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- The algorithm isn’t broken. You are.
The algorithm isn’t broken. You are.
Why you can't grow and how to force your way into growth.
Kevin Szabo
January 11, 2026
In partnership with
The X algorithm isn’t broken. Your approach might be.
It’s easy to blame the algorithm.
Reach is down.
Posts feel invisible.
Replies don’t move the needle like they used to.
So the conclusion becomes simple.
“X is broken.”
But most of the time, that’s not the real issue.
The platform has changed, yes.
Distribution feels inconsistent, yes.
Still, the biggest limiter for most accounts isn’t the algorithm.
It’s how they’re posting and participating.
The algorithm isn’t confused. It’s selective.
X doesn’t struggle to understand content.
It struggles to decide what’s worth extending.
When posts feel repetitive, rushed, or disconnected from real conversation, they stall.
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Not because the system is broken.
But because nothing signals depth or intent.
The platform is designed to surface content that creates interaction, not noise.
That distinction matters.
Posting more doesn’t fix unclear writing
A common reaction to low reach is volume.
More posts.
More replies.
More activity.
But volume without intention usually backfires.
If you’re pasting the same thought in different words every day, the system notices.
If your replies add nothing new, people notice too.
More output doesn’t equal more clarity.
Often, it just creates fatigue.
There’s a difference between participation and spamming
Replying is valuable.
Being present matters.
But there’s a line.
Thoughtful replies expand conversations.
Spam replies dilute them.
When replies feel rushed, generic, or disconnected, they don’t build recognition.
They create friction.
The platform doesn’t reward constant noise.
It rewards meaningful contribution.
Why pasting matters more than posting
Most writers focus on what they publish.
Fewer focus on how it lands.
Pacing matters.
Posting every day without letting ideas breathe can work against you.
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Strong posts need time to circulate.
Conversations need space to develop.
When you paste too aggressively, nothing has room to grow.
It’s not that the content is bad.
It’s that everything is happening too fast to register.
Better writing beats more writing
Improvement on X rarely comes from doing more.
It comes from doing better.
Clearer ideas.
More intentional posts.
Replies that actually move conversations forward.
When writing improves, engagement follows naturally.
Not because of tricks.
But because people want to respond.
The algorithm reflects behavior
X doesn’t decide outcomes in isolation.
It reacts to signals.
How people interact with your posts.
How long conversations last.
Whether replies add value or feel disposable.
If engagement is shallow, distribution stays limited.
That’s feedback, not punishment.
Why slowing down helps growth
Many accounts improve once they post less.
Fewer posts, written with more intention.
Replies that are selective, not constant.
More time spent thinking than reacting.
Slowing down improves signal quality.
And quality is easier to recognize than quantity.
Responsibility changes everything
Blaming the algorithm feels relieving.
It removes responsibility.
But it also removes control.
Once you accept that improvement is on you, progress becomes possible.
You can refine ideas.
You can pace better.
You can stop forcing presence and start earning it.
A more useful question to ask
Instead of asking, “Why isn’t this being pushed?”
Try asking:
Is this clear?
Is this necessary?
Does this add something real to the conversation?
If the answer is no, posting more won’t help.
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If the answer is yes, repetition will do its job over time.
The platform isn’t perfect, but it’s consistent
X rewards clarity, relevance, and contribution.
Not immediately.
Not evenly.
But eventually.
The writers who grow aren’t the loudest.
They’re the most intentional.
They post with purpose.
They reply with thought.
They let ideas develop instead of flooding the feed.
It’s not the algorithm versus you
It’s your habits reflected back.
Better writing fixes more than people realize.
Slow down.
Paste with intention.
Stop filling space just to feel active.
That shift does more than any complaint ever will.
