I’ve Decided To Make Some of My Articles Free. I’ll Tell You Why.
And what strategy I’m applying.
I’ve been writing weekly on the Medium platform since November 2023. I signed up to share my knowledge and experience.
I love writing, it’s an exhale, a break in my already busy life.
I’m a product owner and now a product manager, in the specific field of system design.
I have 25 years of professional experience to share with you.
What’s more, I’m neurodivergent, and I totally embrace my difference.
I love putting on paper what’s on my mind.
Following a structure appeals to me, storytelling to me. Discovering that my articles are read or Boosted gives me the satisfaction of a job well done.
But now it’s July 19, 2024, I’m working on an online training course and I’ve just been promoted to product manager.
I’m running out of time.
And I note with a touch of sadness that my articles are no longer of interest. Or at least, no longer Boosted. I haven’t changed my writing style, and I still spend as much time editing and reworking my articles as before.
On average, I complete an article (writing + editing) in 6 hours.
6 hours for an unread article…
It’s probably because my subjects aren’t as interesting as they used to be.
But these topics are what I experience.
It’s my experience that I share, and I won’t apologize if they only appeal to a handful of people.
This reflection has led me to change the way I make my articles available.
It’s also prompted me to ask myself a question:
Why keep paying articles that aren’t read? And earn nothing.
Let me give you an example:
If we take the first one at the top of the list, the one that earns the least, and which dates back several months:
It’s an interview with one of the founders of a great product!
We chatted for over one hour, and Cédric told me all about the marketing strategy he’d put in place to get his product off the ground.
And his product works!
I can’t believe that sharing this valuable information, this feedback, wouldn’t be of interest to anyone!
The article hasn’t been Boosted, and nobody’s reading it. And yet schools, specialized magazines and event organizers would be willing to pay to hear Cédric share his knowledge.
I honestly don’t get it. And I strongly question the creation of my article.
What did I miss to make this article so lame?
This observation has led me to rethink my article distribution strategy.
I’m thinking of making some of my articles free, and keeping others paid for.
I’ve made a list with examples of articles I could make free and articles I could make paid.
This list will be displayed in my home page, so all readers will know whether the articles are free or not.
Why does this sound like a good idea?
Well, I realize that everything is becoming paid for, everything is becoming expensive, and the quality is no longer there. I’m the first to complain and get offended when I have to pay for content, articles and services that aren’t up to scratch.
I’m not interested in publishing content that isn’t read just because it’s paid for. It’s in this reflection that I’m forging my conviction, and testing this new positioning.
Sincerely, I’d be interested to know what you think, you who have subscribed to my Medium account.
Do you think the content is high enough quality to pay for it? Or would you prefer to find content that’s free but more regular, and therefore perhaps with less quality?
In fact, let me know if you think this is a step in the right direction.
I’m a product owner and neuro-atypical, so I might as well tell you that the framework is important to me.
In fact, apart from a badly framed project, here’s how I work.
I create work methods to help beginner product owners get their feet wet:
The VOILA method will be available in the autumn, you can join the waiting list now: I’m signing up
You can also contact me on Linkedin
