Introducing a New Dimension to Story Promotion: The Boost for Top Stories
In response to the input from our valued community and with the validation of our human curators, Medium is thrilled to present an innovative enhancement known as the “Boost” for Medium stories. As of today, select authors may notice a special notification within their story statistics page and inbox, indicating that their work has been chosen for the Boost feature.
The fundamental aspiration behind introducing Boost is to extend a much-needed opportunity to authors who are deeply passionate about sharing their ideas, insights, and knowledge. Medium firmly believes that authors should not be compelled to cultivate their own audiences or construct elaborate mailing lists just to disseminate their perspectives. It is recognized that some of the most compelling and insightful narratives emanate from individuals who are not necessarily interested in the mechanics of audience-building. This reality becomes even more pronounced in the evolving landscape of the creator economy, where the focus is often placed on those who possess audience cultivation skills. The aim, therefore, is to unearth remarkable individual stories, irrespective of their authorship, and provide them with an expansive platform to reach a broader readership.
While Medium has already employed various avenues for boosting stories, including recommendation algorithms, tags, newsletters, and publications, the new Boost represents a substantial leap forward in this regard.
At present, the term “Boost” serves as the umbrella descriptor for this enhancement. However, it’s worth noting that additional mechanisms for enhancing story visibility are in the pipeline, particularly with regard to evergreen and seminal stories. Consequently, the Boost we are unveiling can be seen as the apex boost, deserving of the capital letter ‘B’.
The Process Unveiled: Three Pillars of Boosted Story Selection
Community Curation:
Medium is embracing a harmonious amalgamation of the creator and curator economies. This involves collaboration with 15 publication editors, who are aptly referred to as community curators. These curators hold the role of submitting potential story recommendations for the Boost. As part of our ongoing commitment, we plan to expand this collaborative network to include additional publication editors, thereby broadening the scope of story curation. It’s imperative to acknowledge that this expansion will take time, but we are dedicated to this endeavor. For publication editors interested in participating in this ramp-up phase, we invite you to express your interest by filling out a designated form. We are committed to compensating these curators based on their successful nominations, thereby recognizing their instrumental role in shaping the Boost landscape.
Internal Curation Team:
A critical facet of the Boost mechanism is the involvement of Medium’s internal curation team. These human curators play a pivotal role in assessing and confirming the story suggestions brought forth by the community curators. The objective here is to ensure adherence to our rigorous distribution standards, maintaining a high bar for stories that are eligible for the Boost. These standards are crafted to highlight stories that are constructive, original, penned from firsthand experience, meticulously crafted, and unforgettable. As part of our transparency, we have outlined the specifics of these standards, which can be accessed via the official link.
Algorithmic Contribution:
Medium’s recommendation algorithm continues to be a bedrock of story distribution across the platform. However, the Boost mechanism introduces a subtle but significant recalibration of the algorithm’s role. Traditionally, the algorithm has been weighted in favor of engagement metrics. While engagement is undoubtedly important, it doesn’t always align with the goal of providing deeply satisfying reading experiences. This is where the Boost mechanism steps in. For stories that receive the Boost, the algorithm takes on a secondary role, facilitating a symbiotic relationship between human-curated content and reader preferences. In essence, the algorithm acts as a matchmaker, connecting stories endorsed by human curators with readers who are most likely to resonate with these narratives.
An Assurance for Authors .It’s natural for authors to have questions and uncertainties in the face of such transformative enhancements. To address some of these queries, we’ve compiled a list of anticipated questions:
Inclusivity:
Every author, irrespective of their background or profile, qualifies for the Boost. The Boost mechanism is designed to provide equal opportunities for all.
Publication Not Mandatory:
While being part of a publication can offer advantages, the Boost is not confined solely to stories within publications. Editors from various publications have already been instrumental in suggesting stories for Boost from across the Medium spectrum.
Magnitude of Boost:
During the preliminary phase of the Boost, we have observed a range of view increases, spanning from 500 to an impressive 100,000 views. Our objective is to ensure that every Boosted story garners a minimum of 500 additional views within the initial week. This surge in visibility often propels a story into the spotlight, opening up its reach to an exponentially broader audience.
Curator Identity:
As for the identities of the participating publication curators, we’ve decided not to disclose this information at this juncture. This choice stems from the understanding that the role of these curators is to unearth noteworthy stories, and unveiling their identities prematurely may inadvertently restrict their efficacy. Moreover, the landscape of participating curators is expected to evolve and expand over time.
Medium’s Aspirations and the Road Ahead
In essence, the impetus behind these transformative changes is twofold. Firstly, Medium aims to enrich readers’ understanding of the world by incentivizing authors to share their most profound insights and compelling ideas. Secondly, it is a conscious effort to acknowledge and amplify the voices of authors who may not be inclined towards audience cultivation but possess invaluable perspectives that merit a larger platform.
While these changes mark a significant milestone in the evolution of Medium’s storytelling ecosystem, they are by no means the conclusion of this journey. As the landscape of content creation and consumption continues to evolve, Medium remains steadfast in its commitment to fostering a vibrant community of creators and readers.
The Boost mechanism serves as a testament to Medium’s ongoing commitment to democratizing storytelling, elevating remarkable voices, and creating an environment where ideas flourish and insights resonate.
