avatarJoachim Guth

Summary

The author reflects on the impact of Medium's 100-follower threshold for monetization, questioning the meaningfulness of following and its implications for community and content quality.

Abstract

Medium's policy requiring writers to amass 100 followers to start earning from their content has led to a frenzied race among users, prompting innovative self-marketing strategies. While the author appreciates the hands-on lesson in social media marketing, they question the rationale behind the follower threshold. The author observes that the number of followers does not necessarily correlate with writing quality or community engagement, as users can accumulate followers without writing or reading content. The ease of following and the disconnect between followers and content consumption have rendered the act of following somewhat meaningless, although it still contributes to a sense of pride for some users.

Opinions

  • The author views the 100-follower threshold as a catalyst for learning about self-marketing but doubts its effectiveness in ensuring better writers or a more cohesive community.
  • The act of following on Medium is seen as superficial, as it can be accomplished with a simple button click and does not require any content engagement.
  • There is skepticism about whether the policy has truly increased meaningful membership, given the influx of new followers who are not active content creators or consumers.
  • The author notes a paradox where followers are gained passively, without any effort, leading to a lack of genuine connection or understanding between followers and the content creators they follow.
  • Despite the perceived meaninglessness of the following system, the author admits to enjoying the attention from accumulating followers, highlighting a complex relationship with the platform's metrics for success.
  • The author concludes that not everything in the virtual world needs to be meaningful, suggesting acceptance of the current state of the platform's social dynamics.

How ‘Following’ vanished into meaninglessness

The 100 follower threshhold killed the meaning of following

Many of us here on Medium, new as well as existing members, got caught up in a race to 100. All of us raised to the occasion and played Usain. Usain Bolt had 10 seconds to run and we were given till January next year.

Medium set a threshold to reach 100 followers. Then and only then you could earn the dollars and cents with your writings.

We came up with all sorts of creative means to achieve the goal. Many did faster than they could imagine. Many got more than they needed.

It was a wonderful lesson, for me at least, about how self-marketing on social platforms works. I am grateful for this lesson. It was hands-on and for free.

Why did Medium set this threshold after all?

Did they believe that members with a solid follower-ship would be better writers?

But then I saw some fellows making it way above 100 followers without having written a single line.

Did they do it to create a more cohesive community?

But then following can be done by clicking on a button, we do not have to read one single line to follow someone.

Was it meant to get to know each other better?

But then we can clap 50 times without knowing anything about whom we applauded.

Was it to lure new members into our ‘Stadium of Words’?

Not sure. I had a lot of followers, they looked fresh and naked, they had no followers and no articles written at all.

I wonder if Medium increased the number of members with this magic target.

It took me not all too long to play the marketing trick. Follow, then you will be followed, respond and you will get response.

Before I wanted, my followers reached the mark. After a while I got more followers than I was following. Now my followers are growing by the day and I have no clue why. I get followers without moving any of my fingers.

I can’t find the button where to stop them.

I am followed without my own will.

I like it though.

But then I hardly know my followers. From many of them I did not read a single word. Forgive me for this. They most likely never read a single line from what I have written either.

There seems to be no real honesty, no meaning in this kind of following. But still it might make some of us proud.

Proud of what?

Hard to explain this phenomenon.

In the virtual world not everything has to be meaningful.

Meaninglessness took over.

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