Are you doing a happy dance over one viral post while completely ignoring the ten duds you posted that same week?
I heard this saying last week that almost made me spit out my coffee:
Oof.
Right in the guts.
It got me thinking about how we celebrate those random content wins like we just cracked the code to social media success.
That one post that actually got decent engagement, a few shares, maybe even some new followers who aren’t trying to sell you crypto.
(Thanks, but please just STOP.)
You’re on cloud nine thinking “I’ve got this figured out!”
Then you try to recreate that magic and… nothing.
Not even your mom likes it.
Yikes.
Now you’re sitting there like “Was that just a fluke? Did the algorithm randomly smile upon me for five minutes?”
The Content Guessing Game (AKA Throwing Spaghetti at the Wall)
Here’s what usually happens: You post something and it takes off.
Maybe it gets shared, comments start rolling in, or you actually get a few new followers who seem like real humans.
You’re doing your victory dance in the kitchen in your PJs and coffee.
You think “I’ve cracked the code!”
So you try to recreate that magic.
You post something kinda similar and… nothing.
Maybe your neighbor’s dog account likes it…if you’re really lucky.
Now you’re confused and maybe a little frustrated.
Was the first post just a fluke?
Did you accidentally hit some magical combination of words?
Is the algorithm just playing favorites this week?
The real problem? You’re celebrating the wins without understanding the epic fails.
Most of us can tell you exactly which posts knocked it out of the park, but we have zero clue why our other content fell flat
We’re operating on hope and crossed fingers instead of actual strategy.
Imagine baking a cake that turns out amazing, but you can’t remember if you used more or less salt.
Or was it sugar…
Good luck making another one that doesn’t taste like cardboard.
My Own Content Reality Check
I’m totally guilty of this too.
I used to post a mix of everything.
Behind-the-scenes stuff, industry tips, inspirational quotes (ugh, I know I know), random thoughts, and whatever seemed like a good idea after my third cup of coffee.
Some posts would do great.
Others felt like I was wearing an invisibility cloak.
“I don’t get it,” I’d mutter while stress-eating cookies with yet another cup of coffee. “I put the same effort into every post, but the results are all over the place. What am I doing wrong?”
So I finally did something most of us never do.
I analyzed my failures instead of just celebrating my wins.
I went through months of my content and sorted everything into two piles: posts that worked and posts that flopped.
Then I looked for patterns.
My “Holy Toledo” moment.
My successful posts had three things in common:
And my flop posts?
Generic inspiration quotes (sorry, motivational Monday), content with no context, and tips that were way too basic for people who already knew the fundamentals.
Once I could see what wasn’t working, I finally understood what was.
I ditched the generic stuff and doubled down on problem-solving content with real stories.
The Three Content Blind Spots That’ll Make You Want to Throw Your Phone
After digging into what actually works (and what spectacularly doesn’t), I’ve noticed three major blind spots that keep us stuck in this guessing game:
Blind Spot #1: You’re tracking vanity metrics instead of what actually matters
Most of us look at likes and call it a day.
But likes don’t pay your bills, unfortunately.
Comments, shares, and saves tell you way more about whether your content is actually hitting home.
Even better?
Track what happens after someone sees your post.
- Did they visit your website?
- Sign up for your email list?
- Slide into your DMs asking about your services?
I know someone who was getting tons of likes but zero inquiries.
Turns out, their content was entertaining but not actionable.
People enjoyed scrolling past it but didn’t see them as someone who could actually solve their problems.
Blind Spot #2: You’re posting about what YOU find interesting (not what your audience actually needs)
Ouch, this one stings because we’ve all been there.
Just because you’re excited about industry news or that new productivity hack doesn’t mean your audience cares.
Your ideal clients are dealing with real problems that keep them up at night.
If your content isn’t solving those problems, answering their burning questions, or making their lives easier, it’s probably going to get the scroll-past treatment.
Blind Spot #3: You’re playing copycat with other accounts
“I saw this type of post work great for [insert successful account here], so I tried it too and it bombed. What gives?”
Well, everything gives, actually.
What works for someone else’s audience might be completely wrong for yours.
Their followers might love behind-the-scenes content while yours prefer step-by-step tutorials.
Their people might respond to humor while yours want serious, in-depth analysis.
Stop copying and start paying attention to what YOUR people actually engage with.
How to Stop Guessing and Start Actually Knowing What Works
Ready to quit the content guessing game and figure out what’s actually working (and why)? Here’s your action plan:
Do a monthly content audit (I promise it’s not as boring as it sounds)
Spend an hour looking at your last 20-30 posts.
Grab some coffee and sort them into “worked” and “didn’t work” based on engagement, website traffic, and business results (not just likes – we’ve been through this!).
Look for patterns.
- What topics got people talking?
- What format made people want to share?
- What tone seemed to hit just right?
- What consistently fell flat?
- What topics made people scroll past REALLY fast?
- What format got ignored SUPER hard?
Ask your audience directly (Wow, really?)
Yes, really!
Try asking people what they want to see.
Send a poll in your stories.
Ask a question in your newsletter.
Create a short survey.
You might just find that your audience is way more interested in behind-the-scenes business stuff than the industry tips.
Who knew?
Test one thing at a time (resist the urge to change everything at once)
Instead of overhauling your entire content strategy because one post flopped, test one variable at a time.
Try different post formats for a week.
Test posting at different times.
Experiment with different types of captions.
When you change everything all at once, you can’t tell what’s actually making the difference.
Track what happens after the post
Set up Google Analytics to see if your social media is actually driving business results.
Use UTM codes on your links to track which posts send people to your website.
Pay attention to which content leads to actual inquiries.
Engagement is nice and all, but business results are what really matter.
The Content Breakthrough Moment
Once you start identifying what doesn’t work, everything else becomes so much clearer.
You stop wasting time on content that looks pretty but gets ignored.
You stop second-guessing yourself when a post flops because you know exactly why it didn’t land.
And more importantly?
You can actually duplicate your successes because you understand what made them work in the first place.
It’s like finally understanding why that one dinner recipe always turns out amazing while the others are just… meh.
Once you know the secret ingredients (and which ones to skip), you can make delicious meals consistently.
I’ve seen this change happen over and over.
Someone realizes their audience doesn’t want generic tips.
They want to understand how decisions will specifically impact their situation.
Or they discover their people don’t want polished, perfect content.
They want real, behind-the-scenes honesty.
Once that lightbulb goes off, content creation becomes so much easier.
Instead of throwing random stuff at the wall, you’re creating content with purpose.
Instead of hoping something will work, you know it will because you understand your audience.
Your Content Reality Check
Here’s your homework: Look at your last 20 posts right now. Don’t just glance at the like counts like you’re checking the weather.
- Which ones got people actually chatting in the comments?
- Which ones sent traffic to your website?
- Which ones made people slide into your DMs asking real questions about your services?
Now look at the posts that got the cold shoulder.
- What do they have in common?
- Are they too generic?
- Off-topic for your audience?
- Missing a clear point?
- Do they sound like they were written by a robot having an existential crisis?
The goal isn’t to never create content that flops.
Even the most successful creators have posts that land with zero grace.
The goal is to understand why some content works and some doesn’t, so you can create more of what actually moves your business forward.
Because at the end of the day, content creation isn’t about collecting likes.
It’s about attracting the right people, building trust with your ideal clients, and positioning yourself as the solution to their problems.
When you know what’s not working, you can finally master what is.
Ready to stop playing content roulette and start creating stuff that actually converts?
Figure out exactly what’s working in your content and what’s sending people running for the hills.
Spot the patterns, ditch the duds, and create a content strategy that consistently attracts your ideal clients.
You’ve got this!
Grab my free Fix My Content Checklist – it walks you through exactly how to audit your content, spot the patterns between your wins and flops, and fix the stuff that’s been falling flat. No more guessing why some posts take off while others crash and burn.
