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EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PUBLISHING ON MEDIUM JANESSA LANTZ @janessalantz
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
ABOUT PUBLISHING ON MEDIUM
JANESSA LANTZ
@janessalantz
Attacking bad books is not only a waste of time but also bad
for character. If I find a book really bad, the only interest I can
derive from writing about it has to come from myself, from such
display of intelligence, wit and malice as I can contrive. One
cannot review a bad book without showing off.
W.H. Audenon the true task of a critic
“
Top 20 publication#12 (up from #18)
Top 10 business publication
#1 The Mission
#2 The Economist
#4 Hacker noon
#5 The Startup
#6 ThinkGrowth.org
#7 Marketing & Entrepreneurship
�
#TNW2018
✓ Medium’s unique strengths & weaknesses
✓ Publishing options on Medium
✓ Quick success tips
A recap of what I’ve learned...
Fundamental Truth #1
The algorithm
rules everything
Post your content
right here! I’m a nice
friendly content
management system!
Sorry! Not enough
people clapped, I will
now file your post into
a pit of darkness
where it will never be
seen again!
The algorithm is what
makes Medium both
wonderful and awful.
ThinkGrowth.orgA fraction of that 👉
HubSpot Blog4.5 million monthly views
vs
27,000 claps
200 comments
100,000 views
ThinkGrowth.org’s Audience Composition
Social ChannelsOptimized for “Discovery Mode”
CMSOptimized for “Search Mode”vs
CMSSlideshare
Product Hunt
Squarespace
WordPress
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Got it! I should just publish to a
publication! ThinkGrowth.org has
nearly 200,000 followers, my
clap problem will be solved!
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fanshours
The Medium Formula
+
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1.
My Patented 3-Part Clap Plan(It’s not actually patented)
Use your social networks
Ask your biggest fans
???
2.
3.
43k views 8k views
😡 No conversion path
No Google Analytics tracking😭
😱 All that SEO love? Medium gets it.
Medium Your Site
Distribution of search magic
Medium Your Site
Distribution of search magic
Medium Your Site
Distribution of search magic
Social ChannelsOptimized for “Discovery Mode”
CMSOptimized for “Search Mode”vs
CMSSlideshare
Product Hunt
Medium
Squarespace
WordPress
👏 👏 👏 👏👏 👏 👏 👏👏 👏
👏 👏 👏 👏👏 👏 👏 👏👏 👏
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👏 👏 👏 👏👏 👏 👏 👏👏 👏
>
#TNW2018
wait...did you catch that?
PublicationThinkGrowth.org
Medium Handle@Hubspot
Medium Handle@whoever
3 Ways HubSpotters Use Medium
ThinkGrowth.org
Topic
Aligns with ThinkGrowth.org’s
mission: “Publish stories,
insights & ideas to help you
and your business grow better.”
Approved by
ThinkGrowth.org Editor (that’s
me!)
3 Ways HubSpotters Use Medium
ThinkGrowth.org
Topic
Aligns with ThinkGrowth.org’s
mission: “Publish stories,
insights & ideas to help you
and your business grow better.”
Approved by
ThinkGrowth.org Editor (that’s
me!)
HubSpot’s Medium Handle
Topic
“Behind-the-scenes” takes on
company news &
announcements related to
startups/tech
Approved by
HubSpot’s PR Manager + Me
3 Ways HubSpotters Use Medium
Personal Medium HandleThinkGrowth.org
Topic
Aligns with ThinkGrowth.org’s
mission: “Publish stories,
insights & ideas to help you
and your business grow better”
Approved by
ThinkGrowth.org Editor (that’s
me!)
HubSpot’s Medium Handle
Topic
“Behind-the-scenes” takes on
company news &
announcements related to
startups/tech
Approved by
HubSpot’s PR Manager + Me
Topic
A random opinion that doesn’t
align with HubSpot’s content
strategy on Medium
Approved by
No approval needed (UGJ)
Medium hasn’t
solved monetization
Fundamental Truth #2
$
Launch
August 2012
Promoted Stories
April 2016
$
Medium Membership
April 2017
Medium’s Timeline
$
Launch
August 2012
Promoted Stories
April 2016
$
Medium Membership
April 2017
Medium’s Timeline
$132 Million in funding
$
Launch
August 2012
Promoted Stories
April 2016
$
Medium Membership
April 2017
Medium’s Timeline
$132 Million in funding
Valuation? $600 Million 😱
$
Launch
August 2012
Promoted Stories
April 2016
$
Medium Membership
April 2017
Medium’s Timeline
$132 Million in funding
Valuation? $600 Million 😱
$
Launch
August 2012
Promoted Stories
April 2016
$
Medium Membership
April 2017
Medium’s Timeline
● The Awl
● Pacific Standard
● Above Average (from "SNL" creator Lorne Michaels)
● Bill Simmons digital property The Ringer
● Forbes
● Money
$
Launch
August 2012
Promoted Stories
April 2016
Medium’s Timeline
Medium kills
Promoted Stories
January 2017
💀
Medium Membership
April 2017
$
$
Launch
August 2012
Promoted Stories
April 2016
Medium’s Timeline
Medium kills
Promoted Stories
January 2017
💀
Medium Membership
April 2017
$
The publication
exits continue
● The Ringer (Vox Media)
● Backchannel (Condé Nast)
● The Awl
● The Billfold
● The Hairpin
● Pacific Standard
Back to WordPress😬
$
Launch
August 2012
Promoted Stories
April 2016
Medium’s Timeline
Medium kills
Promoted Stories
January 2017
💀
Medium Membership
April 2017
$
Roxanne GayBest-selling Author
Michael PollenFood Writer
(for writing)
“But I’m not trying to make
$$ with my content.”- You
$ $
$
$
$
Launch
August 2012
Promoted Stories
April 2016
Medium’s Timeline
🔊Audio Stories
May 2017💌Letters
June 2015
❓Series
March 2017
🔊Medium Playback
June 2018
Medium Membership
April 2017
$
$
Launch
August 2012
Promoted Stories
April 2016
Medium’s Timeline
💌Letters
June 2015
Medium Membership
April 2017
$
$
Launch
August 2012
Promoted Stories
April 2016
Medium’s Timeline
💌Letters
June 2015
❓Series
March 2017
Medium Membership
April 2017
$
$
Launch
August 2012
Promoted Stories
April 2016
Medium’s Timeline
🔊Audio Stories
May 2017💌Letters
June 2015
❓Series
March 2017
Medium Membership
April 2017
$
$
Launch
August 2012
Promoted Stories
April 2016
Medium’s Timeline
🔊Audio Stories
May 2017💌Letters
June 2015
❓Series
March 2017
🔊Medium Playback
June 2018
Medium Membership
April 2017
$
“So wait...should I be on
Medium or not?”- You
Great for...
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
Not great for...
✘ You have no clap plan
✘ You’re writing SEO content
(use a proper CMS)
✘ You want to start a
publication
Great for...
✔ New ideas
✔
✔
✔
✔
Not great for...
✘ You have no clap plan
✘ You’re writing SEO content
(use a proper CMS)
✘ You want to start a
publication
27,000 claps
200 comments
100,000 views
Great for...
✔ New ideas
✔ Syndication
✔
✔
✔
Not great for...
✘ You have no clap plan
✘ You’re writing SEO content
(use a proper CMS)
✘ You want to start a
publication
200,000 views
+ +
=
Great for...
✔ New ideas
✔ Syndication
✔ Giving old content new life
✔
✔
Not great for...
✘ You have no clap plan
✘ You’re writing SEO content
(use a proper CMS)
✘ You want to start a
publication
63k views
63k views 28k views
Great for...
✔ New ideas
✔ Syndication
✔ Giving old content new life
✔ Specific topics
✔
Not great for...
✘ You have no clap plan
✘ You’re writing SEO content
(use a proper CMS)
✘ You want to start a
publication
1.
My Patented 3-Part Clap Plan(It’s not actually patented)
Use your social networks
Ask your biggest fans
Aim for topic <> channel fit
2.
3.
Tag Followers
Startup 293,000
Life Lessons 221,000
Marketing 148,000
Business 130,000
Tech 127,000
Productivity 84,000
Leadership 78,000
Venture Capital 28,000
Great for...
✔ New ideas
✔ Syndication
✔ Giving old content new life
✔ Specific topics
✔ Specific audiences
Not great for...
✘ You have no clap plan
✘ You’re writing SEO content
(use a proper CMS)
✘ You want to start a
publication
159 fans
22 comments
159 fans
22 comments
1,398 fans
254 comments
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