It’s the same story every time.

A creator or brand has a bad week. Engagement drops 30%. Likes are down. Comments are crickets.

Immediate reaction: "The algorithm changed! LinkedIn is throttling my reach! I've been shadowbanned!"

I’m going to be the bad guy here and tell you the truth: The algorithm doesn’t hate you. It doesn’t even know who you are. The problem is your content.

The Algorithm's Only Job

Algorithms are not complex conspiracies designed to silence your brilliant thoughts. They are optimization machines with a single goal: Retention.

Every social platform makes money by selling attention. The longer users stay on the app, the more ads they see, and the more money the platform makes.

Therefore, the algorithm promotes content that keeps people scrolling and weirdly punishes content that makes them close the app.

If your posts aren't getting reach, it's not a penalty. It's feedback. The data is telling the algorithm that when people see your post, they scroll past it.

3 Reasons You're Being "Throttled" (That Are Actually Your Fault)

1. You're Posting "External Links"

"Check out our new blog post! Link in bio/comments."

Platforms hate this. You are literally trying to send their users away to another website. Why would they help you do that?

Keep the value on the platform. Write the thread. Summarize the article. Give the value upfront. If people like it, they’ll find your site.

2. You Sound Like a Press Release

"We are thrilled to announce our Q3 synergy targets have been aligned..."

Boring.

People are on social media to be entertained or educated, not to read your corporate minutes. If your post sounds like it was written by a committee, it will die. Speak like a human. Use "I" and "You," not "We" and "Users."

3. You're "Posting and Ghosting"

You drop a post and immediately close the app. You don't reply to comments. You don't engage with other creators.

Social media is... social. If you act like a broadcaster instead of a community member, you get treated like one.

Consistency Is the Only Cheat Code

There is one factor that actually does help "train" the algorithm: Consistency.

When you post sporadically, the algorithm has no data on you. When you post every day at the same time, you build a data history. The algorithm learns who interacts with you and when.

This is where a tool like Broadr helps. It doesn't magically fix bad content, but it removes the friction of consistency. You can ensure you show up every single day without having to manually hit "post."

The Hard Truth

Blaming the algorithm is a defense mechanism. It’s easier to say "tech is broken" than "my writing needs work."

The next time your post flops, don't look at the platform updates. Look at your hook. Look at your value prop. Look at your previous replies.

Control what you can control. The algorithm will follow.