Stop using "the algorithm" as an excuse

If I had a nickel every time I heard “The algorithm is always changing. I can’t keep up!” and another for every time someone used it as an excuse not to post, I’d be writing this poolside in the Mediterranean.

First off, let’s get clear that as much as we talk about “the algorithm”, there is not ONE algorithm. There are many of them, and your experience online will vary according to where you post from, the device you’re using, your account history, the kind of content you are posting, your audience’s engagement patterns, what you’re talking about, audience demographics, and your account verification status.

Yes, the algorithms are updated monthly, if not weekly. But many of the adjustments won’t even be noticeable to you.

But most importantly, you have no control over any of it.

So why is everybody tearing their hair out about what “the algorithm” is doing at any given moment? Because it’s easier than doing the real work of showing up and posting. And it’s easier to blame the mysterious "algorithm" for poor results than to examine whether our content actually serves our audience.

Plus, there's an entire industry of experts out there selling us the fantasy that if you just “hack” the algorithm (and they know how! They swear! Just send them $40-$4000!), your success is guaranteed. You can follow these gurus who recommend three reels a day. You can obsess over every “hot tip” and trend. You can sink endless hours and endless dollars into trying to keep up, and you can still end up nowhere.

Instead, many people chose to throw their hands up in the air, walk away, and just blame “the algorithm.”

Contrary to all of this, I’ve seen clients finally succeed by ignoring the noise. Against all recent advice, one client gets the best results on Instagram with single-image posts. She monitors her metrics, not “the algorithm,” so she knows what’s actually working. At this point, she’s confident that spending more time creating reels or carousels would only be a waste, rather than yielding better results.

So let’s focus on the things that change less often than the algorithm:

• Your customers still have problems they need solved

• Your product or service solves those problems

• Social media is a tool for building trust and relationships

While everyone panics about the latest algorithm update, smart businesses focus on:

• Creating genuinely valuable content (works under any algorithm)

• Tracking business metrics, not vanity metrics such as likes

• Staying consistent with their authentic brand voice

• Solving real customer problems

• Connecting to customers by speaking like a human to other humans. If you’re using AI, please edit and think critically about what it gives you!

You’ll save time and stress by focusing on what you can actually control: staying aligned with your people and consistently making content that speaks to them. I suggest your time is best spent building a relationship with your people, rather than the algorithm.

So what can you do today? Instead of googling "Instagram algorithm update" or getting anxious about all of the things the gurus say you should be doing, try this: think about the conversations you’ve been having with your customers. Then create one (or more!) piece of content that directly addresses those concerns. Keep the posts short and simple. If they start to get long, break them into multiple posts. Post then focus on starting real conversations in the comments. Track how many meaningful connections you make, not how many people see your post.

The algorithm will do whatever it's going to do, but your people will remember how you made them feel seen.

What about you?

Do you catch yourself stressing about “the algorithm”? Or have you found ways to ignore the noise and focus on what really matters? Drop your experience (or just a 👋) in the comments!

Ready to Stop Chasing Algorithms?

When you build content around your people instead of platform updates, you create consistency, trust, and growth that lasts longer than any trend. If you’re done wasting energy on algorithm hacks and want to set up systems that allow you to focus on what's important, let’s connect. I’d love to help you create a simple, sustainable content plan that keeps you visible without burning you out. Book a call with me.