I recently got an email from someone who said, "I think you might find this report fascinating." They sent me the ManyChat "Algorithm Fatigue: A 2025 Creator Report," and I literally wanted to jump for joy. Because here's what I discovered: the data proves that what audiences ACTUALLY want from us is the exact opposite of what we think the algorithm wants.

And if you've ever felt weird about clickbait hooks, overly dramatic intros, or trying to be someone you're not just to get seen? This post is your permission slip to stop.

Ready to turn these insights into a weekly content plan that doesn't drain you? Join The Content Coven where we build repeatable systems so you can show up consistently without turning content into a full-time job. [Link in bio]

💭 When I Had 10K Followers (And Actually Loved Instagram)

Can I be vulnerable for a second? I miss having 10,000 followers.

I know that sounds ridiculous coming from someone who's at 124K right now, but I really mean it. I remember when I hit that 10K milestone and how proud I was. And remember, I don't do ads, so none of my growth has been paid. It's all been organic, just me putting myself out there and people finding me and following me.

But here's the thing nobody tells you about growing your account: the engagement I had when my account was smaller felt more intimate. More high-touch. More like actual community instead of shouting into a void and hoping 3% of people see it.

Sometimes I joke in my stories that I'm gonna start a new account and just start over. And I'm not entirely kidding.

The algorithm shifts over the past five years have been mind-blowing. You gotta have thick skin to survive it. Back in the heyday of 2020, 2021, 2022? Things were good. The algorithm pushed my content out. I got new followers without feeling like I was climbing uphill in quicksand.

Now it's a slog. An uphill battle. And I actually feel sometimes like I'm being punished for having as many followers as I do.

So when I opened that ManyChat report titled "Algorithm Fatigue," I felt seen. Validated. Like someone finally put a name to what we're all experiencing. And if ManyChat is creating an entire report about this phenomenon, we are far from alone in feeling this way.

📊 What the Data Actually Says (Spoiler: You Can Stop Performing Now)

One of the biggest takeaways from this report? People are over performy content. They don't want to watch you put on a show. They want useful, honest, human content that respects their time.

And if you've ever felt weird about those clickbait hooks or doing the most dramatic intro ever, you're not wrong in trusting that intuition. This data has your back.

Let me break down the five biggest myths the report busted, because honestly, this is the data-backed pep talk we all need.

🚫 Myth #1: You Need a Long Intro to Hook People

The Truth: Slow intros are literally making people leave.

The report asked what makes people instantly stop watching a video, and the answers were crystal clear:

• 58% said it felt fake or scripted (and they were OUT)

• 47% said it had a slow intro (I'm raising my hand here, I'm so guilty of this)

• 45% said it was overly clickbait with the title or hook

• 39% said low quality (which is actually pretty low, meaning people don't super care about your production value as long as there's decent lighting and they can see your face)

So if you've been spending 30 seconds setting the scene for your reels, apologizing for your hair or makeup, and THEN finally getting to the point? Almost half your audience is already gone.

What's working instead is leading with the answer.

Instead of: "Hey guys, so today I'm going to share three tips that really helped me after I struggled with this thing for months and..."

Try this: "You are losing clients because your bio says everything you do and nothing your client needs. Here is the quick three-step fix."

Get to the point immediately. Give them the value right away. Stop apologizing and start teaching.

✨ Myth #2: Follows Come from Flashy Aesthetics or a Perfectly Polished Feed

The Truth: Usefulness wins. Every single time.

This one made me want to jump for joy. The report asked what are the top reasons you hit follow, and look at these numbers:

• 73% said they post content I find consistently useful or entertaining

• Then it drops all the way down to 25% who said they feel relatable or real

• 24% said their content's super high quality (so low!)

• 21% said I like their personality

73% for usefulness. Far and away the winner. The next highest reason was in the twenties. There's nothing in between.

So that "useful" is doing the heavy lifting, and quality matters, but not at the expense of usefulness or realness.

Your office being lit perfectly is not a growth strategy. Your usefulness is what's necessary and non-negotiable.

I follow people when I find their information really useful, or I follow them because they're funny and bring a smile to my face. But in our world as service-based solopreneurs? It's probably gonna be more that people find you consistently useful.

So be helpful first, and then worry about the aesthetic.

😌 Myth #3: People Unfollow You Because You Don't Post Enough

The Truth: Get ready for the collective sigh of relief.

Posting frequency didn't even make the list of why people unfollow. Let me say that again: posting frequency did NOT make the list.

Here are the actual top reasons people unfollow:

• 27% said they seemed fake or inauthentic (there's that theme again)

• 14% said political views I disagree with

• 14% said too many ads or sponsored posts

• 10% said they're constantly selling something (actually a pretty low percentage)

So the top winner of why people unfollow is fake or inauthentic. Not because you took a week off. Not because you only posted twice instead of five times.

What DID make the list? Feeling sold to all the time. Content that feels fake or repetitive. Constantly selling.

The lesson here is clear: You don't have to post more, you just have to post more meaningfully.

And that's definitely something I teach and preach in all that I do. Purposeful posting over posting frequency.

🎯 Myth #4: Trends Are the Only Way to Grow Your Account

The Truth: Teaching, honesty, and quality beat trends every time.

I know so many people whose feeds are just filled with trending reel ideas. They're constantly hopping on every audio, every format, every viral moment. And listen, trends can be fun. But they're not a strategy.

The report asked what people wish more creators would do, and the answers tell the whole story:

• 53% said teach something useful (Hi, that's US, service-based solopreneurs!)

• 42% said be more honest or vulnerable (share when things are hard, share lessons learned, share your learning arc)

• 36% said STOP chasing trends

• Another 36% said share more failures and not just wins

• And another 36% said post less often, but higher quality

Read that last one again. More than a third of your audience wishes you would post LESS but with higher quality.

So listen, trends can be fun. I hop on a trending reel maybe once every other week. But I always joke like, can I just show up and teach? That's what I love. That's what I want to do. I just want to share my knowledge and help people. I don't want to play the games. The games are exhausting.

And the data proves that teaching, honesty, focused quality content, and purposeful posting are the real growth levers.

💪 Myth #5: If Content Drains You, You Just Gotta Push Through and Try Harder

The Truth: Choose formats that give you energy, not take it away.

This one hit me hard because it sounds like my literal nightmare. The idea that if content is draining the life out of you, you should just push harder? No. Absolutely not.

There's a line from the report that I loved: "Ask yourself this. Did making this piece of content give me energy? Or did it take it away? And then stop making the content that drains the life out of you and double down on what lights you up."

You're allowed to choose a format that fits your energy and still grow.

For many of my clients, that's carousels or talking head reels. For me? I don't make it a secret that I love carousels. I love making them, but I also love consuming them. I want to swipe on my own time, read at my pace, save it if it's something I don't want to forget.

Reels kind of overwhelm my nervous system a little bit. I'm not gonna lie. It's hard to keep up, and so I prefer carousels. But I know there are people who love reels.

So I teach and preach having a mix of all of it. But I do not believe that if content is draining the life out of you, that you should push harder. I think you should find a good solution, even if that means somebody else doing it for you.

🎁 Resources mentioned in this episode:

• ManyChat "Algorithm Fatigue: A 2025 Creator Report"

🌟 The Permission Slip You've Been Waiting For

Reading this report felt like a permission slip to stop chasing the trends and to really go all in on value and real connection. And that's what I've built The Creative Bodega on.

I am never one to be like, "Here are the trends to try this week." That's just not me. I don't love following trends. I just want to show up and teach. That's what I love, that's what I want to do. I just want to share my knowledge and help people.

So here's your recap of what actually matters:

The Myth: Long intros hook people
The Truth: Slow intros and scripted vibes make people leave. Lead with the answer.

The Myth: Perfect, polished accounts bring in followers
The Truth: Usefulness wins (remember that 73%!). Be helpful, then worry about quality.

The Myth: You're losing followers because you don't post enough
The Truth: People leave when they feel like you're being fake or overly salesy. Post meaningfully, not frequently.

The Myth: Trends are the strategy
The Truth: Teaching, being honest, sharing failures, and focusing on quality content over volume wins every time.

The Myth: If content drains you, just grind harder
The Truth: Choosing formats that give you energy is what's sustainable and where you'll win.

I hope these numbers helped you feel a little more grounded or a little more free in showing up exactly as who you are and sharing useful content.

Want help turning this data into an easy weekly plan with templates, feedback, and accountability so you're not guessing your way to success? This is exactly what we do inside The Content Coven. We'll help you build a repeatable system so you can show up consistently without turning content into a full-time job.

Save this post if you needed the reminder. Comment below with which myth surprised you most. And if you know a solopreneur friend who's feeling the algorithm fatigue, share this with them.

You're not crazy. The algorithm IS exhausting. But now you know what actually matters, and that changes everything.