I Think I Finally Understand How the Medium Algorithm Works

I’ve been watching him. I know what he likes, and what he doesn’t, and the 12 ways that knowledge can help you!

Can’t read the full story because you’re not a member of Medium yet? Read it here.

You’ve met him. But how well do you know him?

His name is AL.

Sometimes, it seems he can be pretty selfish. OK, most of the time. He wants you to talk about him constantly. And he’s willing to help you out from time-to-time, as long as you keep singing his praises.

I don’t know how he got this way. I heard he had a major life event in 2023. Maybe he’s having a mid-life crisis or something. I’m not sure because I’ve only known him for about 3 months.

But I think I’m starting to figure out who he is.

I’ve been studying him a lot lately, trying to see if I can pick up on his habits. He’s a bit odd for sure — but I’m piecing together his personality.

I’ve noticed some patterns in his behavior. They’re really useful for you to learn so you can get to know his personality better. And in turn, your interactions with him will be smoother and more valuable.

Remember, AL can be temperamental. I’ll show you how to get on his good side.

Key Characteristics of AL’s Personality

He seems to like:

• Diversity in your circles and reading habits — When you have more diversity, AL sees you’re doing your best to expand your thoughts, meet new people, be helpful, and better yourself.
• Varied number of claps — This shows him you’re reading… and thinking before you respond. Clap to the level that something resonates with you.
• Support others every way you can — AL is thrilled when you read, highlight, and clap for stories (you’re supporting the author, not the work). There are other ways you can help. Lift every author that betters you any way you can think of, and you’ll be lifted as well.
• Writing about making money on Medium and online — I don’t think the popularity of money stories is all AL’s doing. We’re all looking for ways to generate more income. It’s a sign of the times. So we greedily consume the stories we think can help us more money. And he likes it.
• Controversial subjects and hot (button) topics — AL’s not looking for drama and he doesn’t reward nastiness. But he does like someone willing to spice up the party… just not on the regular. Are you brave enough to write with a little sass or attitude (respectfully of course)?
• He gives a boost to his close friends — I don’t have proof yet. Since he wouldn’t answer me, I’ve asked a few Friends of Medium if they got a boost after upgrading. I’m still waiting to hear back, but I suspect he likes it when you pay him that extra $10. (I just upgraded last night. I’ll give you an update when I know more). Wait until you’re making over $100/month before upgrading (unless you can afford it sooner).

I want to shout out to Talking with Tan! Her story (below) inspired me to write this one.

Read on to find out what AL doesn’t like and then come back to check out her story. Don’t worry, I’ll remind you after you read AL’s list of do-nots.

AL seems to dislike:

• Clapping without reading a story — He knows you only read the title, not the story. Don’t do it. It’s naughty.
• Clapping rapid fire on comments without actually reading them — I like to clap 5–20 times for comments, and 20–50 for stories. Do what feels natural and sincere for you. And make your comments mean something.
• Being petty or harassing people you disagree with — Even if AL doesn’t dislike it, you don’t want to be in that bottom 1% percent.
• Inconsistent, sporadic writing — It doesn’t seem to matter if you write long or short, or how often you write (although until you have a good following more often seems better). PUBLISHING consistently is the key, and that takes some planning ahead on your part.
• Outright self-promotion — Promote yourself naturally with the best use of your words and ideas. AL doesn’t like it if you try to hard sell yourself, products, or services to take away from Medium. Hey, even AL has mouths to feed, right?
• Duplicate or similar information — Be careful not to post works published off Medium… even if it’s from your blog. AL gets pissed unless you do it properly. Also, when quoting be sure to use quotation marks (or summarize instead) and properly cite the source.

I hope this gives you insight into AL’s personality.

The biggest takeaway is this: AL likes you the most when ALL your actions on Medium are genuine.

Now that you’ve had a peak inside AL’s brain, you should be able to build a better relationship with him.

I’m getting to know him a little more each week.

Once you understand AL better, he’ll understand you better. And that makes your relationship with him more valuable. Let me know if you discover something new about his personality.

And don’t forget to check out Talking with Tan’s story (above) about how to make money on Medium, or click here.

Thanks for reading! I welcome your feedback.

Grab your FREE copy of my NEW mini-course — 3 Simple Steps to Write Great Headlines & Hooks

Connect with me on X (Twitter) @BrettDoesWrite