If you’ve noticed a sudden drop in views on your Reels, you’re not alone. Many content creators have been reporting significant declines in Reels engagement over the past few months. There are a few potential reasons why your Reels views may have decreased.
Algorithm Changes
One of the most common culprits behind dropping Reels views is algorithm updates. Like any social media platform, Instagram’s algorithm is constantly evolving in an effort to show users the most relevant and engaging content. When major algorithm changes roll out, it can cause significant fluctuations in reach and engagement on Reels.
For example, in July 2022 Instagram updated their algorithm to prioritize original creator content over reposted material. Many users who heavily relied on reposting viral videos suddenly saw their views tank. Instagram has said its goal is to value “originality rather than overposting multiple versions of the same content.” So if you’re heavily reusing sounds, effects and meme formats, a dip in views could indicate the algorithm has demoted your content.
Increased Competition
As Reels continue to gain popularity, more and more creators are jumping on the trend. This means more competition for views, likes and shares. If the niche you create Reels in has become oversaturated, it can be difficult to stand out among the crowd. Views will spread out among a growing pool of accounts posting similar content.
You may need to reassess your content strategy and identify ways to differentiate yourself through more unique, engaging Reels. Focus on developing your own signature style or expanding into new, less competitive niches in order to revive growth.
Quality Over Quantity
Are you prioritizing quantity over quality when it comes to your Reels? While flooding your feed with a high volume of posts can sometimes lead to decent views, the algorithm seems to be favoring quality more and more.
If you’re churning out mediocre Reels just to increase your post count, that could actually be damaging your performance. Try spending more time crafting fewer, high-quality Reels that will genuinely resonate with your audience. Pay attention to current trends and consumer interests. Creative, on-trend content still has the best chance of taking off.
Niche Changes
Has interest in your niche declined recently? Even the most popular Reels themes go through peaks and valleys. Certain sounds, effects, topics or challenges will burn bright then fade. If you fail to adapt your content to the shifting niche landscape, your views can plummet.
For example, transition-style Reels were hugely popular for a while, but have cooled off. Dance and comedy Reels seem to be dominating the landscape now. Research what’s currently performing well in your niche and adjust your Reels strategy accordingly.
Reach Drops
Sudden unfollows or declines in your overall account reach can quickly tank Reels views. Even a minor dip in your follower count can significantly lower the potential audience for each Reel you post.
Audit your overall Instagram growth strategy to ensure you’re gaining more new followers than losing existing ones each week. Posting consistently, optimizing your profile, engaging your audience and running promotions can help stabilize and increase your reach.
Shadowbanning
In rare cases, a significant drop in Reels views could indicate your account has been shadowbanned by Instagram. This means the platform has “soft” banned your account by severely limiting its reach and discoverability.
Shadowbans typically happen due to violations of Instagram’s community guidelines. Things like excessive tagging, botting or buying fake engagement can trigger shadowban restrictions. If your views dropped sharply without explanation, double check you haven’t engaged in any policy-violating behaviors.
Appealing the shadowban is possible, but avoiding Terms of Service violations is the only surefire way to prevent restrictions.
Testing Phase Ended
Did your Reels recently graduate from Instagram’s “testing” phase? When a Reel is first posted, it goes through a small-scale testing period where Instagram evaluates its performance and determines whether to push it out more widely.
If your Reel fails to resonate during the initial test, Instagram will limit its visibility moving forward. So a Reel that seemed to perform well at first may see views drop off once the testing period ends. Not every Reel will manage to succeed beyond its initial test run.
Lost Instagram Push
Scoring an Instagram push is like winning the Reels lottery. This means the platform manually promoted one of your Reels, sending it out to a wide audience on the Explore page and your followers’ feeds. But Instagram push is temporary. Once the manual promotion ends, views can fall steeply.
Don’t panic if your once-viral Instagram-pushed Reel sees its views tank after a few days. This is a normal result of losing the platform’s promotional spotlight. Focus on replicating the success by studying what caused your Reel to resonate and applying those lessons to your next posts.
Fatigued Audience
Is your content and style becoming repetitive and fatiguing your audience? Viewers’ attention spans are short, especially on apps like Instagram. If you keep producing similar Reels that fail to surprise and delight, people will tune out.
Try new formats, effects, sounds, angles and topics to keep your audience engaged. Always bring your creative A-game. If something isn’t landing, move on and experiment with something fresh.
Poor Watch Time
Are people only watching your Reels for a few seconds before scrolling away? Short average watch times can tank a Reel’s ongoing visibility. Even if you score decent initial views, Instagram will stop pushing Reels that fail to retain audience attention.
Study your analytics to determine where dropoff happens and tighten up your editing. Frontload the hook, action and entertainment while cutting any slow sections that cause people to lose interest. Quick cuts, text overlaying and trending sounds can boost watch time.
Seasonal Slowdown
Views across many niches tend to dip at predictable times each year. For instance, fitness Reels often see a slump around the holidays as people’s schedules get busier. Fashion and beauty Reels slow down in the summer months. Prime travel season in early fall means fewer people online to watch Reels.
Look for cyclical patterns and seasonality in your niche so you can anticipate periodic ebbs and flows in engagement. Don’t panic if your views reliably drop at certain times – just focus on quality over quantity until interest picks back up.
Intentional Throttling
Occasionally, an Instagram update will intentionally “throttle” accounts that have been growing quickly, essentially suppressing their reach. This is done to ensure the platform’s infrastructure remains stable as new accounts and features scale up.
If your growth has skyrocketed lately, a throttling could result in an abrupt views drop while Instagram works to manage site capacity and integrity. Don’t take it as punishment – it’s just a temporary limitation until your account is more established on the platform.
Banned Hashtags
Are you using hashtags that have been banned or restricted by Instagram? The platform routinely updates its list of prohibited hashtags being used to spread misinformation, hate speech, inappropriate content and more. Using these tags can tank your reach.
Search recent posts to make sure your hashtags are still allowed and performing well. Switch out any banned tags for more relevant, safer alternatives.
Conclusion
Reels views can fluctuate for many reasons outside your control, like algorithm shake-ups and competition increases. But in many cases, drops come down to fixable issues with content, strategy and audience growth. By following the latest best practices for making engaging Reels, optimizing your Instagram profile and analyzing performance data, you can regain lost momentum and views.
Here is a summary of the key points:
- Algorithm changes constantly impact Reels views
- Increased competition means more Reels fighting for views
- Prioritize quality over quantity when creating Reels
- Adapt your content to shifting trends and niche interests
- Build a solid overall Instagram growth strategy
- Avoid behaviors that could trigger shadowbans
- Losing Instagram push or testing phase can decrease views
- Keep your audience interested with fresh, novel Reels
- Improve watch time by optimizing editing and pacing
- Expect seasonal dips in engagement
- Temporary throttling can limit views on fast-growing accounts
- Avoid using banned hashtags
Staying ahead of the Instagram algorithm’s constant evolution is challenging. But taking a strategic, data-driven approach to creating Reels gives you the best chance of maintaining strong viewer engagement over time. Test new ideas, watch your metrics closely and keep innovating.