Medium Is DEAD. And We KILLED It.
The more I stay on this platform, the less life-changing it becomes.
Before I start going into this post, I love Medium. I have contacted and found advice and support from so many wonderful people. From the people of Illumination, giving me the guidance and support to continue, to my followers. As small as it may be, writing here has given my life purpose. For that, I am grateful for this sight.
But it’s slowly becoming a sunken cost, and I will explain why.
I thought this place was once to be a platform for writers of all abilities to come together to share experiences.
Now it’s just a social media place that has a blog feature.
Most writers would wrongly say it’s quality > quantity. But I observe that’s far from the truth nowadays.
The Problem of the Algorithim
Medium supports algorithmic content. For those who don’t know, algorithmic content is content that Medium’s machine model predicts will get the most site traffic and engagement. By pushing this content, writers have an idea of what current idea is popular, and how to capitalize on it. The problem with this kind of content is that, at best, the content becomes derivative of each other. Nothing new is being said or discussed in these spaces, and people are left in relatively comfortable bubbles. At worst, it has allowed for objectively awful content that does not educate you on anything, but as a funnel for engagement and email subscriptions.
Now that certain writers have successfully manipulated the algorithm, we are in an age where algorithmic quantity is better than quality. Even that phrase has become a keyword in itself that writers use without giving much nuance or care. They say that quality over quantity, yet they post every day. Those writers are hypocrites.
For example, I will be using Eve Arnold as a case study.
I have no issue personal issue with you, and respect you as a writer. But the amount of traction this article has gained is a bad omen for the future of the site for the following reason:
I find the advice very vague about the strategy employed with starting a writing side hustle (financial resources needed, marketing tools etc.). Furthermore, it makes 2 hours sound like a small commitment, when in reality, it's a massive commitment most people can’t spare to make.
The only reason I have the time and effort to write as much as I do at this moment is because I am unemployed. And even so, I have other responsibilities I have to balance out.
To me, the whole article sounds very out of touch with reality and doesn't relate to me. But what does the algorithm think?
The algorithm thinks that because it has high reader engagement, it must be good content. Therefore, it pushes this to the front page. Which will then lead to people clicking on it, thinking it’s informative, which resets this cycle. And that was the first article on my recommended.
I’ll show you one more:
Even though this article has more detail, it still masks these strategies as simple, when it’s anything but. I find these articles, ultimately, the greatest act of insincerity a writer can do. No offense Jayden Levitt.
And it did perform really well, in terms of engagement. And marketers circle that like a moth to a flame.
Predatory Marketers.
Can I blame them?
We are in a global economic crisis, and money needs to be made. So how have marketers learned to manipulate our fears of poverty? They have invaded the place we had for artistic and academic expression; poisoning us with clickbait on “Here’s How I Made +$3000 in My First Three Months,” yet never elaborate on their specific process. For writers who have done this, I find you deplorable.
Don’t feign ignorance; you are preying on people’s vulnerability. Now this platform has become similar to Twitter in the worst possible way. People have to maintain constant engagement to gain relevance. The quality of the product is not important. Hence why it saddens me that genuinely amazing content has zero engagement.
I thought of linking one, but God, there’s so many to count. I’ll compile a list of reads I found informative in the future.
But slop content now dominates this place. And that infuriates me.
You know what’s the most fucked up part of this?
This is Our Fault.
Our behaviour determines the algorithm. Marketers continue with their slop because we fall for it. Long-form, engaging content doesn’t work because we can’t focus for longer than 5 minutes (When was the last time you read a book?).
This is our fault, guys.
Our time and attention are our most precious commodity, and we have cheapned it. We can’t blame anyone else but ourselves for this happening to this site.
We lost sight of the art, and focused on what’s easy to digest. We have failed as writers. But not all hope is lost.
Solution
So how can we fix this?
- Fix your feed, and unfollow any writers that produce content that is clearly supports the algorithm. They care only about viewers, not the art. This will cause a change in your feed, and bring out content that reflects who you truly are.
- Follow creators that provide substance to your life and teach you skills or expand on your knowledge. Rather than give truisms and vague advice. Be deliberate with who you follow. Just because people ask you doesn’t mean you have to. Remember, you dictate the market.
- If you plan on writing, find what gives you passion and believe that you will not release anything if it doesn’t feel good to write. Readers can tell this, trust me. Don’t be afraid of being yourself, even your ugly side is prettier than boring.
I came to this revelation when I posted my Bojack Horseman post. Give it a read, I loved writing this one.
This piece took me 2 weeks and £60 ($76) for editing and acquiring rights to images. The guys at Illumination, especially Aiden (Owner of Illumination Gaming), batted for me for this post to get boosted. Here’s the story he did, follow him and say thank you!
I knew it was better than most posts — not perfect, but worthy of algorithmic preferencing. But I was crestfallen when I found that it didn’t even get considered.
That’s when I had three options:
- Give up with Medium.
- Try my hardest to get boosted in the algorithm.
- Go on my own path, and find success there.
I plan to expand my platform to Substack. This way, I have more control over who sees my content across the Internet.
Furthermore, I plan to host a blog in the future. I have a dream to make this a lifestyle rather than a small time hobby. I’ve got a Wordpress space, I just have no idea what I am doing.
So, does that mean I am done with Medium?
No.
I hope to continue Medium, as its tools are powerful for writers, and the people here are bloody amazing.
But something has to change, or else people will find other mediums.
