Shorts views dropped 80% after posting 3x/day – is the algorithm punishing me?

I've seen this exact pattern happen to several channels I've consulted for. It's not a spam filter – it's more likely that your increased frequency is causing your audience to split their attention, and the algorithm is testing your content with a smaller initial pool. When you post 3x/day, each Short gets less time to accumulate watch time and engagement before the next one is pushed out. This can lead to lower CTR and retention, which signals to the algorithm that your content isn't as strong, so it stops recommending it as widely.

My advice: scale back to 1 high-quality Short per day for at least 2 weeks. Focus on making sure each video has a strong hook in the first 2 seconds and a clear retention pattern. Also, check your analytics – look at 'Viewed vs swiped away' percentage. If it's below 70%, that's a red flag. Sometimes taking a 3-4 day break entirely can help reset the algorithm's perception of your channel, but only if you come back with a bang.

Don't panic – this is recoverable. I've seen channels bounce back stronger after a strategic pause.

Thanks, that makes a lot of sense! I checked my 'swiped away' rate and it's around 75%, so not terrible, but I see your point about the split attention. I'm going to cut back to one Short per day starting tomorrow and also try to improve my hooks – I think I've been too repetitive with my openings. I'll also do a little research on what's trending in my niche to make sure I'm not missing the mark.

I really appreciate the advice – I was about to delete my channel in frustration! I'll update this thread in a couple weeks with my results. Thanks again!