Why People Are Scrolling Past Your Posts (And How to Fix It)

You’re showing up and posting, only to find your posts feel like a shout in the wind.

Engagement across social media, blogs, and online arenas are down in general. Paid ads and over-commercialization are taking over organic leads.

What does this mean? Organic leads are still possible, but it requires more strategy and specificity.

If your Tiktok dance reels are pulling in a lot of viewers but none of them are converting, is it really helping your business? Is over-selling and promising that “I made six-figures in a month with THIS passive income strategy. You can too!” really helping anyone?

It’s like saying you can buy a unicorn from someone and sell it’s individual, rainbow luminescent hairs for the low, low price of $2 a pop and never have to work again. These days, people can see straight through too-good-to-be true marketing “strategies.”

So unicorns aside… you might be asking, “How can I make my content marketing strategy work? How can I turn it around?” Let’s find out.

1. Pretty Posts Aren’t It (At least, not all of it)

The problem:
So you’re sitting there with your perfect, hand-crafted Canva design. It pops, has bold, brand-aligning colors, beautiful font, and great symmetry. All the things you’ve seen that you think makes a post “professional”. You click post. And then… crickets.

Fix it:
Okay, the design is good. But what does your post actually say? Let’s pretend you’re a career coach looking for clients who are in the middle of a career transition. What’s going to connect? Your post saying “new clients get a free 30-minute Zoom conference with me!” isn’t going to do it.

Saying something like, “I suffered from imposter syndrome for years. Here’s how I started owning what I was worth” is relatable and gives potential clients a reason to click, because they want to know how you did so they can do it too.

Tip: Use phrases like “Here’s how I started my own life coaching business” or “This is the message I needed 6 months ago” to encourage curiosity.

2. You’re Posting for the Algorithm, Not for People

The problem:
What’s the social media algorithm? The ever elusive algorithm is something that never seems to get pinned down. If it does, it changes before it’s of any use to anyone. And anyway, even if you do solve the algorithm, your post might make it front of a big audience, but will it be the right one? Will it be people who care about what you’re saying?

Fix it:
Stop worrying about impressions and clicks. Write for people who might really want your service, your product, or the expertise you have. It’s not about creating for the thousands but for the one person who might just be your next big client. What do they want?

3. Are You Starting a Conversation?

The problem:
People might engage with your content for 30 seconds and genuinely enjoy your carousel, post, or video, but what opportunities are you giving them to talk to you and stick around? People want to feel heard. They want to know that their problems, their life, their story matters to you.

Fix it:
Ask them to share their own experience in the comments or DM you and if they do, make sure you first listen, then respond.

In my previous career, I was a teacher and a behavior technician, which means I was always listening to other people’s problems to get them a solution. It trained me to hear the problem first, then present a relevant solution. Sometimes, just listening is a greater art form than being a great speaker or salesperson.

4. Perseverance Prevails

The problem:
We’ve all seen it. A friend, a family member, or even someone we came across online started a new project and, after not seeing the results they wanted, they give up within months. The problem is the search for immediate gratification. Everyone wants it, everyone’s “selling” it, but it’s not real or even attainable.

Fix it:
Play the long game. A lot of freelancers, business owners, or writers quit because they’re not seeing immediate results. They wanted and expected success today. By not giving up, you’re already ahead of the 95% of people who already did.

5. You’re Focusing Only on Promotion, Not Connection

The problem:
Every post is “Buy this,” “Book now,” “Here’s my offer.” But here’s the thing. People aren’t using social media or any online forum to be sold to. They’re using social media as a search engine. And the search results they get? They can take them or leave them. It’s not like a TV commercial that holds you captive until your show comes back on. If it’s not interesting, they’ll skip it. And who can blame them?

Fix it:
Follow the 80/20 rule. Share 80% value-driven or relatable content, and promote 20% of the time. People want information, entertainment, and relatability. Stop the scroll. Put content in front of your audience that will make them step on the brakes!

6. Show Up For Your Business

The problem:
If you only post once in a blue moon, it sort of decreases how reliable you seem. I know if I’ve been checking out a business online, and I see they haven’t posted since last year, I might assume they’ve either closed up shop or aren’t actively looking for new clients or customers. Or they don’t care. All dangerous things for a potential client, customer, or reader to assume.

Fix it:
This is one of the reasons why hiring a social media manager or content specialist might be a good idea. It maintains consistency in your posting so if anyone starts researching your online activity to see if you’re still around or how often you’re around, they’ll know you’re still there and you still care.

That Real Engagement You’ve Been Looking For

One thing I’ve learned is you don’t have to shout louder to be heard. You just need to find the people your message is for, get it in front of them (not the masses), and then sit down and listen. When it’s your turn to talk, tell them exactly how you can help.

So, let’s talk. You start.

What’s the hardest thing about using social media or other online tools (blogs, etc.) to maintain your online presence? Time? Energy? The general overwhelm and frustration of trying to be everywhere at once?

🦉 Tired of DIY? It might be time to get it done-for-you.
✨ Let’s chat and get your content all shined up and ready to go for the month! One less thing to worry about, right?