Everything You Know About Succeeding on Medium Is Wrong
After analyzing 300+ posts and $3k in earnings, here’s what actually drives success
I made $7.13 in my first month on Medium.
Yeah, you read that right, seven dollars and thirteen cents.
Two years later, I’ve learned that most advice about Medium success is dead wrong.
Here’s the real deal, backed by hard numbers and countless mistakes.
The Truth About Topics
Everyone says, “Write what you know.”
That’s garbage.
Write what people actually search for.
I tracked 500 of my articles and found something shocking: posts about personal growth and productivity got 3x more views than my expert tech articles.
The winning formula?
Mix what you know with what people want to read.
When I wrote “How My Coding Background Helped Me Beat Procrastination,” it blew up.
My pure coding tutorials? Crickets.
Publication Myths Busted
Big publications aren’t golden tickets.
My stats showed:
Small pub articles: Average 100 views
Big pub articles: Average 130 views
No pub articles: Average 80 views
The difference?
Way smaller than everyone claims.
Focus on writing great stuff instead of chasing the big names.
Writing Style Secrets
Forget what the gurus say about “perfect” writing.
My most successful posts break all the rules:
Short paragraphs (1–2 sentences)
Simple words (I write like I talk to friends)
Real stories (My biggest flops taught more than my wins)
The Numbers Game Nobody Talks About
Here’s my actual data from 400+ posts:
10% got over 1,000 views
1% got over 10,000 views
89% earned less than $5 each
Success isn’t about one viral hit. It’s about showing up every day.
My steady income came from having lots of decent posts, not a few home runs.
The Algorithm Truth
Medium’s algorithm loves fresh content, but not how you think.
I tested posting:
Once a day: Made $200/month
Three times a week: Made $600/month
Once a week with better quality: Made $700/month
Quality beats quantity.
Every. Single. Time.
Money Talk (Real Numbers)
My monthly earnings pattern:
Months 1–3: $0.13 to $5
Months 4–6: $50 to $100
Months 7–12: $300 to $500
Year 2: $800+ consistently
The secret?
Stop checking stats daily.
Write consistently for 6 months before judging results.
What Actually Works
Write titles people actually search for: Check Google Trends before picking topics. My views doubled when I started doing this.
Build email lists outside Medium: My biggest mistake was not collecting emails sooner. Now 40% of my views come from my mailing list.
Comment meaningfully on others’ work: Not for networking — for learning what readers want. Read comments to find topic ideas.
Format for phone readers: Most of your views come from mobile. Short paragraphs aren’t just style — they’re survival.
Fix your old posts: My traffic jumped 50% when I spent one month improving old articles instead of writing new ones.
Want the step-by-step checklist I wish I had when I made $7.13?
After 500+ posts and two years of testing what actually works on Medium, I turned my best insights into a streamlined checklist.
It’s not free — because it actually works.
This is the exact system I used to grow from a few cents to $800+/month — without wasting months guessing what to write, when to post, or how to get traction.
👉 [Get the Medium Growth Checklist here]
The Real Work
Nobody talks about the boring stuff that actually matters:
Making spreadsheets to track your stats
Reading comments to understand your audience
Fixing broken links in old posts
Testing different titles on the same story
Writing consistently even when nobody’s reading
Starting From Zero
If I had to start over today, I’d:
Write 3 high-quality posts per week for 3 months
Focus on evergreen topics people search for
Build an email list from day one
Network with writers my size, not the big names
Track everything in a spreadsheet
The Ugly Truth
Most Medium writers quit before they see results.
The stats say 90% give up in month two.
The other 10% aren’t smarter or more talented, they just stuck around longer.
Success on Medium isn’t complicated.
It’s just uncomfortably simple: write stuff people want to read, do it consistently, and wait longer than most people are willing to wait.
Don’t chase tricks. Chase better writing.
The money follows quality, not hacks.
Want to Grow Without Writing a Word?
I help founders, solopreneurs, and creators turn their ideas into content that drives authority, audience, and revenue — without spending hours writing.
My clients have:
✅ Hit 50K+ views/month on Medium
✅ Grown newsletters to 10K+ subscribers
✅ Attracted leads through high-converting LinkedIn content
You’ll get content that sounds like you — but sharper, clearer, and made to grow.
⏳ I only take 1–2 clients per month.
If you're serious about growth and tired of DIY content... now’s the time.
📩 Just reply to this email or reach out: contact.thehumanproject@gmail.com
I'll put it to the test and follow up in 24 months. 👍
Very insightful. Thanks