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And Making The Most Out of It

How’s it like hitting 28K views and 4.1K claps on a medium article? Extreme levels of happiness and satisfaction fill up your heart and head. There’s something about being appreciated for your work, that can’t be replaced with anything else.
But, How does one go about writing a viral article on Medium ?

First, let’s focus on what I did to make sure that my article went viral. It’s not that I could predict anything, but there are some things you can keep in mind to have a higher chance of going viral.

Timing is So Important

My Stats for January, When My Article Went Viral ↑

The title of my viral article is ‘Design Style Guides to Learn From in 2018‘ , which by-the-way was published in January, 2018. If I posted the same article in February, it would have missed the opportunity of Time. Timing creates a sense of relevance, especially when every designer is looking for new ideas for the new year. That is the reason a lot of musicians and artists release music with ‘summer vibes’ in summers, Ice cream companies come up with new flavors in the summers. The ‘Season’ for something really matters when you want your work to be viewed by more people.

However, there are a few exceptions. Those articles that are ‘evergreen’ and can relate to their readers at any point of time. An article of mine, ‘Pantone Colors for Designers‘ , reached a hot level on medium because of its content’s relevance to designers. This is why I never said that Time is everything. If someone tells you that, pay less attention to that person.

Finding The Correct Platform

List of Publications ↑

I’m blessed to be currently writing for 3 unique and popular publication on Medium. Writing for publications has given me the necessary boost to get my articles to a wider audience and to also get myself some much needed credibility and authenticity. One thing I will say for sure, never let the idea of ‘I will do it on my own‘ , ruin your chances of having a champion article on your Medium profile.

One key in gaining attention of publications on Medium, is to keep writing articles, regardless of how big your audience is or how well the articles are doing. Writing articles over and over again showcases your passion for writing and how you’re Not in this for the money or the fame.

Start by approaching various publications through E-mail. Writing emails is a key to get your work in the limelight. A lot of publications accept articles primarily through E-mail, so get those typing fingers ready and type away!
Another way of being recognized by publications is to join groups and communities of people who have the same interests as you. You never know when and where you’ll find people who’ll actually refer your name to these publications; maybe one of them is a writer for a publication and helps you get on board. You Will Need Help! If you get it, take it.

Carefully Utilizing Statistics

Medium ‘Refers’ Section ↑

Medium has be so kind, as to provide each of its writers with a useful yet underrated Statistics page. This page doesn’t only show you views, reads and fans, but also has a ‘refers’ section. This section shows where your readers are coming from. Understanding the main sources of readers can help you with knowing who you are writing for and what kind of audience you are attracting and can attract in the future. It is easier to cater to an audience, when you know where that audience comes from and what they expect out of you.

Basic Stats For One of My Articles ↑

Always keep a check on the ‘Read Ratio’, that is the average percentage % score of how much of the article your readers are reading. The more they read, the higher the chances of that article being shared, clapped for and at the end of the day, going viral. Quality over quantity really comes into play when talking about statistics. So, even if you have fewer readers, focus on getting a higher read ratio and more reads. Again, you can not predict any of this, but you can always learn from past statistics.

Money Over Recognition?

Medium Partner Program ↑

If you’re a seasoned writer or a newbie, You would have thought of making some money through your articles. The idea itself is great, and the Medium Partner Program allows you to make a buck for your writing. Again, this idea is great, but it hinders your ability to write a viral article. If you write with money in mind, writing a helpful and unique article will take a side lane. Helpful and Unique are two major characteristics of a popular article on Medium. Money should always come second.

I’d suggest putting your article up for only paid members once it’s gained a decent amount of popularity and has a rising curve on the bar graph. This will allow you to write potentially popular articles while making a buck on the side as well. Give it time, if it’s meant to gain popularity, it will. Once you’ve published the article, there are only a few things you can do to help it go viral.

If you enjoyed reading this article, Give it a Clap! or maybe two? Also, Follow Me on Medium.

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Writing a Viral Article on Medium was originally published in Prototypr on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Writing a Viral Article on Medium

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