Summary

The article discusses the strategic use of tags on Medium, emphasizing the importance of selecting relevant tags to increase article visibility and achieve "Top Writer" status in various categories.

Abstract

The provided content delves into the nuances of tagging articles on Medium, highlighting the significance of using tags effectively to enhance discoverability. The author shares personal insights into the popularity of the "testicles" tag within the Medium community and its role in fostering a niche readership. The article also touches on Medium's management philosophy regarding tag maintenance, suggesting a lack of oversight for misspelled tags. By leveraging tags, the author argues that writers can attract a targeted audience and potentially earn "Top Writer" badges, which, while not directly monetizable, can be a source of pride and recognition outside the Medium platform. The piece concludes with a recommendation to use tags thoughtfully and regularly to maximize writing exposure on Medium.

Opinions

The author humorously acknowledges being mistakenly perceived as an expert, which prompts them to share their knowledge on tagging.
There is an emphasis on the "testicles" tag as an example of a popular, niche tag that can integrate a writer into a specific community within Medium.
The article suggests that Medium does not actively manage or correct misspelled tags, which can affect article discoverability.
The author, with a background in programming, values the use of tags for search optimization and considers them crucial for reaching like-minded readers.
Tags are seen as a tool for achieving "Top Writer" status in various categories, which can be impressive to those outside of Medium, despite its lack of direct financial reward.
The author encourages writers to conduct regular searches on "Top Tags" to stay informed and to use this information to strategically select tags for their articles.
The article implies that obtaining "Top Writer" badges is not overly difficult with frequent writing and judicious use of tags.
The author downplays their expertise in comedy writing, hinting at a recent venture into the genre.
The piece advocates for the enjoyment of writing on Medium and the pursuit of "Top Writer" badges as a motivational "carrot" before potential changes that could come with corporate acquisitions like Amazon buying Medium.

ADVICE

Tagging Your Medium Articles

A Basic How and Why

Once again, someone mistakenly thought I was some kind of an expert.

And naturally, that’s an open invitation to go prove that they were right!

Isn’t that how it works?

Here is a brief article on tagging your Medium article.

I’ve written on this topic before, especially in regards to the use of the testicles tag. If you weren’t aware, this is quite a popular tag, in Medium writer inner circles.

To become part of that inner circle, all you need do is a write an article that is in some way topically related to testicles. Then, when you are ready to publish, use the testicles tag.

Now the history of this tag goes back a bit. I didn’t invent it. I more or less stumbled into the testicles discussion. It’s partly what got me started in writing comedy.

I’m not sure exactly WHO was the first person to use it. I’m sure some Medium old timers might have comments on that. Regardless, ANY word can become a tag, and you can be the first to use any word as a tag. You just type it and force the return. This is why you also must be careful when CHOOSING your tags. Because there are quite a number of tags that have misspellings and if you use them, your article will never be found, unless someone else searches for an article using the same tag. Medium doesn’t do that type of housekeeping — cleaning up misspelled tags.

“Don’t cry over spilled milk, and don’t clean it up either” is apparently the management philosophy.

Since I was a programmer back in the 1980s heyday with IBM, I’m naturally inquisitive and searching all the time. It may be that I use Medium in a different way than many readers because of that background. But when I want to find something, I’m using all the search mechanisms at my disposal. Tags help with that. When you tag your articles, someone who has a brain like mine will likely find you if they are interested in what you wrote. So be careful. You never know who you might attract.

If you go to the Medium main page and type “Top Tags” you’ll be presented with a group of articles that discuss in one way or another, this topic.

I really like this article by J.J. Pryor.

List of Medium Top Writer Tags, Number of Hits, and Amount of Writers

A list compiled in November 2019 to be used by writers on Medium with highlighted categories to help in choosing a…

Some people don’t think tags matter. I like tags, and I like to pick them based on the top tags, because I actually LIKE saying I’m a top writer on Medium in 8 categories, or however many categories I managed to snag this month.

If you say it to another Medium writer, they might nod and wink and say, “pshaw…but you know it doesn’t really mean anything or translate into extra money.”

But to someone not on Medium, it sounds like a big deal. And honestly, if you click on your profile and click on any of those top writer badges — they are hot links — it takes you right to a page where you can see top articles or top writers.

For instance, right now, if I click on the Satire top writer badge from my profile, the number two article on that list is one published on MuddyUm by Robert Locke.

Satire top stories and writers — screenshot by the author

Here’s that article. It’s a doozy.

Writers Panic As Amazon Buys Medium.

Does Amazon really rule the world?

I do a regular search throughout Medium on that “Top Tags” topic, just to see who has written what and what the various opinions are.

But my opinion is — use the tags, choose them wisely and carefully — not randomly — and go get yourself a profile full of top writer badges. It isn’t that difficult to do if you are writing frequently.

Then you too can boast about being a TOP WRITER! There’s no good reason not to. It’s a great carrot for writing daily, and until amazon buys Medium, it’s still fun too. So grab the laughs while you can. Before you’re on a REAL hamster wheel.

Written for CJ Kowalski who thinks I’m some sort of guru.

Susan Brearley is a brilliant strategist and writer/editor. She’s the owner/operator of the MuddyUm Writer’s Self Help Clinic. And the Captain and Editor in Chief of the Good Ship MuddyUm.

She’s been writing comedy for about 2 weeks.

While you’re at it, you might want to read this one too.