The Top 10 Most Featured Topics on Medium in July 2020 — Deep Analysis

Of all 460 of the stories featured by Medium in July 2020, these were the topics they covered most.

In this report, we will take a look at the top 10 topics that were most covered in stories featured on Medium’s homepage in July, 2020. We will examine the formatting — word count, story length, and topics — used by the writers as well as engagement metrics, such as claps and responses.

Towards the middle of this report, you can find a graph of all the topics covered in the stories featured on Medium in the month of July.

Who am I?

I’m a software engineer who knows how to obtain, process, and report data efficiently. As a writer, I’ve set my eyes on Medium’s featured stories to help myself and other writers understand what Medium’s editorial team prioritizes. I will do my best to summarize my findings in a series of articles. You can follow me and the Writers Guild publication to stay alert.

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Let’s explore the data from July!

#1. Culture

There were 106 stories published on the topic of Culture featured by Medium in July, 2020. These stories accounted for 23.04% of all stories featured during July. The stories about Culture were also curated across forty-nine topics, including Music, Race, and Media.

Formatting

The greatest number of words in a single story that Medium selected from Culture to feature on their homepage was 11,068. The minimum number of words was 256. The average number of words was 1,669.

Those words summed up to an average reading time of 7 minutes.

• Maximum reading time: 42 minutes
• Minimum reading time: 1 minutes

Reader engagement

There was a total of 212142 claps for stories published on Culture. The applause came from 26,408 readers.

• Average number of claps: 2,001
• Maximum number of claps: 15,837
• Minimum number of claps: 37

There was a total of 2114 responses received on stories published on Culture.

• Average number of responses: 20
• Maximum number of responses: 129
• Minimum number of responses: 0

Ranking based on engagement

Based on the averages of this engagement data from stories published about Culture that were featured on Medium’s homepage, Culture was the best topic to publish a story about on Medium in July, 2020.

Sample of stories

• It’s Time to Make Orchestras Great Again — By Making Them Blacker by Brandon Keith Brown
• What Celebrities Can Do to Really Help Democrats Win the Election by David Litt
• A Complicated History of Han Chinese Anti-Blackness by Frankie Huang
• Miami Heat’s DJ Irie Is Ready To Adapt To A New Way Of (Night)life by DJ IRiE
• Why Talking to People Is So Awkward Right Now by Allie Volpe
• Journalism Comes For Teenage Trauma and Triumph on TikTok by Meg Conley
• Read This Before You Visit an Amusement Park, Museum, or Zoo by Allie Volpe
• The Pandemic Isn’t Forcing Moms Out of the Workforce — Dads Are by Jessica Valenti

#2. Coronavirus

There were 48 stories published on the topic of Coronavirus featured by Medium in July, 2020. These stories accounted for 10.43% of all stories featured during July. The stories about Coronavirus were also curated across eighteen topics, including Science, Health, and Parenting.

Formatting

The greatest number of words in a single story that Medium selected from Coronavirus to feature on their homepage was 5,290. The minimum number of words was 608. The average number of words was 1,596.

Those words summed up to an average reading time of 6 minutes.

• Maximum reading time: 20 minutes
• Minimum reading time: 2 minutes

Reader engagement

There was a total of 77111 claps for stories published on Coronavirus. The applause came from 11,807 readers.

• Average number of claps: 1,606
• Maximum number of claps: 11,114
• Minimum number of claps: 29

There was a total of 650 responses received on stories published on Coronavirus.

• Average number of responses: 14
• Maximum number of responses: 99
• Minimum number of responses: 1

Ranking based on engagement

Based on the averages of this engagement data from stories published about Coronavirus that were featured on Medium’s homepage, Coronavirus was the 2nd best topic to publish a story about on Medium in July, 2020.

Sample of stories

• What’s the Deal With Kids and the Coronavirus: Five Leading Theories by Dana G Smith
• Covid-19 Is Amplifying the Toxic Effects of Modern Life by Mark D Rego
• An Aging Immune System May Explain Why Covid-19 Is So Harmful to the Elderly by Bo Stapler, MD
• All About EIDD-2801: A Little Known but Very Promising Covid-19 Drug by Rosemary Guerguerian, MD
• It Probably Came From Bats by Yasmin Tayag
• Six Feet Apart Is the Gold Standard, but Should It Be? by Markham Heid
• The Complex Science Behind Convalescent Plasma by Jesse Smith
• Just Before Turning 90, My Stepfather Beat a Severe Case of COVID-19: Here are 18 Lessons Learned by Eric Hoffert

#3. Politics

There were 32 stories published on the topic of Politics featured by Medium in July, 2020. These stories accounted for 6.96% of all stories featured during July. The stories about Politics were also curated across twenty-one topics, including Race, Equality, and Society.

Formatting

The greatest number of words in a single story that Medium selected from Politics to feature on their homepage was 2,613. The minimum number of words was 424. The average number of words was 1,208.

Those words summed up to an average reading time of 5 minutes.

• Maximum reading time: 10 minutes
• Minimum reading time: 2 minutes

Reader engagement

There was a total of 81538 claps for stories published on Politics. The applause came from 11,008 readers.

• Average number of claps: 2,548
• Maximum number of claps: 15,127
• Minimum number of claps: 205

There was a total of 950 responses received on stories published on Politics.

• Average number of responses: 30
• Maximum number of responses: 185
• Minimum number of responses: 0

Ranking based on engagement

Based on the averages of this engagement data from stories published about Politics that were featured on Medium’s homepage, Politics was the 3rd best topic to publish a story about on Medium in July, 2020.

Sample of stories

• Evil Is Never Necessary In America by Deval Patrick
• All the Corrupt Things the Trump Administration Did This Week by Max Ufberg
• Turnkey Tyranny Is Alive and Well Under Trump by Trevor Timm
• House Arrest Is Touted as a Humane Punishment. It’s Not. by Maya Schenwar & Victoria Law
• The School-to-Prison Pipeline Swallows a Black Girl for Not Doing Her Homework by Nikhil “Sunny” Patel, MD, MPH, MS
• ‘This Is Not a Public Health Crisis — It’s a Political Crisis’ by David Goodman
• All Your Most Paranoid Transfer of Power Questions, Answered by Ben Jacobs
• America: One Nation Under Occupation by Danielle Moodie

#4. Digital Life

There were 32 stories published on the topic of Digital Life featured by Medium in July, 2020. These stories accounted for 6.96% of all stories featured during July. The stories about Digital Life were also curated across thirty topics, including Economy, Business, and Technology.

Formatting

The greatest number of words in a single story that Medium selected from Digital Life to feature on their homepage was 3,437. The minimum number of words was 454. The average number of words was 1,910.

Those words summed up to an average reading time of 7 minutes.

• Maximum reading time: 14 minutes
• Minimum reading time: 2 minutes

Reader engagement

There was a total of 22677 claps for stories published on Digital Life. The applause came from 3,120 readers.

• Average number of claps: 709
• Maximum number of claps: 5,050
• Minimum number of claps: 69

There was a total of 230 responses received on stories published on Digital Life.

• Average number of responses: 7
• Maximum number of responses: 39
• Minimum number of responses: 0

Ranking based on engagement

Based on the averages of this engagement data from stories published about Digital Life that were featured on Medium’s homepage, Digital Life was the 4th best topic to publish a story about on Medium in July, 2020.

Sample of stories

• What Big Tobacco’s Fall Tells Us About Big Tech’s Future by Will Oremus
• Documents Reveal Apple’s Struggle to Define Its Stance on Right to Repair by Sarah Emerson
• The U.S. Government Is Addicted to the Tech Giants’ Success. That’s the Problem. by Alex Kantrowitz
• Companies Are Using Employee Survey Data to Predict — and Squash — Union Organizing by Sarah Kessler
• The Gig Economy Is Failing. Say Hello to the Hustle Economy. by Caitlin Dewey
• Don’t Get Distracted by the Spectacle of Tech’s Big Antitrust Hearing by Will Oremus
• ‘A Permanent Nightmare’: Pinterest Moderators Fight to Keep Horrifying Content Off the Platform by Sarah Emerson
• Food Delivery Is a Window Into Our Busy, Overworked Lives by Thomas Smith

#5. Race

There were 30 stories published on the topic of Race featured by Medium in July, 2020. These stories accounted for 6.52% of all stories featured during July. The stories about Race were also curated across twenty topics, including Justice, Equality, and Environment.

Formatting

The greatest number of words in a single story that Medium selected from Race to feature on their homepage was 3,063. The minimum number of words was 593. The average number of words was 1,390.

Those words summed up to an average reading time of 5 minutes.

• Maximum reading time: 12 minutes
• Minimum reading time: 2 minutes

Reader engagement

There was a total of 42717 claps for stories published on Race. The applause came from 5,082 readers.

• Average number of claps: 1,424
• Maximum number of claps: 5,349
• Minimum number of claps: 57

There was a total of 469 responses received on stories published on Race.

• Average number of responses: 16
• Maximum number of responses: 48
• Minimum number of responses: 0

Ranking based on engagement

Based on the averages of this engagement data from stories published about Race that were featured on Medium’s homepage, Race was the 5th best topic to publish a story about on Medium in July, 2020.

Sample of stories

• Why, As A Mixed-Race Woman, I Struggle with My Whiteness by Sarah Valentine, Ph.D.
• A Cop Stopped Choking Me When He Realized I Was White by Jason McBride
• We Can’t Address Climate Without Addressing Food Inequity by Evan Shamoon
• My Taxes Paid Off Slave Owners by Nadine Drummond
• What It Means to Learn Outdoors With My Black and Brown Students by Regina A. Bernard
• An Essential Checklist for Black Women Applying to Jobs by Brittinee Phillips
• The Privilege of ‘Always Negotiate’ by Quinisha Jackson-Wright
• I’m a Black Trans Woman. All Parts of My Life Matter. by Morgan Sherm

#6. Society

There were 25 stories published on the topic of Society featured by Medium in July, 2020. These stories accounted for 5.43% of all stories featured during July. The stories about Society were also curated across twenty-four topics, including Self, Equality, and Business.

Formatting

The greatest number of words in a single story that Medium selected from Society to feature on their homepage was 3,372. The minimum number of words was 377. The average number of words was 1,434.

Those words summed up to an average reading time of 6 minutes.

• Maximum reading time: 14 minutes
• Minimum reading time: 2 minutes

Reader engagement

There was a total of 60516 claps for stories published on Society. The applause came from 8,188 readers.

• Average number of claps: 2,421
• Maximum number of claps: 9,084
• Minimum number of claps: 77

There was a total of 637 responses received on stories published on Society.

• Average number of responses: 25
• Maximum number of responses: 161
• Minimum number of responses: 0

Ranking based on engagement

Based on the averages of this engagement data from stories published about Society that were featured on Medium’s homepage, Society was the 6th best topic to publish a story about on Medium in July, 2020.

Sample of stories

• On making a ruckus by Seth Godin
• Why It’s Almost Impossible to Build a Health Care Startup That Works by Nikhil Krishnan
• An Archaeologist Analyzes the Confederate Monument Near His Home by Andrew Tharler
• How Protest Movements Can Hijack Surveillance Tech for the Public Good by Austin Choi-Fitzpatrick
• I Spent 3 Weeks in School, With Kids, Under Covid-19 by Chris Jones
• We’re Treating Self-Improvement Like a Software Upgrade by Douglas Rushkoff
• An Obsessive Misogynist Killed a New Jersey Judge’s Son. He’s Long Targeted Feminists, Too. by Jessica Valenti
• Feminist and Under Lockdown by Jessica Valenti

#7. Lifestyle

There were 16 stories published on the topic of Lifestyle featured by Medium in July, 2020. These stories accounted for 3.48% of all stories featured during July. The stories about Lifestyle were also curated across twenty-three topics, including Psychology, Self, and Work.

Formatting

The greatest number of words in a single story that Medium selected from Lifestyle to feature on their homepage was 2,613. The minimum number of words was 1,038. The average number of words was 1,482.

Those words summed up to an average reading time of 6 minutes.

• Maximum reading time: 11 minutes
• Minimum reading time: 4 minutes

Reader engagement

There was a total of 26439 claps for stories published on Lifestyle. The applause came from 4,241 readers.

• Average number of claps: 1,652
• Maximum number of claps: 5,092
• Minimum number of claps: 170

There was a total of 275 responses received on stories published on Lifestyle.

• Average number of responses: 17
• Maximum number of responses: 58
• Minimum number of responses: 2

Ranking based on engagement

Based on the averages of this engagement data from stories published about Lifestyle that were featured on Medium’s homepage, Lifestyle was the 7th best topic to publish a story about on Medium in July, 2020.

Sample of stories

• How to Bring Your Anger Into the Room by Christina Tesoro, LMSW
• Read This Before You Go to the Dentist by Keren Landman, MD
• Covid ‘Cocktail Crisis’ Adds to America’s Serious Drinking Problem by Robert Roy Britt
• The Black Men Behind Social Media’s Great Gardening Explosion by Jewel Wicker
• I Ended My 11-Year Relationship During the Pandemic by Ashley Samone
• A Special Kind of Stress Is Turning Your Hair Gray by Deanna Pai
• Everyone is on Antidepressants Right Now. Is That OK? by Jennifer King Lindley
• The Best Masks for Every Situation, According to Health Experts by L’Oreal Thompson Payton

#8. Economy

There were 14 stories published on the topic of Economy featured by Medium in July, 2020. These stories accounted for 3.04% of all stories featured during July. The stories about Economy were also curated across sixteen topics, including Business, Technology, and Society.

Formatting

The greatest number of words in a single story that Medium selected from Economy to feature on their homepage was 4,496. The minimum number of words was 1,024. The average number of words was 2,297.

Those words summed up to an average reading time of 9 minutes.

• Maximum reading time: 18 minutes
• Minimum reading time: 4 minutes

Reader engagement

There was a total of 25650 claps for stories published on Economy. The applause came from 4,143 readers.

• Average number of claps: 1,832
• Maximum number of claps: 7,056
• Minimum number of claps: 360

There was a total of 331 responses received on stories published on Economy.

• Average number of responses: 24
• Maximum number of responses: 63
• Minimum number of responses: 0

Ranking based on engagement

Based on the averages of this engagement data from stories published about Economy that were featured on Medium’s homepage, Economy was the 8th best topic to publish a story about on Medium in July, 2020.

Sample of stories

• The Pandemic Blew Company Forecasting to Pieces by Campbell Brown
• The Uncertain Future of Post-Pandemic Starbucks by Steve LeVine
• Big Tech Won the Antitrust Hearings Before They Even Started by Scott Galloway
• What Exactly Is Uber’s End Game? by Byrne Hobart
• Shopify Saved Main Street. Next Stop: Taking on Amazon by David H. Freedman
• Complex Systems Theory Explains Why Covid Crushed the World by Debora MacKenzie
• Why Investors Are Still Betting on Carnival Cruise Lines by Rob Walker
• This Chart Predicts Which Colleges Will Survive the Coronavirus by Scott Galloway

#9. Money

There were 12 stories published on the topic of Money featured by Medium in July, 2020. These stories accounted for 2.61% of all stories featured during July. The stories about Money were also curated across twenty-one topics, including Culture, Lifestyle, and Economy.

Formatting

The greatest number of words in a single story that Medium selected from Money to feature on their homepage was 3,613. The minimum number of words was 866. The average number of words was 1,653.

Those words summed up to an average reading time of 7 minutes.

• Maximum reading time: 15 minutes
• Minimum reading time: 3 minutes

Reader engagement

There was a total of 14683 claps for stories published on Money. The applause came from 2,025 readers.

• Average number of claps: 1,224
• Maximum number of claps: 4,300
• Minimum number of claps: 228

There was a total of 132 responses received on stories published on Money.

• Average number of responses: 11
• Maximum number of responses: 25
• Minimum number of responses: 3

Ranking based on engagement

Based on the averages of this engagement data from stories published about Money that were featured on Medium’s homepage, Money was the 9th best topic to publish a story about on Medium in July, 2020.

Sample of stories

• 6 Jobless Workers. 6 Different Salary Levels. Zero End in Sight. by Mari Uyehara
• Confessions of a Former Teen Debt Collector by Meghan Gunn
• DoorDash and Postmates Padded My Pockets — and Taught Me a Life Lesson by 𝑰𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒂𝒉 𝑴𝒄𝑪𝒂𝒍𝒍
• Colleges Are Selling Branded PPE Because of Course They Are by Rainesford Stauffer
• How I Lost $100 Million in 60 Days by Colin Heilbut
• Student Debt Forgiveness Is a Women’s Issue by Linda Scott
• How Covid-19 Killed Live Shows and Rappers’ Incomes by Keith Nelson Jr
• The Wage Gap Between Black and White Workers Will Likely Get Worse by Sudarshan Sampath

#10. Science

There were 10 stories published on the topic of Science featured by Medium in July, 2020. These stories accounted for 2.17% of all stories featured during July. The stories about Science were also curated across ten topics, including Education, Health, and Privacy.

Formatting

The greatest number of words in a single story that Medium selected from Science to feature on their homepage was 2,747. The minimum number of words was 709. The average number of words was 1,221.

Those words summed up to an average reading time of 5 minutes.

• Maximum reading time: 11 minutes
• Minimum reading time: 3 minutes

Reader engagement

There was a total of 8277 claps for stories published on Science. The applause came from 1,256 readers.

• Average number of claps: 828
• Maximum number of claps: 2,650
• Minimum number of claps: 96

There was a total of 55 responses received on stories published on Science.

• Average number of responses: 6
• Maximum number of responses: 15
• Minimum number of responses: 0

Ranking based on engagement

Based on the averages of this engagement data from stories published about Science that were featured on Medium’s homepage, Science was the 10th best topic to publish a story about on Medium in July, 2020.

Sample of stories

• Why There’s a Shortage of Nurse Educators, and Why That’s a Problem by Normajean Colby PhD, RN, CNE, CPN
• The Era of DNA Database Hacks Is Here by Emily Mullin
• #MedBikini and the conversation of sexism in medicine and science. by Ira Memaj
• Scientists Turn to 3D Printing to Save Devastated Coral Reefs by Drew Costley
• Seventy Teams of Scientists Analysed the Same Brain Data, and It Went Badly by Mark Humphries
• Locust Swarms Are Getting So Big That We Need Radar to Track Them by Chris Baraniuk
• Deepwater Horizon Still Plagues the Health of Children a Decade Later by Drew Costley
• Researchers Just Took a Major Step Toward Decoding the Entire Human Genome by Emily Mullin

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