If I Were Starting From Zero on Medium, This Is What I’d Do Differently

It's been a wild ride, and I've learned a few things along the way.

At the time I’m writing this, I’m sitting at just over 1.2K followers on Medium - and I’m incredibly thankful for each and every one of them. I wouldn’t have learned the lessons I have without them, and they are what makes Medium special to me.

I’ve been a top writer in several categories multiple times, and I feel like I have a great handle on Medium’s strengths, what works there, and what doesn’t.

But I’ve taken some time to think about what I would do differently if I were starting over on the site today. If I had to start over, from scratch, knowing what I know now, this is what I would do different to build a following and start making money faster than I have up to this point.

I’d be more social.

Medium’s social features are part of what makes it great. See, Medium isn’t just a blogging platform or an impersonal online magazine.

And don’t get me wrong, it can be both of those things. But in reality, it’s so much more.

What makes Medium great is the ability to interact with other readers and writers in a way that makes Medium feel much like a social network.

When a story is published, others have the opportunity to “clap” for it or respond to it. Medium encourages those interactions, and it’s hard to overstate the importance of those features.

Today, I try to make a habit of responding to comments on my stories, and I’m more likely to reply to others’ content as well. But when I first started out, I didn’t see it as that important. I saw the social features as a cool thing, but I didn’t really understand it as one of the core features of the platform.

From a practical perspective, being social on Medium is one of the best engines for growth. Seriously. Yes, you should write great content that people will actually want to read - that’s all well and good. But you need to get your name in front of other peoples’ eyes and show them that you’re willing and able to participate in the social economy as well.

I’d research and plan better before writing anything.

One of the beautiful things about Medium is the fact that you can write about nearly anything. You can click a button to be taken to a blank page where you can start writing about anything and everything - from how your day is going to the price of cheese in Toledo.

But it’s important to make sure that whatever you write - even if it’s something short and seemingly unimportant - is high quality and provides value.

I didn’t quite get that at first. I always had this, “Eh, let’s just see how this post does” sort of perspective and didn’t really do much leg work ahead of time.

And with dumb, stupid luck that worked out a few times. But as time went on, I learned the hard way that quality is more important than quantity.

A hundred “meh” posts on Medium are still “meh” content. Right?

But twenty amazing stories on Medium are amazing content.

And there’s a big, big difference there.

Looking back at some of my earlier content, I just shake my head and think, “Wow. That was pretty terrible.”

So if I were starting over, I would take the time to map out what I was going to write ahead of time and try to be more structured with my main points. That doesn’t mean I would create a 47 page outline for a 1,000 word Medium story, but I’d at least be better about plotting out my main points first so I don’t get too off focus.

I’d brainstorm a long list of story ideas ahead of time.

I try to be somewhat consistent with my Medium writing. I don’t want too long to go too long between posts, after all. But sometimes I’ve found it difficult to find something to write about in the moment.

Sure, there have been times when I’ve just started writing with no real plan, but that doesn’t always work out. Other times I’ve sat staring at a blank screen looking for something to say.

If I had planned better, I wouldn’t have had to think of a topic 32 seconds before starting to write.

And so, I’m trying to be better about that going forward. I’ve found that planning out my content takes away a lot of the stress of content creation.

Notion has served me well for keeping track of my plans on all my devices, but there are other note taking apps out there that work great too.

If I were starting from scratch today, I would definitely spend more time in the planning phase to save myself time and frustration down the road.

I’d be more patient.

When I first started on Medium, I expected nearly instant success. Of course, if you’ve followed my content for more than a minute, you know I strongly believe (now) that that’s a foolish and shortsighted mindset.

It wasn’t until months after starting on Medium again in May of 2022 that I finally cracked $100 in a month. And it took even longer to really get the hang of things.

Over time, I’ve learned just how fickle and unstable Medium earnings and stats can be. Growth certainly isn’t fast, at times. Don’t expect to go build an audience overnight or to start making tons of money from Medium quickly.

Be patient.

That’s something that I wish I had fully grasped from the beginning. I would have had more realistic expectations.

And even still, I find myself at times amazed by sudden upticks in my stats or disappointed in seemingly inexplicable dips.

Going forward, I know that these dips and hills are normal and not something to fret over. Growth on Medium is a long game, and it takes time to really get anywhere - even if you’re writing excellent content.

Medium is a great place to write.

There’s no shortage of places to write online - and many of them pay their writers. But at the moment, Medium is one of my favorites. I love the fact that we can write about nearly anything on the platform. It’s a very open, social and inviting site, and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to create content.

Since I started writing there in earnest in May of 2022, I’ve earned thousands of dollars, been a top writer in several categories, and have learned a lot from my fellow writers and content creators.

I love it.

And I think you just might too.