I could use some advice. Lately, it feels like the harder I try, the less I’m getting back. I spend almost all my free time posting on Reddit, but barely anyone clicks my links or even checks out my profile. My Instagram reels average 100–200 views, and even though I get good views on YouTube, no one clicks through there either. I always include calls to action, but it feels like I’m just shouting into the void.
Even when I gain a new follower, they don’t engage at all – it’s like they’re bots. Most of the interaction I get on OF is from my long-time regulars. I’ve noticed since early April that engagement has dropped across the board – fewer likes, less poll participation, and barely any new conversations. Yet oddly, my percentage ranking and conversion rate haven’t changed, which makes this even more confusing.
It’s frustrating and honestly disheartening. I even took time off from my regular job to give this my full attention, but nothing has improved. Is anyone else experiencing this kind of drop in interaction and results despite putting in more effort?
Let me share what I’ve learned from my journey – I’ve been doing this for about a year and a half. I’ve tested promoting on Instagram, TikTok, X, and Reddit using tracking links to see where my subs were coming from. I even took a break from Reddit for about three months just to see what would happen.
Here’s what I’ve found: I got a lot of subs from Instagram and TikTok, but those platforms have really strict AI moderation, and the subs I got from there rarely turned into paying fans. Most of the people who say they go viral on those platforms? Honestly, they’re likely exaggerating or not being entirely truthful, so don’t stress over view counts.
Reddit has been the most effective for me when it comes to actual paying subs. I post in niche subreddits and ones specifically for OF. I don’t get tons of upvotes, and that’s okay. A lot of big upvote numbers come from bots anyway. Still, I consistently get 50–100 new subs per week from Reddit, and even though only a portion of them convert to paying fans, that small percentage is what brings in real income.
It took me a few months to figure out what works, but with consistency and effort, it does pay off. Keep going, you’ve got this!
Same here. I’ve been putting in so much effort. I even made a second account just to help with promotion, but nothing seems to be working. I’ve tried advertising on Twitter and Instagram, but all I ever get are spam messages offering paid promos.
I’ve also tried using X and Bluesky, but in my experience, they’re flooded with agency accounts. It’s tough to get real engagement from actual people instead of all those ‘paid promo for success’ scams. I know some creators have found genuine audiences there, but personally, it just hasn’t worked for me.