Fakers are Gonna Fake…Even on Medium
Don’t fake read my posts. Don’t fake engage me. Don’t fake as if you don’t want to make money. (The “Conversations” Series)
Let me make it clear, I fully understand that Medium is a social media platform for readers and writers.
Now, we are in a Creator/Passion economy and most social media platforms are now offering ways for creators to make money. And that’s so awesome, I don’t have words to express it. We live in a time where we can make money with our creativity.
Again, I say…with our creativity. Creativity and elevating our creativity to genius level (we all can do it, but that’s another story) requires authenticity. Creativity is fed by inspiration and connection with others.
Subsequently, we can use social media as a vehicle for connecting with others through dialogue. Yes, simple dialogue. You don’t have to be the best dressed, the one with all the toys just use your words. With a little creativity and passion, writers can be excellent at dialogue. We are wordsmiths.
And despite all of this. Despite the fact we have an opportunity to connect with other writers and readers — something writers would have killed to do just 15 years ago…
Its’ a whole lotta FAKING going on.
I thought I was the only one experiencing fake reads, fake engagement, and I truly believed I was doing something wrong until I had a conversation with Kamil a writer and creator here on Medium…
In our conversation, we shared our desire for real engagement and how we love real dialogue and connecting with readers and writers. We are both here for community and yes, we want to make money from our work too. However, we know it will take more time for some of us.
But we were shocked by how many people are fake reading, fake following (follow you then unfollow you), and fake engaging. Kamil said one so-called “Medium expert,” told people to copy and paste the same comment and just change the name.” Why? Why would you do that?
Perhaps I’m too Green to have an Opinion…But
Come on, really?
No, I am not in a position to complain about anything here on Medium. We have people on this platform who are grinding and hustling and have done it for years. They can complain.
This is more of an observation and concern. I may have joined Medium in 2020, but left as a writer one month later. I returned on Sept. 20, 2021, when I accidentally clicked the publishing button on an article I intend to publish on October 1, 2021. I still consider it a happy accident.
Accordingly, I have been on this platform for 10 weeks. That’s not a lot of time, but I have had it with the fake ‘ish I’ve encountered in such a short amount of time.
The Usual Suspect
Once more, let me be clear. It is not readers who are committing these atrocities. It is not writers who read. It is not writers who read and want to make a full-time income on Medium. It is not writers who read and Medium is a nice side-hustle for them.
No. It is the usual suspect. It is the desperate slimy, slick, side-hustling, sharks circling the Medium waters for a read. They are circling all around your stories fake reading for a read.
Here are the signs of a fake read. Remember everyone is innocent until proven guilty, still…
- Collectively all your stories read time average about 3 to 5 minutes and you notice that in the past 4 minutes the suspect has read 10 of your articles. Yeah, it’s a view, but it is not a read.
- The suspect clapped for 4 articles less than a minute apart. Again, most of your articles are about 3 to 5 minutes. Any person who is reading this fast has already become Transhuman. Please share your biohacks with the rest of us.
- Odd comments are the worst. I understand you may have read something and you didn’t quite get or jive with it, but you appreciate the author so you leave a nice comment. Yet, some comments are a dead giveaway of a fake read. For example, you wrote about one of the worst days of your life and the suspect leaves this comment: “This is an amazing article, loved it. Thanks for sharing.” Huh?
Fake Reads are Bad, Fake Engagement is Just Weird
Fake engagement makes no sense. Why clap for an article you didn’t read? Why leave a silly comment on a story you didn’t read?
It’s like faking an orgasm, you’re not getting anything out of it. You’re not connecting with that writer. You’re just going through the highlighting motions. And if you are faking it, the writer will soon catch on. Yep, just like a fake orgasm.
If you have read any of my articles on Audience Development here on Medium, you know I am a big proponent for engagement.
Why? Because engagement is how you build an audience. This is media, social media and to survive in media, you need an audience.
And since this is social media (let’s not forget the social part) real engagement is important.
Engagement Marketing, Yeah, It’s a Thing
It’s an actual concept called Engagement Marketing. Big successful companies that make huge profits are learning how to do it. These companies have revamped their entire marketing departments to include strategies for engagement marketing.
This friggin’ platform right here, yep, Medium, will soon make more changes to its algorithm because it wants to keep folks on the platform. How can you do that? Reward engagement. Don’t hate the playa’ hate the game. And there will be people crying and ‘ishing all over themselves because their earnings have been cut in half.
Don’t Fake the Funk
Don’t fake read and don’t fake engage, it’s not helping you. I know you’re hustling for the next read but it is a waste of time if it is not genuine.
You can’t build an audience without real engagement. If you don’t build an audience, you will have to continue hustling for every read.
Unfortunately, some of those reads will be fake as hell.
Now for the “I Don't Care About Money” Fakery
If you don’t want to make money on this platform, then either leave the Medium Partner Program, don’t meter your stories, or donate the money to other writers or publications who have a “buy me coffee” link, or you can simply donate to the Carmellita foundation, we accept Cashapp (LOL).
Just keep it to yourself, it’s okay. You don’t have a right to tell everyone else on the platform, “You’re not here for the right reasons if you’re trying to make money.” Just do you.
Funny thing is, you only hear people who aren’t making money shouting this all over people’s comments. I’m from Louisiana, and in Louisiana, we call this the “Crawfish” mentality.
The “crawfish” mentality is based on how crawfish react when they are in a bucket. When one of the other crawfish starts climbing its way out or to the top of the bucket, the other crawfish pull it back down.
You can just about leave the top off the bucket. They won’t let each other climb out. Understand?
Final Takeaways…
Be real.
Be sure to check out Kamil. She’s a thoughtful and inspiring new writer here on Medium:
