How To Succeed on Medium in 2024 by Not Betraying Yourself
Clickbaity title for those who think it’s the only way
When I first came across an article with the title “Wow! This Is How Much Money I Made on My First Month on Medium”, I clicked. Yes, I did.
I quickly realized it didn’t have anything valuable to say. Just the old case of “Selling a book “How to Become a Millionaire” to million people for a 1$”. No judgment. There is a type of people who love hacking algorithms and searching for the quickest ways to make money. They are having fun playing short-term games. They are not here to make friends. Let them.
But then I noticed one of the authors I follow, who usually writes really interesting stuff, posting the “This is How Much Money I Made” article. I clicked. “He has to have something valuable to say”, I thought. Only, to my horror, to realize- he didn’t. That was a clickbait.
What I did notice, though, was how he started the article by saying that his real niche, his passion is this other topic but he does not get too many views with those. I could feel his heart aching behind those words. And my empathy was the only reason I didn’t unfollow him.
But here is the thing. You are not abusing the machine when you fish for clicks. It is not a robot that will click on your title and forget about it. You are betraying your reader, your reputation, and your writer’s soul, if I may.
Who are the most successful
When chasing success, it’s important to know what it looks like for you. What are your long-term goals and what do you want to be known by?
Usually, people measure success long-term, as a solid foundation they can rely on to keep building on.
When you are thinking about how success looks like on Medium, what comes to your mind?
Do you think about the recognition and follower count?
Do you think about the trustworthy value you are bringing to your reader?
The biggest earners on Medium are the ones with the communities, with followers who eagerly click on every new piece they post. Those are people who stick to their guts. They know their added value, their strengths, and their authentic style.
Could you imagine them posting a vague clickbait and showing a middle finger to their community just to collect some extra dollars?
The awkwardness of trend-following
In my professional life, I consult and help create authentic content strategies for small entrepreneurs.
I had this one client, a man in his 40s, who was creating a car rental service. In our first meeting, while discussing what we were going to build the content strategy on, he told me: “ But I would rather not dance in reels on IG.”
At first, I laughed but then I saw how serious he was. He seemed relieved when I assured him that he does not and never will need to dance in reels if it is not something he feels is a genuine part of himself. He said it was not and we moved on.
But I couldn’t stop thinking of how people perceive information and how quickly they lose themselves if they feel they don’t understand the platform.
It reminded me of my 10-year-old self when I visited the Catholic Church with my grandmother. I was sitting stiff and stressed because I felt there were so many rules and expectations that I could not possibly do right by relying on my judgment. I was literally imitating everything that others were doing with a straight face and hoping I was doing it right.
On social platforms, it happens a lot. People are trying to mimic and duplicate what they see to fit in. They follow trends, they choose colors, words, and postures that they have seen others doing.
But it is not a church.
The most successful people on social media are the ones who stay authentic. Period.
Summary
How to succeed on Medium by not betraying yourself and your readers:
- Get ready for the long-term game.
- Build your community and make sure you bring them value.
- Stay true to your guts. Write about the things you feel to the bone and do it in a manner that comes naturally to you.
- Avoid clickbaity trends at all costs.
- Keep on writing. The readers will come, and the money will follow. You will get better and better.
And if you feel you need a tiny bit more inspiration today, here is something I want you to read:
I wish you a very happy and successful 2024! I hope you thrive in your beautiful authentic self!
I would be happy to hear your thoughts on this. Let's meet in the comment section!
Love,
Kristine
