My Top Medium Article Made $5,500
Here's What Made It So Successful
First, I’ll say that it’s impossible to exactly replicate the success of a “viral” piece of content. A certain amount of what makes an article go viral is unknowable. Some of it is luck, the right piece of content introduced to the algorithm at the right time.
But when I look at the most successful article I have ever written, I have noticed some trends that exist in my other viral articles.
Some baseline stats on the article
The article in question is titled “Generating Passive Income Is Hard, Here Is a Better Option.”
If you haven’t read it yet, click here and read it now.
That will help you understand what made this article so successful.
Some more baseline stats on the article.
192,000 views
Average read time: 3 minutes 14 seconds
Earnings: $5,456.
The factors that made this article successful that we can replicate
The title
The image
Using the topic to teach the reader
Let’s start with the title: Generating Passive Income Is Hard, Here Is a Better Option
That’s a damn good title, in my humble opinion.
Why?
It touches on one of the trendiest topics in personal finance: “passive income.” The title tells you to forget about this exciting topic and hints at it but does not reveal something more important.
Taking an idea everyone assumes to be true but you believe is incorrect is a basic building block for a viral video. This type of article has a name; it’s called a Thought Reversal.
I first learned of this concept from Brandon Lucero, who applies it to video creators, but it applies equally to writers or any content creator.
Here is a video where Brandon breaks down the concept of a thought reversal:
Next up is the image
Readers are constantly scrolling through articles. A great cover image for an article will stand out enough that the reader notices it and stops scrolling. If your headline has a great hook, you are likely to get them to click.
The above image stood out nicely and attracted a high click-through rate.
Once they clicked, I started providing value and teaching
Any great article that people want to share will teach them something they didn’t know or challenge their thinking on an issue they think they do know.
That’s what I did with this article.
I told them that what most people sell as “passive income” is a lie.
The only real source of passive income is from investments.
Then, I tell them why the quest for passive income is so unfulfilling (it takes a long ass time)
But, don’t despair because I offer an alternative to passive income that has the same impact, and they can implement immediately (cutting their living expenses)
I spent the rest of the article talking about how to cut living expenses, increase your savings rate and, as a result, begin generating passive income faster than they thought.
See how it comes around full circle?
You gotta hook them with a juicy topic and then over-deliver on the promise of your headline.
See you next week and don’t forget to Subscribe.