u/CommercialMatch5183

Some creators spend years building genuine knowledge or talent, while others grow fast mainly because they understand trends, presentation, and audience psychology. On social media, attention often wins over expertise. Do you think modern platforms reward actual skill or just the ability to stay visible?

No warning. No strikes. No explanation.

First my reach dropped 90% overnight. Thought it was a glitch. Kept posting. Kept engaging. Nothing changed.

Then the account got restricted. Appeals went nowhere. Every response was automated.

What hurt the most wasn't losing the followers. It was realizing I had spent 3 years building on land I didn't own.

We grew up with social media as a place to hang out and share life. Now it feels crowded, stressful, and more about keeping up than connecting.

Is it burnout? Or just the natural shift as we get older and priorities change?

What made you stick around - or decide to step back?

Feels like everyone is focused on reels for Instagram growth, but I’ve noticed some creators quietly getting better engagement from carousels lately. The weird part is that carousel posts seem to bring more saves and actual discussion even if the reach numbers are smaller. I’m wondering if people are sleeping on them because reels get more attention publicly. Have any of you seen better audience quality or follower conversion from carousels compared to reels recently, or is reels still dominating for most creators?