5 Insanely Simple Hacks I Followed to Reach 10K+ Followers on Medium

#Haven’t begged to follow me.

Photo by Yannick van der Schot on Unsplash

Let’s be real, the online world is jam-packed with creators, influencers, YouTubers, and bloggers all vying for attention and success. Making a name for yourself, standing out, and earning a living ain’t a piece of cake.

And if you think I had a fancy sponsor or a huge following on some other platform, you’re mistaken. My Twitter, LinkedIn, and Substack accounts have barely any followers.

Precisely, I started my side hustle on Medium and now I’m trying out other social media platforms. So, since I’m no superhero, I had to rely on some simple but effective tricks to grow my online presence.

And guess what? They worked! Here are some of the tactics I used to boost my game.

Adding zero affiliate links

A good name is better than riches

In today’s world, trust is one of the most valuable assets you can have.

Whether you’re starting a business, pursuing a side hustle, or working in any other industry, if your customers don’t trust you, you’ll never achieve the level of success you’re aiming for. This is something I’ve known from the beginning of my journey.

Despite having a relatively small following of 100 or fewer, I made the decision not to add any affiliate links to my content.

Even though affiliate marketing is a popular way for content creators to monetize their work and earn a commission on sales made through their links, I knew that maintaining the trust of my readers was more important than making a quick buck.

For sure, many of my stories have gone viral, and there have been several instances where I could have added numerous links and made more than five figures. However, I chose not to do so, as I wanted to maintain the integrity of my content and keep my readers’ trust.

For instance, here are some of my pieces in which I investigated the top free tools that everyone can use, and these stories have gotten a lot of attention.

While I could have added several affiliate links and earned a commission on each and every sale made through that link, I chose not to. Instead, I focused on providing valuable insights and information.

In short, I believe that trust is one of the most valuable assets a content creator can have, and I’m committed to earning and maintaining that trust with my readers.

2. Providing more valuable content every passing day

Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go — E.L. Doctorow

If you take a look at my Medium profile, you’ll see that I write about a wide variety of topics, including money, technology, programming, side hustles, motivation, and even trending topics.

However, what you’ll notice about each and every story is that it’s worth reading. This is because I hold myself to a high standard when it comes to the quality of my content.

Before publishing any story, I ask myself whether it’s good enough or if there’s more work to be done. This means that I put a lot of time and effort into each and every post to ensure that it’s the best it can be.

I believe that this attention to detail is what sets my content apart and keeps my readers coming back for more.

In fact, it’s this commitment to quality that has helped me to build a loyal following on Medium. Even though I’m just a regular guy with no extraordinary background or credentials, my readers know that they can count on me to deliver thoughtful, engaging, and well-researched content every time.

3. Haven’t begged to follow me

The road to hell is paved with works-in-progress — Philip Roth

To be clear, I’m not a trust fund kid who inherited a fortune from my parents. I’m just a regular person, much like you, who is trying to make a better life for myself through hard work and dedication.

Yes, when I first started writing on Medium, I didn’t have a lot of followers either. Then also I haven’t added a “follow me” message in my stories. I don’t believe in begging for followers or support. Instead, I simply focused on creating the best possible content that I could, day after day.

It took a lot of patience and hard work, but eventually, people started to take notice. They appreciated the quality of my writing and the insights that I offered. They found value in what I was saying and they began to follow me organically.

The truth is, I believe that the only way to get real followers is by earning their trust and respect. You can’t force people to follow you or like your work. Instead, you have to offer something of value that they can’t get anywhere else. You have to be authentic and true to yourself, and you have to work hard every day to improve your craft.

And that’s exactly what I’ve done. By focusing on creating high-quality content and building real connections with my readers, I’ve been able to build a loyal following that is with me for the long haul. These are people who appreciate what I have to offer and who will support me no matter what.

And for that, I’m incredibly grateful.

4. Writing with integrity

Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go— E.L. Doctorow

When I write about topics like side hustles or money, I always prioritize honesty over clickbait.

While many writers in these niches might exaggerate to get more clicks, I believe that providing value to readers is the most important thing. And it seems that my approach has resonated with my audience.

Recently, I published two stories on these topics that quickly went viral, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive.

Despite not using any sensationalized headlines or clickbaity language, both posts have received numerous comments and engagements from readers who appreciate the honesty and authenticity of my writing.

To me, this just goes to show that you don’t need to resort to trickery or sensationalism to build an audience. By providing real value and being genuine in your approach, you can create a loyal following that will stick with you over the long term.

For sure, I wrote these stories after spending a couple of years making money and spending time with programming.

5. Spend most of my time writing

The first draft of anything is sh*t — Ernest Hemingway.

When I first started out, I didn’t have any special skills or knowledge, but I knew that if I kept at it, I could improve. So I made a commitment to write every day, even if I didn’t feel like it or didn’t have anything profound to say.

I believe consistency is the key to success. And that’s the reason, I stupidly wrote each and every day constantly for a year.

Over time, I started to notice that my writing was getting better and more polished. Of course, there were days when I didn’t feel like writing, but I made a conscious effort to stick with it and stay consistent.

And it paid off.

Today, I’m proud of the work I’ve done and the progress I’ve made. I’ve found that consistency is not only important for writing, but for any skill or project, you’re working on.

It’s easy to get discouraged or feel like you’re not making progress, but if you keep at it, you’ll be amazed at how much you can achieve.

So, if you want to be successful, start by committing to consistency. It’s the one habit that can make all the difference.

Hope you like it.

That’s it — thanks.

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