How To Find Out What The Medium Algorithm Wants From You

And what readers want.

I wrote an article yesterday about why you’re probably not going to make $1,000 on Medium.

One of the things I mentioned is that you don’t adjust to the algorithm.

So a lot of you asked me how to find out what the algorithm wants.

The truth is, we will never be able to crack the code of the Medium algorithm.

But there are two ways to pick up on clues about what kind of content will take off.

Look at the Bigger Picture

Look at the articles that are often at the top of your Medium feed or in the Daily Digest email.

What are these articles about, and how are they written?

Look for subjects that are getting a lot of attention (claps, comments, highlights) across the platform.

If a topic interests you and you know about it, let it inspire you and consider giving your own take on it.

Also, pay attention to the articles Medium recommends to you.

These might be based on what you’ve read before but also on what’s popular overall.

See if these recommendations give you any ideas for themes or styles that might resonate with readers.

And don’t just look, try to dig even deeper and ‘read between the lines’.

Analyze the heck out of the top articles related to what you like to write about.

What makes them special?

Are they good at explaining things, do they give useful tips or are they telling stories that grab your attention?

Dig into Your Own Work

Take a look at your past articles.

Which ones got the most reads, claps and comments?

These are your ‘winners.’

Think about what those winning articles were about.

What kind of writing style did you use?

Did they share new information, offer helpful advice or tell a great story?

Use what you learned from your winners as a starting point for future writing.

Don’ts

But don’t just copy them.

If there’s one thing I noticed it’s that the Medium algorithm likes fresh ideas.

So look for similar themes or writing styles, but keep your own voice and perspective.

Don’t get stuck in the past.

People’s tastes and what’s popular can change.

So be open to trying new things and writing about topics that interest you.

To figure out what the algorithm and readers like, you simply need to try different things and see what works.

While knowing what’s popular is helpful, it’s more important to create content that you’re interested in and knowledgeable about.

Actually, you need to be more knowledgeable about the topic than 75% of others.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with different approaches and learn from both your successes and failures.

Don’t be a robot that just does what the algorithm wants.

We already have enough of them on this platform.

You want to truly understand your readers and create content they’ll appreciate.

Content that makes them feel seen and heard.