The Real Reason Why Top Writer’s Views Are Down

This might hurt

We all know that the number of writers on Medium has boomed over the last year, due to the popularization by content creators of their craft and the impact of the pandemic.

Whatever the reason, there are now significantly more contributors to the Medium platform than before. More contributors means more articles. And although those new writers should also be increasing reading numbers, this hasn't been the outcome for everyone. Many established writers have complained about a 50% drop in viewing numbers.

Why have some established and successful writers lost so many viewers?

I have been thinking for a long time that these might be the reasons why many established writers have seen their views drop, but after seeing comments from other contributors on my previous article about why Tim Denning is wrong about commenting, I realized I was not the only one thinking this.

Here is why I think that established writers have suffered the most.

Too big for their boots

The comments section of my popular article about Tim Denning exploded. Contributors to Medium obviously feel passionate about this topic. There were some writers who were able to see Tim’s perspective, which is that he claims in avoiding comments he can block out negativity.

Many were also able to see it more from what I felt was more likely Tim's actual reason for not engaging: he simply doesn’t have time to read let alone reply to comments.

This was where the divide between those who are more established on the platform and those who are not, became clear. Writers who had thousands of followers admitted that they struggled to keep up with comments. It wasn't that they didn't want to but they just didn't have time.

I can appreciate this, I had 50 comments from this one article to contend with last weekend, plus my usual trolls. My weekend was dominated by replying to comments.

What I found was this, replying to comments is more challenging than writing. With writing, I can get into a flow state and write at superhero speed, But I can't do this with comments.

When I reply to comments, I am not writing my opinions but a carefully considered response. It takes time.

However, here lies the problem: even though it takes time it is absolutely necessary to get around to reading and replying to comments. This I knew anyway, but this opinion has become cemented since reading the comments section of my previous article. Blogging is relational. Readers expect you to reply. And if you don't, they don't like it.

Many readers who commented on my previous article said that they stopped reading writers who didn't comment. I have done this too because blogging and Medium are about discussion and connection. If an author doesn't even clap for your comment you feel ignored. If a writer ignores you, you are less likely to want to try and engage with them again.

Therefore, I do wonder if success on Medium is a double-edged sword. As you become more popular you inevitably are unable to engage and this definitely has the potential to alienate your readers.

The ‘how I made it on Medium’ article mill

We’ve all done it. I’ve done. You've likely done it too. We all read them in varying quantities. And it makes sense that we all write about how we wrote a viral article. But there is such a thing as overdoing it.

Some established writers just can’t stop writing about how they became so successful on Medium and quit their 9–5 and how they only work 16 hours a week, interspersed with articles moaning about Medium views being down and speculating on why.

Yawn.

See this is all good but for 99% of Medium readers and writers, this lifestyle ain’t gonna happen. And the majority that I can see don’t really want it either. Particularly since they can now see just how precarious it is at top of the Medium castle in the sky. It’s a long way down and there is no fluffy cloud of a 6-month payout like you get in a salaried job to land on.

We all get stuck down rabbit holes. But if your finding that people only read your articles about how successful you are on Medium, and not the articles that got you there anymore, then maybe, just maybe there’s a chance that you could turn your honed writing ability to a whole new genre?

Not writing anything new

I am absolutely not saying that all established writers don't write anything new but it is more likely that they have gotten stuck down some rabbit hole.

You know how it is. You get a couple of viral articles and you think you know what readers want. A regurgitated version of the last viral article again right? A little tweak here and there should do it?

This reminds me of when I worked in retail buying. My job was to ensure a coat existed that would draw in the same customer the next year. Quite often out of fear of alienating customers it would be the same coat in a new fabric or double-breasted or what-not. Sometimes this strategy would work but sometimes customers didn't buy it.

I’m sure you’ve been there. You go into your favorite store, see the same top that’s been there the last few summers but just in a different color and you think: do they think I’m just going to buy it because it’s in a new color? Can’t they create something new for me, their valuable customer?

This is exactly the same.

They don’t know that creators are not trying to fob them off but just trying to make them happy.

Sometimes readers need something new. It’s time to get out of the comfort blanket and feel naked again.

They aren't trying as hard

Writers who already have a ton of followers are less likely to dig deep and reveal some amazing and deep information. Their posts are too polished. They know how to pull you into articles that are just the right article length and once you have scanned down a little you might as well finish it off. They maximize catchy headlines and Canva images that convey their own personal brand.

This is all great. But they have learned all the tricks and don’t need to be as gut-wrenchingly honest to gain readers. People automatically read their s**t anyway right?

Readers on Medium aren't stupid. Many don’t want polish, they want emotion, they want reality, they want something bursting at the seams with detail.

They don’t want a feeling of deja-vu but with a super catchy must-click headline and then to feel disappointed at the end.

Thanks for reading my opinion on why views for some established context creators on this platform might be down. I’m sure this doesn't apply to all those who have experienced a drop in viewing figures and as ever this piece is meant to spark discussion not close doors.

Please let me know your thoughts, the good and the bad, but maybe not the ugly.