The Market Your Message Show
The Market Your Message Show
The Secret Platform That Grew His Email List to 20k in 6 Months (Ch 11. Build Your Audience)
Unlocking Medium Success: Building an Audience and Monetizing Your Content
Grab a Copy of the Build Your Audience Book: https://platformgrowthbooks.com
In this episode of the Market Your Message Show, Jonathan Milligan dives into hidden opportunities within Medium.com, a platform for thinkers and storytellers. The discussion revolves around Benjamin Hardy’s journey from having no audience to gaining 20,000 subscribers in just six months.
The episode outlines key strategies for thriving on Medium, including focusing on quality content, leveraging Medium’s unique ecosystem, and engaging with its community. Jonathan also provides valuable tips from his book, 'Your Message Matters,' on successfully building an audience and creating impactful content on Medium.
Listeners are encouraged to follow along with the book, which is available for free as an audiobook.
00:00 From Obscurity to 20,000 Subscribers: Benjamin Hardy's Journey
00:28 Introduction to Medium: A Platform for Thinkers and Storytellers
01:27 The Medium Traffic Playbook: Chapter 11 Overview
01:35 Benjamin Hardy's Medium Success Story
03:02 Understanding Medium's Unique Audience
03:28 Avoiding Common Mistakes on Medium
05:45 Adopting the Thought Leader Mindset
06:41 Your Medium Success Roadmap
09:46 Today's Exercise: Analyzing Popular Medium Articles
11:37 Key Takeaways and Conclusion
He had no audience, no email list, and his wife was the only one reading his blog. But in just six months, Benjamin Hardy went from digital obscurity to 20,000 subscribers, and it wasn't through SEO social media or paid ads, his secret. medium.com. A platform built for thinkers, storytellers, and people brave enough to publish ideas that matter. Hi, I am Jonathan Milligan, author of the book series, your Message Matters, and also the host of this podcast, the Market Your Message Show. Excited to get into today because I think it's a hidden opportunity. You can go and publish articles for free. Join medium.com and actually get paid when people read your articles. And you can also build an audience on a platform that's already got lots of hungry readers. So we're gonna get into that. But this comes from chapter number 11 in my book, build Your Audience, and if you'd like a copy of the book, you can go to platform growth books.com. You can also find the link. In the show notes and you can follow along as we go through the entire book. I'm making the audiobook available for free to our listeners as a thank you for being a part of this podcast, and we're gonna jump right into it. So let's jump into chapter 11, the Medium Traffic Playbook.
Speaker 22:Chapter 11, the Medium Traffic Playbook. Benjamin Hardy started blogging seriously in May, 2015. His blog had no audience, just his wife. As discussed in the last chapter, you can't just publish your thoughts on a blog and get traction. To be successful with a blog, you must focus on SEO. What Benjamin needed was a platform designed for thought leaders, so he started publishing on Medium. In six months, he went from zero to 20,000 subscribers. How. By using the platform's unique ecosystem of curious minds, they crave thought provoking content. Medium is a platform where content is king. It's not about connections or existing platforms. High quality content rises to the top. Hardee's. Articles on Medium Drew, massive traffic. One went viral, drawing 200,000 clicks per day. His subscriber count shot up. He added a call to action to his post inviting readers to subscribe. His followers grew exponentially. Hardy's success wasn't just luck. He experimented with his writing framing goals as Quest and creating content that couldn't be ignored. He focused on quantity and quality using listicles research and powerful quotes. He knew that great content on Medium could lead to more significant opportunities. Business Insider, Huffington Post and the Observer republished his work. This strategy built his audience and credibility. This chapter will show you how to replicate Hardy's success on medium. Medium is about sharing new ideas, trends, and insights. Unlike a traditional blog, relying on SEO Medium already has an audience craving thought leadership. You'll learn how to use Medium to build an audience and an email list and even earn money just like Hardy did. Ready to turn your ideas into a thriving audience. Let's dive in and unlock the secrets of Medium success. The Medium Mistake. You've just joined Medium and are excited to share your expertise. You wanna make your mark so you approach it like your WordPress blog. You turn out SEO optimized articles that answer the most common questions in your field. But as you hit publish, you're met with silence. No views, no claps, no comments. What gives. The hard truth is that medium isn't your average blog platform. Treating it as such is a surefire way to fade into obscurity. Most newcomers fall into a traditional trap making several critical mistakes. They copy paste their existing blog content expecting instant success. Some obsess over SEO. They stuff their articles with keywords. They forget there's a human on the other side of the screen, perhaps. Worst of all, many ignore medium's. Unique audience. They write what they want, not what medium readers crave. These approaches flop because they misunderstand medium secret sauce. Its audience. Medium readers aren't your typical Google searchers. They're curious explorers, hungry for fresh perspectives, cutting edge ideas, and personal insights. They wanna read about your experiments, failures and breakthroughs. SEO driven content feels stale here. It doesn't spark conversations or inspire shares. The lifeblood of medium success mediums, algorithms favor engaging, thought provoking content. Dry keyword stuffed articles sink faster than a stone in a pond. To win on medium, you need to think like a thought leader, be a trend spotter, sharing emerging ideas in your field before they hit the mainstream. Experiment publicly. Documenting your journey with honesty and vulnerability. Engage rather than lecture, starting conversations, asking questions, and inviting debate on medium quality reign, supreme craft each sentence carefully infusing your unique voice and experiences into every piece. Medium readers crave substance, not fluff. Give them media ideas to chew on, and they will return for seconds, thirds, and more. Embrace medium's, unique ecosystem. It can turn you from a struggling newbie into a respected expert, the thought leader approach. To truly thrive on medium, you need to adopt the mindset of a thought leader. This means being more than a source of information. You must be a beacon of new ideas and perspectives in your field. Start by honing your ability to spot emerging trends before they hit the mainstream. Share these insights with your readers, giving them a sneak peek into the future of your industry. Don't be afraid to experiment publicly. Medium readers love to follow along on a journey of discovery. Document your trials, your failures, and your breakthroughs. Being vulnerable and open will endear you to your audience. It will make your content more relatable and engaging. Remember, engagement is key on medium. Instead of lecturing your readers strive to start conversations, ask thought provoking questions, and invite debate. Your goal should be to create a community around your ideas, not just a passive readership. Quality should be at the forefront of everything you write. Your medium success roadmap. Think of medium as YouTube for writers, successful vloggers, build loyal audiences with engaging videos. You'll attract followers with captivating articles. Medium isn't just another blogging platform. It's a vibrant ideas marketplace. Readers seek fresh perspectives there. Approach it with this unique ecosystem in mind, and you'll be miles ahead of the competition. Step one, craft content that captivates as a medium superstar. Benjamin Hardy often says, content really is king on medium. This rings truer than ever. The most successful writers on the platform don't simply rehash common knowledge. Instead, they share new ideas, document bold experiments, and spot trends before they hit the mainstream. Your goal should be to create compelling content, so readers can't help but click that follow button. Step two, ride the publication Wave. Imagine getting your article in front of 100,000 engaged readers overnight. That's the power of medium publications. Hardy skyrocketed his visibility by publishing in top outlets like the mission. He did this by crafting articles that matched each publication's audience and guidelines. Start small, then work your way up to the heavy hitters. Each published piece is a stepping stone to a broader audience. Step three, Polish your presence. Your medium profile is your digital storefront, so make it shine. Use attention grabbing headlines and high quality images, and format your articles for easy reading. A polished professional look tells readers you're serious about your craft. Remember, a study from MIT found that articles with images get 94% more views than those without. Apply this logic to your entire medium presence. Step four, join the conversation. Medium thrives on community. Engage like the literary salons of old Paris, where great minds gathered to spark new ideas. Leave thoughtful comments on articles in your niche. Follow writers who inspire you and respond to comments on your own work. Every interaction is a chance to expand your network and attract new readers. Step five, consistency is key. Quantity is the most likely path to quality. Hardy reminds us it's simple math. The more you write, the higher your chances of creating a breakout. Hit, set a publishing schedule and stick to it, whether once a week or three times a month, your consistency will pay off in engaged readers eagerly awaiting your next piece. Step six, grow beyond medium. Medium is powerful, but don't put all your eggs in one basket. Use it as a launchpad for a broader online presence. Hardy grew his email list to 20,000 subscribers in just six months using medium. He achieved this by including compelling calls to action in his articles, offering readers even more value off platform. Remember, your ultimate goal is to build lasting connections with your audience wherever they prefer to engage with you. Today's exercise analyze popular medium articles. Step one, select three popular articles. Begin by selecting three popular medium articles in your niche. Choose pieces that have garnered significant engagement through collapse comments and shares. These articles will serve as your case studies. Step two, identify key elements. Examine each article's title closely. Note how it captures attention and entices readers to click. Consider whether it poses a question, makes a bold statement, or offers a compelling list. Next, analyze the structure of each piece. Observe how the author organizes their thoughts and maintains a coherent flow. Watch their opening strategies. Do they start with a personal anecdote, present research, or dive straight into the main points? Evaluate the tone of each article. Determine if the writing style is conversational, authoritative, or perhaps infuse with humor. Reflect on how this tone contributes to reader engagement. Don't forget to assess the call to action at the end of each article. Note how the author encourages interaction. They invite comments, request shares, and promote subscriptions. Step three, outline your first Medium article. Now use these insights to outline your own medium article based on your observations, craft, and attention grabbing title. Write an engaging introduction that hooks readers from the start. Organize your main points with clear headings and subheadings conclude with a strong ending and a call to action that fosters reader engagement. This exercise will deepen your understanding of effective medium writing strategies. By analyzing successful articles, you'll find techniques that resonate with the platform's audience. Then use those techniques in your content. Key takeaways. Medium is a unique platform. It requires a thought leadership approach, not traditional blogging tactics to succeed on medium share new ideas and experiments. They should resonate with its reading focused audience. Using medium's, ecosystem is vital to building a large audience and email list. This includes its publications and community engagement.
I.