Algorithmic Anxiety is Real
If you think it’s just you, you are not alone. Substack’s Algorithm is like the teacher who fails most of the class.
Why did you join Substack? 90% of us would probably say (a) to create work in your voice, (b) to share experiences, and (c) connect with others. The Substack algorithm is killing this vibe and causing writers to change their behavior. By frequently changing the requirements for visibility, writers are under more pressure than ever to generate content at a faster rate than before. Substack’s algorithm is starting to drive performative behavior. When you think you’re in a good place, it shifts, and whatever progress you’ve made now remains stagnant. It puts every writer in an impossible position - do you play the game and chase the algorithm, or do you stay authentic and trust the process? And why should we even have to choose? It is frustrating, it’s causing me undue stress and increased anxiety. I’m sure many of you are as infuriated as I am. It’s like you just can’t keep up. It almost feels like you’re being set up for failure.
When I first started, the appeal of Substack was its simplistic and peaceful presence in the social media space. I even posted a few notes proclaiming my love. But lately, I’ve been writing long posts calling out things that are starting to disturb me on this platform. Perhaps the honeymoon phase is over.
There are accounts dedicated to figuring out the algorithm and its next move. This information is then shared, and most people shift their behavior. We’re becoming slaves to AI-driven data analytics.
A few months ago, I appeared on a radio show where Substack was the topic of discussion. Substack does not want to be left behind, and monetization is key; therefore, the larger your paid subscription base, the more favorable the outcome for you. The way the algorithm rewards is causing people to change their behavior. Producing content for its own sake is becoming the norm. The content is being generated with AI, and it’s starting to feel homogenized. Rules are being shared post 5 times, 10 times even. Notes are being scheduled, and what used to be spontaneous is now preplanned. Engagement is being encouraged, but this is also causing stress. When someone generates 500% more content than before, engagement needs to increase in direct proportion. So now we’re working five times as hard to keep up with our audience. We all want visibility; we all want to grow. But what are we sacrificing for growth? What are we compromising in order to meet an algorithmic deadline?
It’s like when you were in school, and you know you shouldn’t compare grades, but you do anyway. You’re at a C- and you’re wondering how the kid that sits in front of you is pulling a solid A. You’re working just as hard, but every time you feel like you’ve finally achieved, there’s always someone else bragging about something.
Six plus months on Substack and one very lucky viral post have given me a boost. But to say it’s been easy would be a lie. I’ve worked for each subscriber by staying true to my voice, writing when it felt right, staying silent when it didn’t, and trusting that authenticity would carry me further than any strategy ever could.
The reality is that if you want to grow on Substack, it seems you have to figure out how to make the algorithm work for you. But what happens when you can’t? What happens when you’ve been showing up, writing from the heart, building something real, and then everything just stops?
My subscriber count came to a screeching halt in May, and I’m left not knowing what to believe anymore. Was my growth real, or was I just in the algorithm’s good graces for a while? That’s the most infuriating part. I’m angry. I’m stressed. And I genuinely don’t know if the work I’m putting in is making a difference. But it’s never been my style to change who I am to fit it, so I guess I’ll just have to continue being me and wait to see.
If you’re feeling the same way, you are not alone.
Are you experiencing this? Has your subscriber count come to a screeching halt? I’d genuinely love to know.
I don’t really have much of a subscriber base yet, but like you, I will continue to be me.
I've only been on Substack a few months now. I had a note go viral in April which gave me a huge jump. (I had 12 subscribers at the start of April and I grew to almost 1200 by the end of April.) That seemed like an unrealistic amount of growth, so I imagine I just got lucky with the algorithm. I've lost a few over May, but I can say that May has been very very slow. I also feel like there's just less activity in my feed, so really not sure what to think. My Substack is called, The Authentic Voice, and I will always stay true to that. I refuse to play games to try to "win" at the algorithm. I prefer to believe that if I create good content, my readers will find me.