5 Shockingly Simple Ways to Supercharge Your Online Writing Skills — Boost Your Views and Engagement Today!
Transform Your Online Writing and Unleash Your Inner Wordsmith with These 5 Expert Tips and Tricks — From Building an Audience to Mastering the Platform, You’ll Be a Writing Pro in No Time!
Think inside the box.
Making a living writing is harder than I thought it’d be. I figured, anyone who is articulate enough, or skillful enough, or had the drive could do it.
It turns out, people don’t want to read what you want to write. Your profound wisdom and individual struggles just aren’t as unique as you thought, and they aren’t interested in reading the same sob stories every day.
I began to research a method to improve my craft a couple months ago but was only met with meta post after meta post.
What I came to realize is, well, that’s what many people come here to consume; how-to articles aimed at writers aspiring to quickly make money on Medium.
Some people are making tens of thousands of dollars per month on this platform.
I analyzed the data as well as what I typically click on and read all the way through, and here are the most common techniques I found to be working out there.
1. Build Your Audience.
Spam everyone in your phone, and pump up your follow numbers on social. The more eyes you have on your work, the faster the dollars in your account will grow.
Internet trolls and Lost Redditors are all welcome to help increase your Member Reading Time. Drop-in a referral link to increase the numbers even further.
This principle is especially crucial now that Medium has implemented the 100+ followers rule. After a couple hours playing the “I follow you, you follow me” game should get you back on the books in no time.
2. Draw the Viewer’s Attention.
Throw proper grammar out the window and tell em what they wanna hear.
An enticing cover image and a nice click-baity title are sure to draw them in, and short paragraphs with lots of white space in between will keep them. Scatter some other bright images in there to really keep them engaged.
Find copypasta like The Headline Vault to use proven MadLibs style templates that you can just fill in the blanks and rev up your views.
3. Study the Tags.
For maximum exposure, make sure you understand hashtags and use them effectively.
The list is always evolving, but a quick search on Medium can easily provide you with the latest “Most Searched” Tags. Use these for your articles. Be in the pool when people are searching.
4. Write Progress Reports
Oh yeah. These are super relatable and motivating. Sharing your growth with aspiring writers who were in your shoes like a month ago is a gold mine.
Give them hope. Show them the potential. Provide month-over-month visual aids to show your vulnerability and their potential.
Open their eyes to the possibilities.
You’re welcome.
5. Platform Interaction
The most crucial tool you need in your tool bag is peer to peer interaction.
Now I’m not talking about formatting, or feedback on your writing, or constructive criticism.
No, no, no.
I’m talking about really putting yourself out there and winning the popularity contest.
Spend a day playing the afore mentioned I follow, you follow game. Spam out meaningless comments so other writers will respond and visit your page. Really put some effort into your home page to make it as enticing as possible.
I mean you really have to put in the time and effort if you expect people to like your stuff.
My Strategy to Win On Medium
There really isn’t one. Not yet at least.
If you’ve hung in with me to this point, you may have noticed the satire. If you haven’t, then clearly I have a ways to go.
The point is, don’t get so caught up in the extra stuff that you forget what brought you here.
To write. To be heard. To learn. To grow.
Now don’t let me knock your hustle if this story sums up your Medium operation.
There’s nothing wrong with capitalizing on a demand, and there is a serious demand for get rich quick materials in our instant gratification society. I’m sure I will use all of these techniques in the appropriate ways and at the appropriate times to some degree.
If your intention is to find fame and money then do what you gotta do, but if you want to master yourself and achieve lasting fulfillment, keep your compass pointed in the right direction.
There is value in building your audience, but let your work speak for itself. Real people who really value the stuff you put out will accumulate over time.
They are your audience. Not a thousand likes on an interface that scroll past your articles on their feed.
Just write.
Learn to communicate your thoughts effectively. Take care to hone your craft first. Everything else will come as a result of your hard work.
Thanks to Tom for letting me borrow his idea. Go check out his stuff. And particularly this story for giving me something to chew on.
