Summary

Justiss Goode is conducting a month-long experiment to understand the inconsistencies in Medium earnings and the impact of reduced publishing frequency on revenue.

Abstract

Justiss Goode, a Medium writer, has announced a month-long experiment to investigate the erratic nature of Medium earnings. Despite reducing the frequency of publishing new stories, Goode aims to observe the impact on earnings, particularly from previously published evergreen content. The experiment involves pinning five stories on the profile page each week and minimizing engagement on the platform. Goode's past statistics show fluctuating earnings despite varying story outputs, with some popular stories significantly influencing monthly earnings. The writer also acknowledges the potential influence of engagement with the Medium community and other variables on earnings. The experiment is timed to conclude before Goode's one-year anniversary on Medium and aims to determine the necessary level of platform engagement to benefit from existing content.

Opinions

Goode expresses skepticism about the reliability of Medium statistics, noting that sometimes they don't add up, while at other times they unexpectedly favor the writer.
There is a belief that certain stories, despite not going viral, can have a disproportionate impact on earnings, leading to confusion when analyzing performance metrics.
Engagement with the Medium community, such as promoting other writers and showcasing their stories, is considered a potential factor in earnings fluctuations, though its exact impact is unclear to Goode.
Goode questions whether consistent earnings on Medium are contingent upon website and social engagement or if there is genuine reader interest in the content produced.
The writer suggests that the experiment may provide insights into how much presence is required on Medium to continue earning from a back catalogue of stories.

STATS Don’t Lie!

Or do they?

Hey everyone — Justiss Goode here, to give you a brief but interesting update about my Medium stats, since I stopped writing and publishing one or more stories every single day.

Let me begin by saying that today — April 1, 2022 — I’ll begin conducting a month long experiment, to confirm how erratic our Medium stats truly are.

We tell ourselves that the numbers don’t lie, but sometimes you start to wonder; at least when it comes to your Medium stats.

So many things simply don’t add up, but the moment you think about complaining, they suddenly don’t add up again, but this time in your favor.

My plan is to spend the entire month of April, drastically limiting the number of new stories I publish, and the amount of time I spend interacting on Medium.
My strategy is to constantly update the 5 stories allowed to be pinned on our Profile page, and provide fresh undiscovered titles for readers to enjoy all week long.
My goal is to discover just how much I can rely on continued earnings from the huge volume of stories I’ve already published, especially the evergreen stories.

I want to allow for an entire month of observation and less writing, and stick to my objective (unlike the past month, where I decided to write less, but didn’t).

In order to show you all why I stay confused when it comes to earnings, notice my stats from the past four months.

In mid March, I decided I wanted to cut down on writing and publishing daily, however, I still managed to publish 25 stories that month. I earned $79.

That’s $32 less than February, when I published 51 stories (double the amount of stories)

In January, I published 69 stories, yet I earned the same amount as I earned in February, in spite of producing an additional 18 stories that month!

December’s story output consisted of 54 stories published, but those stories earned me just $8 less than the following month of January, though January clearly produced more stories.

These are the kind of stats that can drive you crazy, as you constantly try to figure out a method to the madness.

I recognize that during some of those months, some stories did considerably better than others, although I wouldn’t call them viral stories by a long shot.

Popular stories like these tend to help confuse the stats a bit:

Figuratively Speaking — I’m Declaring a Legal Separation from Medium!

Why am I getting tired of this unstable relationship?

medium.com

I Figured Out the Best Time of Day to Publish and Get the Most Views!

Have you ever wondered does it really matter what time you publish your stories?

medium.com

No Shade to Other Writers But What’s the Deal with Buying Coffee Around Here?

I mistakenly thought this was just for those who really need it!

medium.com

Should You Delete Older Stories So You Can Publish them Fresh?

Some writers wonder if deleting older stories is a good idea

medium.com

These particular stories helped to elevate my earnings during the months that they were published, but they also prevent me from making sense of the stats.

The only other thing I can attribute to causing the inconsistent flux in earnings, in spite of the stories published, would be engagement.

During some months, I engaged a lot more with Medium members than in other months, or I engaged in more interesting and creative ways.

For instance:

Promoting other writers and showcasing their stories and titles.

To what degree these additional variables actually have on earnings when you decide to cut back or step away from the platform, I have no idea.

That’s what I’m hoping to find out during the month of April.

One month of observation

Since I started my Medium journey as Justiss Goode on May 1, 2021, it’s only fitting that this experiment be conducted in the month leading up to my one-year anniversary.

Maybe that’s why I was so compelled to write and publish this story today, as opposed to this coming Sunday (a day that I typically start any new writing endeavors).

So, instead of posting my first story for the month on Sunday, I’m sharing a story today— besides the one you’re reading, which is basically just an update.

Make sure to read:

Are You Enjoying the REWARDS of Pinning Stories to Your Profile Page?

You won’t be hearing from me again until mid-April, but I’ll still be around (probably lurking in the shadows).

As I embark on this little experiment, and one month of observation, I hope to determine just how glued to this site you need to be, in order to benefit from your catalogue of existing stories.

Is it all about the website and social engagement, or are people truly interested in reading?

I guess only time will tell…

HEY READERS:

Not a Medium Member yet? Join now with my referral link: https://justissgoode.medium.com/membership and I’ll earn a few bucks when you do. COOL HUH?

That’s right, plus I can HELP YOU START EARNING MONEY TOO! Thousands of writers on Medium got started just like you — with nothing more than a DESIRE to write. You could be writing stories and personal experiences just like this, and getting paid! So what are you waiting for? Join us 😄