Medium is for stories.
You’ve seen the articles everyone is writing. Titles like “Why I Left Medium” and “The Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Join Medium”, and I believe there are some valid points. You are giving away a license to your content. You aren’t gaining rank, and probably aren’t making money off it.
Why you should (mostly) ignore the critics
When I read an article on Medium, I’m not looking for the next big best feature in node.js or ruby. You need to understand what mode of thinking readers are in when they browse articles on medium and how you can benefit.
- Medium lets you scratch your writing itch. It’s a place to explore alternative genres, or discuss topics on a different level; things you might not discuss on your normal blog. For example, you could talk about reasons it rocks to be in a startup, going all in or even losing your first hire.
- Medium is not your professional blog. I didn’t shut down my personal blog or business blogs, nor would I. They are built on Zesty and have magic that medium will never give me. It’s where I grow my brands. Medium doesn’t replace those.
- Medium can be a place to work on goals. You just need to understand how it fits into your own goals. For me, it is a place where I can share stories, experiences, and grow as a writer. Most of the time, those articles aren’t going to be making me money on another website anyway. It’s not my life work and I don’t need to quibble about licensing or SEO issues.
- Medium gives you exposure. If you write something great, people will see it and people will see you. Your article may have little or nothing to do with your product, but that doesn’t mean a large percentage of readers aren’t still going to check it out.
The best posts are stories
They are cleverly written and you can’t help but continue reading.
It’s not the place to become an authority on a topic. It’s not the place where people know you as a PHP guru.
It’s the place where people know you as a person.
It’s a place to be real and to be open. We all make mistakes. Sharing about them can help others avoid those same mistakes. Whatever it may be, it can benefit someone else.
And this may just be my take, but I really enjoy the conclusions others share from their own introspection (looking inward). When others reflect and share their stories, you have the opportunity to grow.
I’m not sure about you, but I want to grow.
