Summary

An author shares their success story of earning $788,84 on Medium with a single article written in 2 hours, detailing a strategy for writing popular content focused on hot topics and coding tips for beginners.

Abstract

The author of the web content recounts their experience of writing a successful article on Medium that generated significant income. The article, which provided coding tips for beginners, capitalized on the platform's preference for such content at the time. The author emphasizes the importance of identifying trending topics and emulating the format of popular stories to increase the likelihood of success. They suggest a strategic approach to writing on Medium, including publishing in relevant publications like BetterProgramming and using compelling images. The author also acknowledges the reality that despite a good strategy, only a small percentage of stories may become high earners, advocating for consistency and adaptability in choosing story topics based on audience engagement rather than personal preference.

Opinions

The author believes that Medium's algorithm favors certain types of content, such as coding tips for beginners, and that writers should leverage this to their advantage.
Success on Medium is seen as more of a science, requiring analysis of current trends and strategic planning, rather than solely relying on the artistry of writing.
The author suggests that writers should not become too attached to specific topics but rather focus on what is currently resonating with the audience.
There is an emphasis on the importance of a compelling featured image and publishing in established Medium publications to enhance story performance.
The author points out the harsh reality that even with a solid strategy, the majority of stories may not perform well financially, and writers should be prepared for this.
The author recommends against spending excessive time on a single story due to the low probability of it going viral.
A YouTube guide is recommended by the author for those looking to start and grow on Medium, indicating a belief in the value of additional educational resources.
The author endorses an AI service, ZAI.chat, as a cost-effective alternative to ChatGPT Plus (GPT-4), suggesting confidence in the tool's utility for writers.

I Wrote a Story in 2 Hours That Made $788,84 on Medium

Here’s how you can do it too!

Here’s a Medium story I wrote in just 2 hours that got 45k+ views and made almost $800.

This post is a very simple coding article that lists basic tips for beginner coders.

But how on earth did it do so well? There’s apparently nothing special in this post. These days, anyone could write a story like this with ChatGPT…

Let’s take a closer look.

It’s All About “Hot Topics”

I came up with the story idea through exploration. I simply noticed that for some reason, Medium loved stories about coding tips for beginners. All the top stories were about those.

So I just took advantage of the momentum of this story format. Now, almost all of my best-performing stories are coding tips.

Pretty funny, huh?

How to Earn $100+ Per Story?

Now let me show you how you can do the same!

To earn on Medium, you need to create a blueprint for your stories, where:

Medium loves your topic
Your story is similar to other successful stories

In simpler terms, you need to find what’s working right now.

To do this, open up Medium, and check what kinds of stories have the most likes and comments.

List some commonalities between the successful stories.

For example, back in 2021, I noticed that the best performers were:

3–5-minute reads
Had 5–15 tips for beginner coders
Were published on BetterProgramming publication
Had a compelling featured image

This was the blueprint I used.

So when it was time to write, I always jotted down a 3-minute best-tips-for-coders story and published it on BetterProgramming.

Don’t Improvise

If you write about random topics in an unplanned format, there’s a high chance that none of your stories will ever get any reads.

It’s a bit more of a science than art on Medium.

You need to figure out what’s working right now and jump on the bandwagon.

Fall in love with the process, not with the topics! If you want to find success on Medium, you don’t choose the topics for your stories. Your audience does it for you.

The Harsh Reality

I hate to spoil the party, but even with the best Medium strategy, 95% of your stories will fall short.

For instance, I have published over 300 stories on Medium, and only 20 of those have earned $100+. And that 300 stories is a lot. It takes months of hard work and dedication.

Also, don’t spend too much time on a single story. There’s only a 5% chance for it to go viral in the best-case scenario!

Check Also

I’ve made a complete 30-minute guide on how to start and grow on Medium. Make sure to watch it!