SPECIAL POST: A Story I Invested 3 Hours on a Topic Reflecting My 25 Years of Scientific Research Earned 77 Cents
Can you be a 6-figure income earner on Medium if you are a researcher and write on niche topics? Let’s dive into my experience and see what we find.
Financial Content Marketing Strategy for Creators: Writers/Readers of Medium can read this story for free using our friend’s link. This important story was donated by Dr Mehmet Yildiz to ILLUMINATION’S Substack Library to inspire and motivate writers to write for passion and compassion, not just for money on Medium, where words truly matter.
Editorial Note: Dear writers of ILLUMINATION publications! Lately, we have faced unprecedented challenges due to our substantial growth, now supporting 30,000 writers with only 30 volunteer editors mandated by Medium. All our volunteers are working tirelessly to publish stories, and our volunteer administrators are diligently adding new writers, but this is humanly impossible. We are now working on creating funds to sustain our free services. Rest assured, we will publish your stories soon and process all new writer applications. During these challenging times, we greatly appreciate your patience. We now have a priority helpdesk on our Slack workspace to log urgent calls, which is free and monitored by 155 volunteer coordinators. Dr. Mehmet Yildiz, our owner and chief editor, has generously donated this story to our library and provided a friend link for all Medium writers and readers to read it for free.
Dear writers and readers,
I am the owner and chief editor of ILLUMINATION Integrated publications on Medium.com. My main account is Dr Mehmet Yildiz and secondary account Dr Mehmet Yildiz (Tech) to support writers.
Many writers, including my annual 500+ content developer proteges, approach me and ask whether they can earn substantial money on Medium, as they hear some established writers made six and even seven figures on Medium.com.
I tell them it was possible in the past, but it is no longer the goldmine it once was. Based on my observations, I have long known that Medium is not a money-making machine.
Yes, a few outliers have made thousands of dollars through their sensational stories. Some even paid off their home or car loans. Some inspiring writers like Sinem Günel used to earn 10K monthly, as I documented in 2020.
A few brave souls even resigned from their jobs. For instance, a single story by S M Mamunur Rahman on ILLUMINATION earned $20,000.
These instances are extremely rare now and hardly ever occur. I say this not to discourage you but out of genuine concern so you don’t face disappointment and risk losing your job for promises that no longer hold true.
In 2021, I analyzed over 100 viral articles that collectively produced close to $1 million. I wrote about how to craft viral stories and guided writers on How to Write Content Guaranteed to Get Views and Reads and financial matter like How to Write Content to Generate Steady Income. I also guided new writers to write boostable stories as a boost nominator.
Here’s What I Learned by Reviewing 100+ Viral Articles in 2021
I introduce distinctive patterns of viral content gaining mass attraction, increasing your chance in 2022.medium.com
Our editors also featured some viral stories in 2020, bringing over a million views, especially on ILLUMINATION-Curated serving accomplished writers:
Viral Stories Attracted A Million+ Views
Readers can enjoy and writers can learn from these outstanding stories.medium.com
Those were the glory days when stories could go viral and earn significant income. But since 2022, the trend has changed, and we hardly see any viral stories anymore. The landscape has shifted dramatically.
Recently, one of my protégés shared his earnings for what we all thought was a viral story. Despite its widespread reach and engagement, it only yielded $179. This stark contrast from the previous year highlights the unpredictable and often frustrating nature of writing on Medium today.
Back in the day, if you struck the right chord with readers, the rewards were bountiful. Writers could make a decent living, pay off debts, and even quit their jobs to pursue writing full-time. But now, even the most engaging and well-crafted articles, even if boosted, struggle to achieve the same level of success.
To be transparent, here is how much a boosted story earns:
I posted this story in April 2024, when I gained 100K followers. I was grateful it was organically boosted, but only 283 readers got a chance to read it through direct links despite sharing many friend links on social media, bringing 652 views. It seems to glitched, and the Medium supportive team did not respond to my ticket. The same story got over 500K views on another platform and earned 3K.
Xenotransplantation: First Pig Kidney Transplant in a 62-Year-Old Man
Insights from the literature with inspiration from a recent groundbreaking surgery of a mature age man with kidney…medium.com
This and my many boosted stories now get ZERO views for unknown reasons, and Medium cannot explain this to me despite my multiple attempts.
Friend Links to My Sample Boosted Stories for Non-Members of Medium.com
Thank you for reading and sharing these unique stories on health and wellness that appeal to a broad audiencemedium.com
But the concern is not just views, as my main account with 2500+ well-crafted stories gets ZERO followers. I feel like Medium blacklisted my account. When I asked the support team, they couldn’t provide a satisfactory response. I don’t care much about inflated followers, but this month, it only got 174 followers from the new writers I added to my publications. Here is the follower history of my account to give you an idea.
Here is another boosted story my editor friend and boost nominator Aiden (Owner of Illumination Gaming) kindly shared with me to give a perspective to new writers.
As you can see, his boosted story, despite getting more reads, earned significantly less income than my disadvantaged story. The numbers simply do not add up. Clearly, something is missing.
Although Mike, I, and several editors, as readers of Aiden’s story, shared the FoM friend links on social media, the system recorded it as publication editors, so it did not seem to credit money to this; therefore, it got such a low payment.
AI Can Now Create Photorealistic Videos From Just a Text Prompt
Sora is OpenAI’s latest tool that works just like other text-to-image AI’s but for videos.medium.com
Here is another nearly viral yet non-boosted article that Aiden shared with me to give writers an idea.
He also wanted me to show how many readers he gets with his 19K followers for a story he published on a publication with 82K followers.
Aiden said Goodbye to the Boost Program today!
Aiden is one of the most active writers, editors, and boost nominators on Medium.com. However, he recently informed me that Medium ended his contract. He has just posted an open letter to me, which I have linked here for your information. You may want to say goodbye to Aiden, who birthed 103 boosted stories in the last four months. I don’t know how many he managed this month, but it appears that every story I approved and he nominated was rejected for unknown reasons. I have escalated this issue to the leadership team at Medium and am currently awaiting their response.
I Will No Longer Be a Boost Nominator but Still Will Continue Curating Non-Boosted Stories
An open letter to my mentor, Dr. Mehmet Yildiz, Chief Editor of ILLUMINATION Integrated Publications, who did not…medium.com
Why has this change occurred despite Medium having 1 million paid subscribers?
I guess the algorithm shifts, market saturation, and evolving reader preferences all play a part. Medium’s environment has become more competitive, and what worked before doesn’t guarantee success anymore.
We must look at trends objectively, logically, and mindfully, not emotionally. This doesn’t mean it is the end of the road for writers on Medium.
It simply means we need to adapt and evolve. Writing should be about passion, sharing knowledge, and connecting with readers.
Strategic Changes on Medium in 2023: How I Adapted to the New Strategy
Insights into the unconventional approaches through my evolution as a writer, editor, boost nominator, and publisher…medium.com
While the financial rewards may not be as high as they once were, the satisfaction of reaching and impacting an audience still holds great value.
So, if you are hoping to hit it big with a viral story, temper your expectations. Focus on quality, consistency, and engagement with your audience. The landscape has changed, but the core of writing — sharing your voice and making a difference — remains the same.
Insights from Empirical Data
Recently, a data scientist analyzed my stories, considering many factors for various purposes. This MIT expert also calculated my invested time and the monetary outcome.
He found that my average earning value is 20 cents per hour. When he learned my hourly rate for executive consultancy projects is around $500, he wondered and jokingly said whether I was out of my mind.
As I have mentioned in my previous stories, I don’t write for money on Medium. I don’t spend hours publishing and curating tasks for financial gain. It is impossible to justify the monetary reward. Publishing and curation activities do not bring any income. I donate six hours of my time to build and support a community.
However, I can no longer do this for health reasons, as I explained in a previous story. These activities, coupled with challenges posed by Medium, adversely affect my physical and mental health. Therefore, I changed my strategy to invest time in activities that can better empower writers.
Why My Wise Mentors Advised Me 80% Substack, 15% NewsBreak, 5% Medium for My Writing Effort
I explain the insights and strategies behind my new content marketing approach based on data-driven observations and…medium.com
So, if you are planning to write for money on Medium, I don’t think it is a viable option. I have built a large audience, have loyal readers, am a Friend of Medium, have tailored social media accounts, am a book author of multiple books, and work as a content marketing strategist. But the income my stories generate is negligible.
One door closes, and another one opens.
However, my stories now gain millions of views on Newsbreak. I am grateful that once fussy and punitive editors on this platform are now very polite and supportive in distributing my stories to an audience of 45 million in the US.
Here’s Why I Started to Write for NewsBreak Again in 2024
Reaching out to a broad audience in a well-managed and caring platform is an attractive value for writers.medium.com
Here are two stories that are still trending after several months. These stories only got a handful of views from direct links on Medium.
Recently, several stories I started posting on my three Substack newsletters (two old and one new) brought millions of views and 1000+ paid and 3000+ unpaid subscribers. One of my mentors earns 100K monthly on Substack, while he only earned $1K on Medium.
Health and Wellness by Dr Mehmet Yildiz | Substack
Articles about health, well-being, fitness, self-improvement, personal/professional development, longevity and disease…dryildiz.substack.com
Content Strategy, Development, & Marketing Insights | Dr Mehmet Yildiz | Substack
I share my experience in content development & marketing strategy. I am the founder of the ILLUMINATION publications on…drmehmetyildiz.substack.com
Dr's Substack | Dr Mehmet Yildiz | Substack
My personal Substack. Click to read Dr's Substack, by Dr Mehmet Yildiz, a Substack publication. Launched 6 days ago.dryildiztechnology.substack.com
My wise mentor is cool about it because, like me, he enjoys community engagement on Medium and still gains readers and subscribers from his insightful and inspiring stories.
However, some established writers like Nick Wignal who gained 331K followers (3 times more than me) leave the platform because they can no longer earn income. It is a personal choice, and I respect everyone's preferences.
Every Writer Needs a Newsletter
Why we created a new Substack publication on Medium and how we will support writers through extended collaborationmedium.com
I was also told that Ayodeji Awosika, whom I interviewed last year, now hardly writes on Medium but earns millions of dollars from his content marketing strategy through his entrepreneurial goals. I was told that Medium no longer distributes his stories.
A critical point and nuance to consider
My strategy is crafted to fit my specific objectives and may not be suitable for every writer. The purpose of sharing this report is not to persuade you to follow my path but to demonstrate how you can diversify your content distribution to align with your unique goals and requirements.
For example, one writer might thrive on platform X, while another might excel on platform Y. Being aware and critically evaluating your options can prove invaluable in your journey.
The key lesson here is that change is vital for achieving the best outcomes and sustaining growth over time. When making decisions, relying on data, logic, intuition, and trusted advice is crucial rather than purely on emotions and instincts.
Please note that this story does not provide professional advice, and my aim is not to steer anyone toward my own choices and plans. Instead, I share my perspectives to convey my discoveries, intentions, plans, and standpoints to my audience.
Writing for Connection, Not Cash
I am perfectly fine with this outcome because it is my choice. My goal is not to make money but to forge meaningful connections and create serendipitous encounters. By sharing my research, knowledge, and life lessons, I hope to illuminate society.
I want my writing to help people, ease their pain, or guide them to find their truth. It is about making a positive impact, not chasing a paycheck.
Knowing that my words can touch someone’s life and make a difference is the real reward. Writing offers a chance to connect with others on a deeper level, creating a ripple effect of understanding and empathy.
So, while the financial rewards may be modest, the satisfaction of knowing that my work can inspire, heal, or enlighten someone is priceless. And that is what keeps me going.
Conclusions: The Reality of Writing on Medium
I wrote this story to give you an example. I spent three hours writing a piece yesterday, reflecting on my 25 years of research on a unique scientific discovery — a paradigm shift in medical and health sciences.
Will CAR-T Cell Therapies Work for Treating Brain Tumors?
A glimpse into tumor types, advances in diagnoses, and new, promising treatment options with CARv3-TEAM-E T cells based…medium.com
I spent three hours writing it, reflecting my 25 years of research on a unique scientific discovery — a paradigm shift in medical and health sciences. And it earned only 77 cents. Here is the screen capture for transparency.
Unfortunately, it didn’t receive an organic boost and only had two comments from my editors. None of my loyal readers had the opportunity to read this important story, which informed readers and gave hope to those struggling with brain tumors, which I have been researching for decades as a cognitive scientist. On other platforms, another version of the same story received 100 times more views and yielded a 300% higher return on investment.
My point is that this story reflects my research and is written in Boost guidelines to delight readers of the platform. In the past, caring Medium curators used to amplify such scientific and impactful narratives, but for unknown reasons, they no longer do so. I accept and respect their decision; perhaps there are valid reasons that I may have overlooked.
This story was also shared by 5 Friends of Medium, which brings four times more income to writers.
I documented my findings on the income generated by the reading and engagement of Friends of Medium based on an analysis of a sample story by a data scientist. Here is the link to give you an idea.
Are Writers Paid 4 Times for the Reads & Engagement of Friends of Medium?
I offer insights from a scholarly MIT data scientist who analyzed my failed story about STIs independently, with a fun…medium.com
This story isn’t just about numbers. It is a behind-the-scenes look at how stories succeed (or not) online. We donned our data scientist hats, aiming to crack the Medium code, but stumbled upon a surprising twist.
This message is not about complaining or feeling resentful. It is about showing the truth so new writers can learn from my experience. Beware of those who portray the platform as a money-making machine to sell expensive courses, exploiting vulnerable writers and causing disappointment and unnecessary pain.
I don’t mind the low earnings, but I am concerned that it is yet another important health story suppressed by the algorithm. As Mike Broadly, DHSc chief editor of Health and Science pointed out stories related to cancer are censored in this platform so he plans to close his publication and move it to Substack. His stories gets hardly any views and not distributed properly as he mentioned in a recent story titled No Boosted Stories So Far for Me, and Here’s Why I No Longer Care About It.
Mike as an avid reader and ardent supporter of the Friends of Medium yesterday cancelled his FoM subscription as his years of research into abortion was censored. Mike documented his observations from his publication Health and Science.
Understanding Medium’s Censorship on Cancer-Related Posts: A Call for Transparency
A meticulously crafted article by a specialist medical doctor and seasoned scientist has shockingly received zero…medium.com
So, what’s the moral of the story?
If you’re looking to strike it rich on Medium, you might want to reconsider. But if you are passionate about writing, sharing knowledge, and building a community, then Medium is still a great platform. Just don’t quit your day job just yet.
Writing on Medium might not make you a fortune, but it can still offer invaluable experiences, connections, and the chance to make a real difference with your words.
So, write for the love of it, for the impact you can have, and for the community you can build. Writing on Medium can be serendipitous and bring intangible benefits, as I explained in a story in 2022.
Here’s an Example of What a Good Story on Medium Can Do for Writers
A Lucrative Contract, a New Client, and a Soulmate Were Born Out of a Simple Yet Empowering Story.medium.com
This journey is not over for me. There is still so much to learn about how algorithms shape what we read and who gets heard.
Why Does Medium Block My Interviews for Influential Writers?
I spend hours interviewing many writers for Friends of Medium, but they receive ZERO views from the platform. Is this…medium.com
But one thing is for sure: the power of connection and conversation cannot be underestimated. Together, we can challenge the status quo and make sure every story finds its audience.
As Einstein said, “The important thing is not to stop questioning.” So, let’s keep digging deeper, exploring the data, and amplifying voices that need to be heard. Who knows what hidden gems we will uncover next?
Introduction to a New and Unique Publication
Leveraging my five years of community-building and leadership experience on Medium, I created a unique publication to amplify writers’ voices and empower them through both Substack and Medium. I’m thrilled that 155 volunteer editors have joined this venture to bring more opportunities to writers.
Invitation: ILLUMINATION Curators on Substack Publication on Medium
My goal is to help every writer have a newsletter through Substack, build their mailing lists collaboratively, and create fallback positions if something happens to Medium or Substack.
We never know what the future holds for these platforms. As my wise Aussie friend Tim Denning says, if these platforms close one day for any reason, we will keep smiling and continue our work as writers. I hope these great platforms continue to thrive, but I am committed to guiding writers toward a better tomorrow and preventing disappointments and regrets based on past experiences in the early days of the Internet.
As a prolific writer myself, I admire and will support every ethical writer regardless of their ages, nationalities, backgrounds, genders, ethnicities, and viewpoints. My ultimate goal is to create a collaboration that illuminates society with curated, meaningful, and high-quality content.
Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.
I am also the chief editor of the Technology Hits publication on Medium.com, which I plan to transfer to Substack soon. I will invite all technologists to create their newsletters and join our network. I wrote an introduction about my new initiative from my secondary account, Dr Mehmet Yildiz (Tech).
My Technology Excellence and Leadership Site on Substack
How I will empower technology leaders, entrepreneurs, and business owners.medium.com
Here is a sample of how Technology Hits stories perform on Medium.com. 99% are from external sources like my personal network, which brings no money to writers.
I wrote numerous stories about writing and content strategy to guide new writers. Some of the old ones, especially with recent changes on this platform, might be obsolete now, but there are many principle-based content that might guide and inspire you if you are an aspiring writer. You may find some relevant ones from the attached list. I will distill all these stories in my Content Strategy, Development, & Marketing Insights soon.
Writing, Content Development & Marketing Strategy Guides
Edit descriptiondr-mehmet-yildiz.medium.com
To inform my new readers, I wrote numerous articles that might inform and inspire you. Some of my topics include brain, mental health, cognitive function, significant health conditions, longevity, nutrition/food, valuable nutrients, ketogenic lifestyle, self-healing, weight management, writing/reading, including 100+ Insightful Life Lessons from My Circles for the Last 50+ Years.
I publish my health and wellness stories on EUPHORIA and share distilled versions on SUBSTACK. My posts do not include professional or health advice. I only document my reviews, observations, experiences, and perspectives to provide information and create awareness.
If you are a writer, you are welcome to join my publications by sending a request via this link. I support 30K writers who contribute to my publications on this platform. I also have another profile to write and curate tech stories. Friend Links to My Sample Boosted Stories for Non-Members of Medium. This story was also shared on Substack.
Get an email whenever Dr Mehmet Yildiz publishes. He is a top writer and editor on Medium.
dr-mehmet-yildiz.medium.com
Importance and Value of Medium Friendship for Writers and Readers
I sense the boost program has changed from looking to promote *good stories* on all sorts of things, to looking to promote stories about the individual writers themselves. I wonder if your stories are so packed with science they lack your own personal experience? Might not. Just guessing though.
I've heard recently that it's writers' personal experiences that the boosters seem to want at the moment. Either way, there's plenty of me in my recent stories and they've not been boosted either, so I may not be adding anything useful. But I did have a short stint where a few good stories that contained enough about me were boosted. I was told by publication owners to add more about me to make them boostable. That advice was like gold.
I noted months ago, that the ones I sent to Illumination Curated weren't looked at by a nominator so I stopped submitting there, because it was pointless submitting my best work to a boost publication if nominators don't read what's submitted.
However, in hindsight, those stories may not have contained enough about me, so might not have made the grade anyway. But nominators won't know unless they read what is submitted. Nominators skipping what's in their own publications is a problem across all boost publications. But I get it - Illumination is huge. Nonetheless, it's frustrating for hard-working writers. And IC is supposed to carry the cream of the crop.
At least as a nominator you have access to the guidelines, and can nominate your own stories if you want to. That's something the rest of us can only dream of.
It would be great if we could earn big money again. Preferably without having to rely on being noticed by the privileged few who are involved in the boost program!
There's definitely something going on. June has been a very quiet month for me as well. Stories that I put my heart and soul in barely getting any views. I haven't been on medium for very long but from what I can gather this happens every now and then and then things recover again. So for now, I'm sticking with it and just hope July will be better again .