The plateau diagnostic: 5 checks before you blame the algorithm

The plateau diagnostic: 5 checks before you blame the algorithm

"My account plateaued, the algorithm capped me." There's no cap — accounts break out at any size. A plateau is a stalled input. Diagnose:

— Has your avg watch time flatlined? That's the real ceiling, not a cap.
— Are you posting the same hook structure on repeat? The test pool habituates.
— Did your share rate drop while views held? Reach is about to follow.
— New-vs-returning viewer split shifting toward returning? You stopped reaching strangers.
— Are you A/B testing anything, or just shipping?

Plateaus are habituation, not punishment. The fix is variance in the variable that moved you up: the hook.