I See That You've Plateaued
I See That You've Plateaued
Earlier this year, I noticed something was a wee bit off the ‘gram. The algorithm had clearly shifted (which, by now, isn’t exactly breaking news) but this time, it felt different. My content wasn’t landing the way it used to. My engagement slowed down, my following stopped growing, and I hit what we can only describe as an “IG plateau.”
Now, if you’ve been creating online for a while, you know what I mean. Like you’re putting in the same effort, yet somehow, nothing’s moving. And while it’s easy to blame the algorithm, I decided to do something else. I took myself out of the box, and looked at my profile from the outside looking in. In other words, I looked at it strategically. I looked at it like I would a student of mine.
This led to a few intentional shifts that worked. So today, I want to share exactly what I changed and how you can get your own momentum back if you’re feeling stuck.
1. Purpose Over Posting
The first change was simple but powerful: Stop posting just to post.
Before hitting “POST”, started asking one questionL what’s the purpose of this post? If you couldn’t answer it clearly, then don’t post!
It sounds basic, but it’s gonna completely changed how you create. If a post doesn’t have purpose, it doesn’t deserve space on your feed. So before you create your next piece of content, ask yourself:
What value does this deliver?
Who is this really for?
What do I want the viewer to do next?
When you start creating with intention, your audience can feel it & trust that the algorithm will follow.
2. Rinse and Repeat
This one’s a favorite concept I teach inside The Creator Catalyzer (my online strategy lab).
This is where I teach my students to go back and audit their top-performing posts from the last six months. I wanted them to understand why they worked. Was it the topic? The format? The caption? The timing? Then we use that data to guide what they create next.
And here’s the secret: This is not about reinventing the wheel. We simply repeated what worked but with a new spin.
Creators often fear repetition because they think it’ll make them boring. But repetition is what builds familiarity, and familiarity builds trust. Like I always say, Kylie Jenner didn’t sell her lip kits after one post. No. The girl legit posts every darn day… even if it’s the same one product.
So no, people will NOT get bored of you.
3. Scale Your Squad
Please treat your comments section like part of your content strategy. Instead of replying with an “ ❤️” emoji or a quick “thank you,” respond thoughtfully. Ask questions. Invite conversations. Engage in 2–3 niche discussions daily and leave comments that actually added value/information/personality.
That one shift deepened my community faster than any “growth hack.” The truth is, your audience grows when they feel seen. The algorithm favors interaction, durh, but people favor authenticity.
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Plateaus for me are signals. Anytime I or my students experience them, it’s a clear indicator that it’s time to evolve.
So next time you find yourself in a rut, re-evaluate, and rebuild with clarity.
Hope this helps!
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XX Idalia