Summary

The author reflects on the unexpected virality of their fourth Medium article, identifying key factors such as curiosity, first impression, value, and language simplicity as contributors to its success.

Abstract

The article discusses the author's surprise at their piece going viral on Medium, achieving 10,000 views in two weeks without a significant follower base. The author attributes this success to several key elements: the inherent curiosity of Medium's audience seeking value beyond mere entertainment, the importance of a compelling title and eye-catching cover image, the provision of real-world value through personal experience, and the use of simple, accessible language. The author emphasizes the significance of these elements through their own experience, providing insights into effective writing strategies on Medium.

Opinions

The Medium audience is distinguished by their preference for content that provides value and satisfies their curiosity, unlike the entertainment-focused content on platforms like TikTok.
A strong first impression, including a captivating title and cover image, is crucial in attracting readers amidst the information overload of the 21st century.
Content must deliver value, which often stems from the author's own experiences and the ability to convey complex ideas in a relatable manner.
Simplicity in language can be an asset, making articles more accessible and forcing the author to articulate complex thoughts clearly.
The author suggests that subtitles may not be as critical to an article's success as other elements like the main title and cover image.
Personal anecdotes and experiences from the tech industry, such as interviewing developers, can resonate with readers and contribute to an article's virality.
The author's non-native English proficiency does not detract from the article's impact; instead, it encourages a straightforward writing style that appeals to a broader audience.

Why My 4th Article Ever Went Viral

Almost deep spectral analysis in simple words

My 4th article here went viral. I did nothing special or on purpose, but still, Medium hyped my piece. 10k views in 2 weeks — a pretty good result for the beginner writer without followers.

Now I try to analyze and understand what was the reason for virality. I’ve found some crucial moments. And gonna share them with you.

Here is the article itself.

4 Red Flags of Terrible Developer

How to hire a good developer? And not to hire an awful one :(

medium.com

And it’s stats.

Curiosity

First of all, you need to understand why people spend their time here, on Medium. Why do they prefer reading potentially boring texts from strangers instead of laughing a lot at cat videos in TikTok?

It’s all about curiosity and value.

Yes, funny videos trigger your curiosity even more than articles here, and they easily give you dopamine. But TikTok rarely provides you with value. Videos are all about entertaining — having fun and not thinking.

The Medium audience is different. And thank God for this!

People here want to solve the issues, find answers and maybe even bring value right from the article to real-world life. They are led with curiosity.

Also, they are paying with money and views for fulfilling their wishes. So as an author, you better do it.

First look

It’s obvious, but I have to say it. Title and cover image — matter.

Any new author is tired of this constantly repeating mantra, but this is the truth of life. The nature of human attention gives you less than 3 seconds to catch a moment.

XXI century is overwhelmed with information. Any article is only one of the thousands of other triggers in a reader’s life. The first impression should be amazing and lure the reader to further reading.

From this perspective, my viral article is good enough. The title is short and precise, with the powerful word “terrible”. It explains the value it gives to the reader. Also, it triggers curiosity.

4 Red Flags of Terrible Developer

I would add a word about subtitles. At that moment, I had no idea about them. So I didn’t even have one. The conclusion here is simple — it doesn’t matter so much.

The second part of the first impression is the cover image. It should be eye-catching. Luckily my viral story has such an image. It’s bright, contains a piece of red color, and claims attention.

Value

Now a couple of words about the content.

You have to give value. Writing is not about you — it’s about the reader. The reader, his thoughts, and his emotions are the only essential things in the writing process.

To give value, you have to have it. You need to live a life full of impressive experiences. Only by solving real-world, complex issues by yourself, you gain knowledge worth sharing.

I wrote my article about interviewing process in a big tech company. That’s where I work. Interviewing developers is part of my work responsibilities. So I spent a lot of hours talking with candidates. That’s why I can tell a dozen funny or curious moments from the interviews.

My article was alive. It was inspired by life itself. So it worked well.

Language is a tool

I’m not a native English speaker. If you are, maybe you’ve noticed it yourself. Bravo!

So my language lacks complex words and advanced constructions. And the fun thing — it isn’t a con for my writing.

Keeping my language simple and clear allows me to reach a wider audience. Also, it forces me to express complicated ideas with familiar words, which is super hard. But it develops my skill and understanding of language.

I checked my viral article with special tools. The result was comical.

Your text is very simple and easy to read, likely to be understood by an average 5th-grader (age 10).

For an adult, any of my texts show be easy to read. The complexity level is similar to the reading of 5th grade! Cmon I don’t even know what 5th-grades read. Fairy tales?

To sum up, keep your articles clear and straightforward. Don’t complicate things. People love simplicity.

Final Thoughts

I’ve gained a lot of valuable tips analyzing my own content and readers’ reactions. Hope you gonna do the same and evolve as a writer, too.

P.S. If you liked this thing, follow me and clap a couple of times. Good luck!