How To Attract 1,000 Fans as a Niche Writer on Medium
The environment is my niche, and this is how I gained 1,000 followers in less than a year
Is reaching 1,000 followers a milestone? I don’t know, but it sure feels like one.
February 2020 figures reveal that 8.3% of active writers earned more than $100 on Medium that month. I belong to this 8.3% and my tribe is growing. Here’s my story.
Normally, I don’t publish articles about how to be successful. Influencers are interested in success because it’ll make them rich or famous. And that’s just not my cup of tea.
I’ve been a marketing professional all my life. And a writer. So it might be my job to share something about my methods. Perhaps someone will read it who has an important message to spread or who wants to be impactful with a social enterprise.
I write this article mainly for your eyes, purpose geeks! I wish you all the success in the world. We need impactful entrepreneurs. We need writers with a purpose other than personal gain.
The fact is that I’ve been a writer all my life, but it’s still different to write on Medium. I’m used to writing articles — journalistic pieces. Detached. Factual. Rational.
Sometimes I write fiction where I can express my imagination and my love for words. In Dutch, my mother tongue. And in English, my second love. Writing fiction is completely different from article writing and not exactly fit for Medium. But still, I do it and some of my readers like it.
The Facts
That being said, let’s take a look at some facts about my writing career on Medium. I started writing on Medium in May 2019. My first story was mediocre, but I’m glad I published it because it launched me on a steep learning curve (and I edited it a little afterward).
Some facts about my first year on Medium:
- I published 21 stories in 8 months
- 2 stories were curated (1 in startups, economy, and business; 1 in environment)
- 2 magazines asked me to be a writer: the Startup and Age of Awareness
- In October 2019, I became a paying Medium member so I could read more, clap, and comment
And then, in 2020, my second year on Medium:
- I published 22 stories in 3 months
- 7 stories have been curated (4 in environment; 1 in environment and economy; 1 in environment and transportation; 1 in business)
- At the beginning of 2020, I became a top writer in Climate Change and later also in Sustainability
- 5 magazines have published my stories. In addition to the above-mentioned: The Environmental Reporter, Climate Conscious, and Energy & Consciousness
- 7 other magazines have asked me or have accepted me on my request. However, I hadn’t published stories with them at the time of this article. They are: Better Marketing, Data Driven Investor, Permaculture Women, pushtostart, the Ascent, Wild Women Writers and Illumination
My niche is small. I write stories about a more beautiful world than the one we’re currently living in. My projects as a freelancer align economy, ecology, and the human spirit. My scope is worldwide with a focus on South Netherlands (where I’m based), Europe, and Indonesia.
A few years ago, I decided that personal branding was not for me. I didn’t want to be recognized by just one target group. I wanted to be completely me. All of me! So, I write articles and fiction about a broad range of subjects for a varied audience.
I write about the environment, the economy, business, and leadership. But also about beauty, nature connection, a dog whispering to the grandchildren, rewilding your soul, and the energy of money. And I write fiction.
For someone else, the thread might not be clear. But to me it’s evident. We need to transition our economy and our mindset. We need to combine rational thinking with compassion and feeling. And in order to do that, I throw in a lot of nature, rational facts, examples, imagination, and passion. So be it. This is me.
If personal branding is not my style, how did I achieve 1,000 followers in my small niche?
I’ll lift a corner of the veil.
1. Write, write, and write more
Many people here on Medium say it and I repeat it. You’re not a writer if you just produce one story. You have to find your inspiration and write often. It’s the only way to become a better writer and find out what resonates with your audience.
It’s no use trying to analyze your curated stories. Some just get curated and others don’t. Sometimes you think: “This one is really good” and then it doesn’t go well with your readers. Sometimes you are taken by surprise when a story starts to fly when you don’t expect it.
2. Be active
Activity is the key to growth. I’m sure of it. First of all, we can be active within Medium. Read, read, and read more. Clap, comment, and name stories you build upon in your own articles. And if you do, mean it. Other people write beautiful things as well. This isn’t just about you.
3. Other social media
Social media are important. I share my articles as friends-links on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Friends-links are important because you don’t want your readers to hit the paywall. Medium members will pay. Other readers are interested in your message. Equally important!
My follower base on social media is growing together with my growth in Medium. In my articles, I explain a lot about my vision so people know what to expect of my work.
My field of expertise has never been clearer to potential partners for collaboration. Sustainability is such a container term. Regenerative economy is even less clear. And systemic thinking just sounds difficult. My articles tell a different story. They make my work more tangible. They can be conversation starters.
So far, I described my work as Blue Economy. It’s my field of study, but many people don’t know what it means. In the best case, they think it’s something to do with the sea. Or with windmills and solar panels. My Medium articles clarify.
My business audience is mainly located on LinkedIn. On Facebook, it’s more ecosystem restoration and permaculture people who ask me for a link. And on Twitter, I get listed a lot in the category Sustainability. Instagram is more of a personal channel for me. Here I post pictures and short snippets for my friends and my sister abroad.
4. Be where your audience already is
It’s always good to post in groups. A group has a specific subject so you know that a certain article fits the interests of the readers in the group. Match your post with the group, make it as dedicated as possible. Reach out to them as part of the group, not as an outsider. Remember, it’s your tribe you’re talking to.
Social media is about having a dialogue, not a monologue. So I never post my articles alone — always with a catchy comment that triggers my readers. Sometimes it’s a small quote out of the article. Sometimes it’s a more personal comment, created on the spot, using my intuition.
And I respond to comments. Like them or clarify further. For me, no posting programs. Just doing what feels right at a certain moment. And if I don’t have time, I’ll be silent for a while. Silence is gold.
5. Don’t procrastinate
People often ask me how to manage it all. So many balls in the air, doesn’t that make me too busy? Well, no. Meditation helps me to live fully in the moment. A few times a day I check my phone, read carefully what’s being said and answer immediately.
Whenever a flash of inspiration fuels me, I write a title or part of an article directly in Medium. It’s my idea database. When I sit down to write, one look through the list is enough. It’s time to finish whatever I feel like at that moment.
People often ask me how I remember everything. Well, I don’t. It’ll come back to me when it’s important. My body is wiser than only my rational mind.
6. New activities
Quora has come to my attention and now I’ve already answered around 50 questions. Often posting links to my articles. Haha, it has only given me 2 (!) followers on Quora. You can’t say it’s a successful move so far.
However, I do like the experiment. It’s fun reading the questions people have and thinking up answers. Next, I’ll be putting some links on Quora. See if that’ll give some exposure and new readers.
7. Follow Medium readers and writers
A few years ago, I did an experiment on Twitter. I gave myself the task to gain 1,000 followers in a few months. The strategy worked well so I transplanted it to Medium.
On Twitter, I looked at lists with a subject close to my niche. I started following people on that list. There are always some people that will check you out because you started following them. If they like your portfolio they’ll start following you back.
I do the same on Medium. If I read a good story that touches my niche subjects, I open the claps. Time to start following those readers.
You can follow 100 new people every day. The results are the same as with Twitter. Some of them will check you out. And if they like your stories, they will follow you. You will have gained a new reader. Following all these inspiring writers is fun in itself, as well. You’ll discover hidden gems.
Additional comment: follow those who have green bands around their profile picture. They are paying readers, so their reading time will count for your paywall. Non-paying readers will come to you via social media anyway.
8. Use all visual sets available
In my story about impactful storytelling, I included some advice to make short paragraphs, use visual links, etc. You can check the full article out for more tips and tricks.
9. Patience
A career is built on trust. A writing career on Medium is no different. So you have to be patient, keep producing good content and make your life as inspiring as possible. Give it a year. Two years. Three years. And most of all, enjoy the writing process and the conversations within your tribe. It’ll show!
Thank you, Mike, for adding your wise energy to nourish social entrepreneurs and purposeful writers.
