Q: Is there a pre-post checklist that catches the dumb mistakes costing me reach?

Short answer: yes — run these 6 every single time.

Longer answer:
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First frame readable on mute, with a clear visual hook?
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No competitor-platform watermark or UI?
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Caption has one searchable keyword + a hook line?
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Audio still trending TODAY (re-check, sounds die fast)?
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Text not blocked by the UI's bottom/right safe zones?
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Posting inside your proven time window?

Verdict: most lost reach isn't strategy, it's preventable misses — a covered caption, a dead sound, a watermark. A 60-second checklist before you hit post saves more views than any algorithm hack. Tape it above your desk and actually use it.