35,000 views. 82 cents. A Costly Medium Mistake
When Going Viral Doesn’t Pay
Hi and happy Friday
One of my most viewed stories on Medium got 35,000 views and earned 82 cents.
Ouch, right?
My top viewed piece (so far) has 44,000 views and has only earned $93.
It is unlikely to ever earn more than that—and I know why, now.
I messed up so you don’t have to.
So, let me tell you what I did wrong.
A lot of writers think that if they can just “go viral” and get a lot of views, it will magically translate to dollars earned. I learned how wrong that was.
Because I listened to bad advice.
When we’re new or new-ish (at anything) we often look for advice from people who are a few steps ahead of us on the path. They ought to know, right? So why not shorten the learning curve, if we can.
Right?
Except? It’s only a shortcut if you know the long way. If you don’t know the long way, you don’t know if you’re really taking a shortcut. Sometimes what you think is a shortcut turns out to be the long way.
That’s what happened to me.
See, all the “pros” tell you to promote the beejeebus out of your posts.
Share on Twitter. Share on Facebook. Promote, promote, promote.
And get them ranked in Google, too. SEO every post.
All those things?
That’s what I did. And that’s what did it. Because 99% of the views on my top viewed posts are external. From Google and Twitter and such. On Medium, writers don’t get paid for external views. So most of those views? Unpaid.
The stories that paid best are nowhere near the top for views. But they have mostly internal views — and those are the views that pay.
Helpful to know, right?
All the time I used to spend promoting articles and SEOing stories? No more. Now I spend that time commenting on other writer’s posts. It brings me more internal exposure. My stories earn more. Plus, I get to meet more writers.
If that’s not a win, win, I’m not sure what is.
*P.S. I have a longer version of this on Medium, with screen-caps of the stats for my top viewed posts. There’s a link to it below, if you’d like to see the proof.
This week’s posts…
Cats, lizards and writer’s block. 9 Delightful Tips from Ray Bradbury
35,000 views. 82 cents. When Going Viral Doesn’t Pay. (with stat pics)
“I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better.”
—Maya Angelou
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As always, click the heart if you enjoyed. They’re like claps on Medium. Your hearts tell me what to write more about.
Thanks for reading and have a great weekend.
:)
Linda
I wondered about the external view notations I saw. But I do read and comment. And sometimes Medium gives me stats on my comments because so many people read them, liked them. The reading and commenting energizes me. I like the feel of community when it happens - and it happens frequently on Medium.
I don't even like promotion. I tell friends to join Medium so they can make their reading and applause count. I guess shyness pays sometimes. Who knows???
Paying it forward in Medium: FTW!