How To Write a Medium Post That Sparks Engagement
What’s the difference between an average Medium post and a top-performing Medium post that earns hundreds of likes and comments?
If you analyze the most successful creators on Medium, you’ll notice that most of their posts share similar characteristics that the average Medium post lacks.
This article outlines how anyone can write an outstanding Medium post that generates high engagement and helps you earn more followers.
1. Understand How Your Audience Experiences a Pain Point
Most Medium creators know the general pain points their target audience faces. While the average Medium post provides generic advice on these issues, an excellent Medium post is more specific.
For example, earning backlinks is a general problem in SEO. A basic Medium post might provide best practice advice like this:
To understand your audience’s deeper pain points, ask:
- What problem are they currently facing?
- How are they trying to solve the problem, and why isn’t their current strategy working?
Once you know the answers to these questions, you’ll find that:
You never have to think of content ideas again because the audience’s pain points are the best content ideas.
Your Medium posts will be more compelling if you can articulate what people are doing that isn’t working.
So how do you learn about these deeper pain points?
Talk to your audience.
Three easy ways to connect with your target audience:
- Join Online Communities: Participate in Slack groups and forums where people discuss their challenges. Engage in conversations and ask about their biggest obstacles. Read through discussions to see how others are tackling similar issues. You can also ask about strategies that haven’t worked for them.
- Attend Conferences: Attend industry conferences and talk to attendees about their current struggles. If cost is an issue, consider applying to volunteer at these events for access.
- Use Automated Messages: Set up automated direct messages (DMs) to reach out to people who comment on your posts. Ask them directly about their challenges. When they respond, reply personally and inquire about their current strategies and why they’re not achieving success.
Action Items:
- Engage with your audience in forums, Slack groups, and conferences to understand their pain points and failed strategies.
- Maintain a document to track audience feedback, which can serve as a valuable source of content ideas.
2. Packaging The Right Content Idea
In the previous step, you identified your target audience’s pain points, so you now have a list of excellent topics.
However, there’s probably already plenty of advice on each of those topics. So how do you make your content unique?
Here are five frameworks you can use to ensure your content provides a unique perspective on any topic.
Action Items
Instead of writing generic advice to solve a problem, use one of these five frameworks to package it into something more interesting.
- Case study
- Research
- Failures
- Personal experiences
- Contrarian opinion
3. Use An Attention Grabbing Hook
“Are you a new writer struggling to find your footing?
Do you ever struggle with writer’s block, fear of rejection, or self-doubt?
You’re not alone. Many beginner writers face these and other challenges.
In this article, we’ll explore the top ten pain points that new writers encounter and offer detailed solutions and action plans to overcome them.
Let’s turn your struggles into stepping stones to success.
10 Common Pain Points for New Writers and How to Overcome Them
1. Writer’s Block
- Problem: Staring at a blank page with no idea where to start.
- Solution: Establish a writing routine and use prompts.
- Practical Example: Start your day with a 10-minute freewriting exercise. Set a timer, pick a random prompt, and write without stopping.
- Action Plan: Dedicate a specific time daily for writing. Use prompts or writing exercises to kickstart your creativity.
2. Fear of Rejection
- Problem: Worrying that your work won’t be good enough or will be criticized harshly.
- Solution: Seek constructive feedback and remember that all writers face rejection.
- Practical Example: Submit your work to a trusted friend or writing group for feedback before sending it to publishers.
- Action Plan: Join a writing community or find a mentor. Submit your work to contests and small publications to build confidence.
3. Lack of Inspiration
- Problem: Feeling uninspired and struggling to find topics to write about.
- Solution: Engage in diverse activities and read widely to spark creativity.
- Practical Example: Take a walk in a new park, visit a museum, or read a book outside your usual genre.
- Action Plan: Keep a journal to jot down interesting observations and ideas. Schedule regular ‘inspiration days’ where you do something new and exciting.
4. Self-Doubt
- Problem: Constantly questioning your abilities and doubting your writing.
- Solution: Practice positive self-talk and celebrate small achievements.
- Practical Example: Write a list of your writing accomplishments, no matter how small, and review it when you feel doubtful.
- Action Plan: Set achievable goals and track your progress. Reward yourself for meeting milestones.
5. Time Management
- Problem: Struggling to find time to write amidst other responsibilities.
- Solution: Prioritize writing and create a schedule that fits your lifestyle.
- Practical Example: Allocate specific blocks of time for writing each week and stick to them.
- Action Plan: Use tools like calendars or planners to schedule writing sessions. Treat these sessions as non-negotiable appointments.
6. Procrastination
- Problem: Putting off writing tasks until the last minute.
- Solution: Break tasks into smaller, manageable pieces and set deadlines.
- Practical Example: Instead of writing an entire chapter, aim to write 500 words a day.
- Action Plan: Create a writing to-do list with small, specific tasks. Use productivity techniques like the Pomodoro Technique to stay focused.
7. Lack of Technical Skills
- Problem: Struggling with grammar, structure, and other technical aspects of writing.
- Solution: Invest time in learning and improving your writing skills.
- Practical Example: Take an online writing course or use grammar-checking tools like Grammarly.
- Action Plan: Dedicate time each week to study writing techniques. Practice by rewriting and editing your work.
8. Inconsistent Voice
- Problem: Difficulty in finding and maintaining a consistent writing voice.
- Solution: Experiment with different styles and read widely to develop your unique voice.
- Practical Example: Try writing the same scene in different tones and styles until you find one that feels natural.
- Action Plan: Write regularly in various styles and genres. Read works from different authors to understand diverse voices.
9. Handling Criticism
- Problem: Taking feedback personally and feeling discouraged by criticism.
- Solution: Learn to view criticism as a tool for improvement.
- Practical Example: When receiving feedback, take notes and look for patterns rather than focusing on individual comments.
- Action Plan: Regularly seek feedback from multiple sources. Reflect on critiques and implement constructive suggestions.
10. Setting Realistic Goals
- Problem: Setting unrealistic goals and feeling overwhelmed.
- Solution: Set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals.
- Practical Example: Instead of aiming to write a novel in a month, set a goal to write 500 words daily.
- Action Plan: Break down large projects into smaller, achievable tasks. Regularly review and adjust your goals as needed.
4. Use Hashtags
A major challenge on social media platforms like LinkedIn is getting new people to find your posts.
But if people follow a certain hashtag, posts with that hashtag can appear in their feed.
To find popular hashtags for your posts, start by typing a hashtag in the search bar:
Another way to find hashtags is to look at other influencers in your niche and track their most commonly used hashtags. This hashtag discovery method requires a lot of time scrolling through their content, but it can unearth some great hashtags.
There are also free tools that generate hashtag ideas, like this one from Mention.
5. Encouraging Comments
Comments are really important on Medium because they help more people discover your post naturally. That’s why it’s helpful to include a Call to Action (CTA) that encourages readers to leave a comment.
Most writers place CTAs at the end of their posts. Here are some examples of CTAs that prompt comments:
- Do you have thoughts on (topic in your post)? Share them in the comments.
- Have you ever experienced (topic)? Tell your story in the comments.
- What strategies have you found effective for (topic)? Comment below.
- Any other tips to add? Drop them in the comments.
You can also experiment with placing the CTA at the beginning of your post.
Why?
Most Medium writers give advice or share their successes, so it’s refreshing when writers ask for others’ experiences and start a genuine conversation. Medium is a top platform, where interactions should flow both ways.
Try starting your post with a question, like:
Have you ever struggled with this? Here’s my experience.
What’s your perspective on (topic)? Here’s mine.
How do you approach (topic)? I’m testing different methods — here’s what’s working.
“People enjoy sharing their opinions and stories.”
Starting with a question can also encourage more people to click “Read more” and read your entire post, leading to more comments.
But three factors significantly influence how many comments you receive:
- Content Quality: Offering valuable ideas and helpful content makes people more likely to comment. Even well-known writers will comment on a post from someone new if it’s truly insightful.
- Responding to Comments: When readers know you’ll engage with them, they’re more likely to comment again.
- Building Genuine Connections: Your friends and readers will naturally support your posts if they’re valuable. You can foster these connections by attending events, hosting meetups, engaging with others’ posts, and speaking at gatherings.
Action Steps:
- Encourage comments at the beginning or end of your post to boost interaction.
- Respond to every comment and cultivate authentic relationships with your audience.
6. Tagging and Collaborating with Influencers on Medium
Even if you write a perfectly optimized Medium post with amazing writing, your follower count will limit its reach.
Collaborating with influencers can significantly boost your post’s visibility. For instance, interviewing them or including their quotes in your content can lead to them resharing your post. This strategy works because they’re invested in your content’s success.
Action Steps:
- Identify influencers in your network who frequently share others’ posts.
- Reach out to them for collaboration or mention them in your post.
When an influencer shares your post, it reaches a new audience, potentially helping you gain more followers if your content is valuable.
There are two main ways to encourage influencers to share your content on Medium:
- Tagging them: While tagging influencers is straightforward, it’s more effective if your post directly relates to their work or ideas. For example, sharing insights inspired by an influencer’s advice and tagging them can increase exposure.
- Collaborating with them: Engaging in content collaborations with influencers can also lead to them sharing your work with their audience. For example, co-authoring a post or featuring their expertise in your content can attract their followers to your profile.
7. Using Analytics for Future Post Ideas
Most people focus on posts that get lots of likes and comments, but how can you use that information to improve your future posts?
When you have a post that gets high engagement, pay attention to:
- The topic
- The introduction (hook)
- The format (list, story, image, etc.)
- The writing style (tone)
Then, use these elements in your future posts. For example, explore similar topics, use a similar hook, or try a comparable format.
Alongside tracking likes and comments, also consider qualitative data:
Who is commenting (your target audience)?
What kind of reactions are in the comments (inspired, upset, etc.)?
Not all engagement is the same, so prioritize posts that get positive responses from your ideal audience.
Action Steps:
- Identify your best-performing posts and note their topics, hooks, formats, and styles.
- Use this data to create your next posts.
8. Examples of Great Medium Posts
Here are some excellent examples of Medium posts that you can use as inspiration in your own content strategy.
How To Wake Up at 5 A.M. Every Day (Views: 97k, Comments: 917) Written by: Bryan Ye
A 5-Part Plan to Improve Your Writing (View: 14.k, Comments: 352) Written by: Daniel Cleather
the art of disappearing (Views: 83k, Comments: 900) Written by:remi
Conclusion
By understanding and addressing these common pain points, you can navigate the challenges of being a new writer with greater ease and confidence.
Remember, every writer faces obstacles, but with persistence and the right strategies, you can overcome them and thrive in your writing journey.
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