Boosted, Viral, and Invisible: A Writing Journey
My articles have been boosted, viral, and invisible. Here’s what I learned during my writing journey.
For the longest time, I was invisible as a writer on this platform. I wrote stories I felt good about and got only a handful of views.
A few times, I came close to giving up. Like nearly all writers, I want my voice to be heard and my writing to be visible. Otherwise, what’s the point? You probably have had these moments, too. Articles about achieving success on Medium are here for a reason.
My first boost
After five months of writing with little success, I took a break from regular posting and spent a lot of time on one article, The Chakra Conundrum. This article required research and answered questions I feel are relevant in our misinformation age. My work paid off, and I earned my first boost.
I was ecstatic, but my enthusiasm faded fast. Within three days, I was back to being invisible. My next articles hardly got any views.
Over time, I managed to get four more boosts and viral Google activity on one article. But like most writers on here, I still experience invisibility at times.
My viral article
When I define viral, I mean a story that’s become highly visible (over 5K views). Comparatively, a boost is an editor’s selection for further distribution that increases a story’s visibility and pay.
While a story can be both boosted and viral, I believe a few unique strategies, such as SEO optimization and writing about trending topics, might increase the chance of a story going viral on Google. A solid social media following (which I don’t have) probably also helps.
Viral articles can go a long way toward helping you build your following. You’ll notice that the viral article circled in blue has more than six times the views and about a third of the earnings of the boosted one, circled in red.
Despite earning less than a boosted article, a viral article can earn for longer than a boosted story, which usually dies down in activity after about three days. A viral article can stay popular for months and have more views overall, making any calls to action more effective.
Boosting strategies
Boosts pay well and are great for validation. However, only a handful of writers get them routinely, and expecting them will only result in disappointment. Writing from the heart, sharing something valuable with the reader, and being authentic are more likely to get an editor’s attention. It’s also a matter of lucking out with the right editor reading your work at the right time. Writing is subjective — just because one editor loves your stuff doesn’t mean all of them will.
This is why I believe it’s important to enjoy the writing process and not try too hard. There will be disappointment in the journey, even if there are subsequent successes.
Takeaway
Write from the heart, and don’t give up! A lack of views doesn’t mean your writing is poor. It means it’s invisible. Invisibility isn’t a sign of failure; it’s just part of the journey. Building an audience can take time, and visibility fluctuates. Trying to hit the right keyword is helpful, but a keyword-rich piece can only deliver so much if it lacks heart and soul. Heartless, soulless writing is what CHAT GPT is for.
If you’d like to check out my viral and boosted stories, they are pinned to my profile. Or, you can access the ones mentioned in this story here:
