Are you talking about in the payout or the amount of engagement or feedback? Payouts are inherently a crapshoot, because there's still only a relatively small number of people with a significant vote (about 10,000 users with a vote of 10c or more, 2,000 with a vote of $1 or more). If your post doesn't get in front of the eyes of those specific people, then it misses a decent payout, and that could just be pure chance.
Payout more so. I know its a bit of pot luck sometimes. Naturally I try to increase my chances by posting regular consistent content, original work, and hopefully what some people would think of as high quality work. I don't mind the feedback side too much as this isnt really a photography site so I can't expect much there. Its simply not the forum for it which is totally understandable.