196 Stories, 7K+ Followers, and 162K+ Views in Just 3 Months
How It All Started
Around the end of August, I decided to try writing on Medium seriously. Why? Well, I heard about people making good money from it.
Even though I’m doing well in the tech industry, the fear of job losses has always been there since I started in 2010. This made me look for other ways to make money, and my interest in writing sparked during my time at Amazon Web Services (AWS).
When I moved to another AWS consulting partner in 2022, I felt I had a lot to share about tech, working for a big company like AWS, career advice, and cool projects I’ve worked on.
But starting a personal blog seemed like too much work. Then, I stumbled upon a LinkedIn post where someone talked about making a good income by writing on Medium.
This got me curious, and I found out that it’s super easy to publish on Medium, plus you get exposure to Medium’s readers.
Feel free to explore and save the curated lists included at the end of this story. Follow me for future stories and subscribe for email updates.
Writing Journey at Amazon and Beyond
At AWS, I learned the power of writing.
So, after I left AWS, I wanted to share my experiences and knowledge, but making a blog seemed like a hassle.
That’s when Medium came into the picture. It was easy to publish, and I could reach a broader audience.
The idea of making a good income from my stories sounded great, so I started writing.
Even though my first articles were a bit rough, I didn’t let that stop me.
Starting on Medium
In August, I posted my first article, knowing it would take a while to get my first 100 followers.
But I believed people would like what I had to say about tech, my career, and personal stories from my time in the industry.
Surprisingly, getting those first 100 followers wasn’t as hard as I thought.
I Googled strategies, and engaging with other writers turned out to be a game-changer.
I followed 15 writers in my space, read their articles, and gave feedback.
This not only helped me understand what worked for them but also brought more people to read my articles.
Right now, I have over 7,000 followers, almost 200,000 reads, and I’m gaining over 100 followers every day.
Unconventional Choices
One thing I did differently was not putting my articles behind Medium’s paywall.
I want to get at least 10,000 followers first before thinking about that.
Making money isn’t my priority right now.
When I read other writers’ stories, I saw that many weren’t growing as fast as me.
Most of them had their articles behind a paywall.
Even though their stories were great, they weren’t getting the attention they deserved.
So, I decided to do the opposite and keep my articles free.
Checking the Stats
Let’s look at the numbers.
On average, I am getting 2,000+ views and over 100 new followers every day.
This number is likely to go up. I’m holding off on the paywall for now, focusing on growing my followers first.
Below are my audience statistics covering the period from late August to late November 2023. Despite having surpassed 7,000 followers, please note that the figures presented are slightly delayed, indicating a count of 6,931 followers.
Views in September, October, and November 2023 subsequently are shown below:
Additional Effective Strategies I Implemented
- Interlinking Articles: I adopted the practice of embedding links to my other articles within each new piece. This not only enhances reader engagement but also directs them to explore more of my content.
- Curated Lists: Creating thematic lists and encouraging readers to contribute to them has been a game-changer. For instance, my “Tech Career Advice” list, comprising over 100 articles, has been bookmarked by 100+ readers. This not only increases views on that list but also promotes repeated engagement as readers revisit it, especially during travels. Each new article becomes an addition to these evolving lists, ensuring they keep growing. An added bonus is the notification feature, alerting users when a new article is added to a list they’ve saved.
- Concise and Engaging Titles: Learning the art of crafting short yet compelling titles has been crucial. Steering clear of clickbait, I ensure my titles accurately represent the content. Trust is paramount, and misleading titles can erode the trust built with the audience.
- Strategic Use of Tags/Fields: Recognizing the significance of popular tags and fields, I strategically incorporate them into my articles. This targeted approach helps me reach a broader audience within those specific fields.
- Publication Selection: Initially, I refrained from publishing in various publications due to delays in article release affecting my schedule. Once I crossed the 1000 followers mark, I revisited this strategy, expanding my reach to different publications.
- List Promotion at Article End: To encourage exploration, I’ve started adding links to relevant lists at the conclusion of each article. This provides readers with an opportunity to delve deeper into topics of their interest through curated content.
Why I’m Sharing My Writing Journey
I wanted to share my journey from writing skeptic to thriving on Medium.
The unconventional approach is working for me, and I hope to keep sharing stories, insights, and experiences with more people.
This is just the beginning, and I’m excited about where Medium can take me.
Explore More Tech Insights
Delve deeper into the world of tech with my handpicked curated lists. Save them for future reading and stay ahead in your tech journey.
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Author: Usman Aslam (Director, Solutions Architecture)
