3 Tips From An Editor To Help Your Article Go Viral

The money is in the details.

If you’re writing for love, not money, move along. There’s nothing to see here. But if you’re after the big bucks, an audience who seeks you out every day or every week, depending on your publishing schedule, readers who hang on your every well-chosen word, then you want your articles to go viral.

Viral articles have more clout than curated articles.

Even articles that get the coveted Medium love known as curation can still sink like a stone. Ask me how I know (boo hoo). Viral posts, however, bring home the bacon even if Medium can’t see their value. It’s all about the reader$hip, $tupid. Yup. Posts over 1 or 2k in claps start delivering serious bling.

So what’s the secret?

If I knew that, you’d find me lolling on my yacht off the coast of Monte Carlo counting my earnings. Instead, I’m just like you, trying to hack the Medium algo. But I’ve had a few posts hit 1k and higher, and that bit of success keeps me going. It’s also nudged me to do a little research. I topped that with a revealing comment by a non-Medium member friend after he scanned some very popular posts. Three things have jumped out at me about viral articles after this deep dive that I hope will help your articles climb the clap ladder.

I’ve been a writer and editor for more years than I can count, and I know from personal experience the secret in the viral sauce doesn’t vary. The same incredients that season popular novels, does the trick for non-fiction books, journalism pieces, and Medium essays. We may struggle to come up with our own special mix––but the pieces that succeed have three things in common. It’s not just a good idea, because a spark of inspiration can die a hero’s death without garnering the glory we think it deserves.

But when a piece does go viral, I can tell you has the three important ingredients I’m going to list for you now. Sprinkle in your own unique voice, and you’re on your way to viral stardom. If not this time, you’re on the right track. Keep trying. Because perseverence is the name of the game in writing. So let’s get started.

Go wide.

Pick a topic that appeals to the greatest number of readers. You may be the world’s foremost authority on underwater basketweaving with ancient papyrus reeds, but if folks ditched papyrus for willow, you won’t get readers.

I’m not saying you can’t have a select audience. You don’t have to appeal to all 6 billion of us on the planet. Remember Abe Lincoln’s advice about not pleasing everyone, and keep your expectations reasonable for a attracting a sizable readership. But do aim high enough to keep baby in shoes.

Create a checklist of your skills and interests. Then search through Medium and see if you can find a tribe. People who like what you like. Enough of them with a thirst to know more about willow weaving for instance.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that competition will kill your piece. I learned that lesson during my forays into traditional publishing. The first question prospective editors asked when I proffered my proposal was how many similar books were out there? At first, I made the mistake of assuring them mine was an original. When the editors returned my proposal with a not-interested letter, I realized the value of competition. If a reader likes a book about willow weaving, they will read as many as you’ve got. So look for articles on your topic. See how many clicks they earn. If the number is too him, the competition might be too stiff. But if there’s at least some interest, you may have found your spot.

Go deep.

Always give value. Research your topic, so your reader ends up saying, gee, I didn’t know that.

My friend looked at the popular Medium articles over coffee yesterday when I suggested he might like to post his work there. What surprised him about the big hitters? Wow, he said. “They go deep.”

This friend reads a lot and liked that these pieces didn’t skim (not to be confused with skimmable). They had references, links to experts, quotes, and insights not commonly seen.

Whether your writing about neuroscience, startup investing, or recovery from abuse, research your topic. Find nuggets that open your eyes to a new way of looking at the issue. If they open your eyes, they’ll likely open your readers’ eyes and garner the clicks you want.

Think of your subject as an octopus with many tentacles or arms. Create the hub and then extend out from the center to add value that might be new to the reader. If you’re writing about how to develop a daily workout routine, make sure you include diet, supplements, rest, and recovery in addition to the weights. For a travel piece, give a tour of the city for sure, but how about a few daytrips into the countryside?

These examples are simplistic. But you get my drift. Don’t stay on the surface of your topic, dig deep for the vein that delivers the riches.

Go first.

I’m not talking about rushing to publish with breaking news. That’s what mainstream media is for, but when you have an idea, don’t let it lie fallow until you get around to it. It’s very true; there’s nothing new under the sun. But originality counts for the spin you give an old story.

Yes, sexual harassment is nothing new these days, sorry to say. But perhaps what you have to say about could be a fresh take, something we haven’t thought of until you brought it to our attention. You might come across a study, or a trial, or have an experience that can open our eyes to a new way of looking at the problem. Or, hopefully, a solution to a painful issue. If you don’t write about it first, as soon as the idea hits you, someone else might steal your thunder and there goes your chance.

Don’t wait until the headlines are saturated with stories about early morning hacks by startup billionaires. The writer sitting next to you in the coffee shop can bang out one of those. And probably is doing that we speak. Go outside and walk through the streets, take a new bike path to work, or a get-out-of-town getaway this weekend. Open your eyes for the rest of us stuck in 9–5 jobs.

Be the first to tell us what you’re seeing in the places we’re missing. What’s down those dark alleys of the city no one else has dared yet to explore or show us the peaks from the hills we’re too stiff and tired to climb.

Don’t stick with online destinations that anyone can find with the click of a key. Take off the safety belt and go out on a ledge to be the first to give us an opposing viewpoint on a popular topic. Get up close and personal with an experience that you’ve kept hidden, but just might give comfort to someone who’s suffered your particular angst. Or call our attention to a particular type of dick or dickette who’s flying under the radar and getting away with murder.

Be the first to take a brave, bold step in your writing. It may feel scary to you, but to us, it’s liberating. Freeing.

They’re only words, you know. They say words can’t hurt us. But oh, they can help us. Especially when you craft them carefully and they soar to the viral heavens with insight, wit, or compassion.

The best thing about Medium: it’s not the Oscars. It doesn’t give out only one viral article in a year. Medium’s got a million of ’em, so go on, what do you have to lose? If you want to go viral, or even inch up a bit higher in your stats. give your articles your best shot by going, wide, deep, and first.

We’re a village here. We’ve got your back. What’s the worst that can happen? You’ll sink like a stone. But you know what? Tomorrow’s another day. Take what you’ve learned and give it another shot.

If you’d like to read more of my stories, sign up here for my newsletter and you won’t miss a word.