A Few Thoughts On the Present and Future of Medium
Is Medium still worth it?
--
A few weeks ago, I planned to write on Medium for a hundred straight days.
My plan failed.
My ambition sputtered. My enthusiasm faded. I lost hope. But not in writing. I lost faith in Medium.
I’ve seen Medium drop in views over the last few months at a startling rate. I don’t usually keep up with Medium CEO changes or algorithm changes. Yet I couldn’t help something was up.
I couldn’t help that this change was more dramatic.
Why I Love Medium
The reason I fell in love was because it felt easy. I didn’t have to play around with WordPress.
Medium made it easy to write and publish. There was nothing to it.
I loved seeing new followers engage with content. I love building an audience. I loved making a little bit of money on Medium. I loved writing on Medium.
But I’m not here to serve an algorithm. I’m not a peasant, and the algorithm is my king. I write because I love it. I’m the king of my content. I write to educate folks on copywriting and fundamental writing principles.
I love parts of Medium. And yet, it also feels like a platform holding me back.
Why I’m Maybe Done With Medium
For years, I’ve seen creators try Medium and leave. I’ve seen James Clear, David Perell, and other prolific writers give Medium a try and then transition elsewhere.
They didn’t give up. They relocated their writing.
I still believe in writing every day. Writing online gives you career opportunities. Writing helps you build an audience.
I don’t know if Medium is the right place for it.
The best thing any creator can do is own their distribution. I own my website. I have an email list. That’s where my focus will be because I know I’m not waiting for the algorithm to benefit me.
Am I done with Medium? I don’t know.
I know that I’ll be writing more on www.BenjaminWatkins.com. I’m working on a cohort. I’m creating a YouTube channel. I’m trying new things. I’m experimenting.
More importantly, I’m still writing.
I’m just not sure if it will still be on Medium.
