Medium was always considered the home for thoughtful, high-quality writing and conversations. However, the rise of earnings-driven stories has begun bringing questions regarding a decline in content quality.
As more authors pursue the earnings, the site seems to grow increasing shallowness in its content, misleading headlines, and over-promotion tactics.
But how does this shift in practice change the trust readers have in Medium and what does it mean for the quality of the information overall?
How Earnings-Driven Stories Are Eroding Reader Trust on Medium
We will discuss how earnings-driven stories kills the trust of the reader and why it is hurting the integrity of the platform in this article.
1.Reader Trust: How Clickbait Headlines Went Wrong
Perhaps the biggest way in which clickbait-driven articles affect the ecosystem of the medium is by rampant click baiting.
Most writers desirous to pocket as much money as they possibly can resort to using sensational titles promising way more than what the article will offer.
Such titles are designed in a way that would create curiosity amongst the readers, and get them hooked onto the same in connection with phrases such as, “This One Trick Will Change Your Life Forever” or “I Made $10,000 in a Week—Here’s How You Can Too.”.
Unfortunately, “click-throughs” too often come down to banal content that barely scratches the surface of a subject.
The promise of meaningful insight or practical advice dissipates at an alarming rate. Again, here, readers feel duped, and it is repeated experiences that erode this time in trust-not only in the writer but also in the platform itself.
The readers may not go back to the platform or read other articles in case of broken trust. They may even turn out to be suspicious about similar headlined articles, thinking it will be another way of collecting some views and dollars for Middle.
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Over time, that mistrust leads the general readership of Medium to believe that whatever content they can find on the platform just isn’t worth reading.
2.Vapid Content: The Desire for Earnings at Expense of Quality
An important disadvantage with earnings-driven stories is that they often end up being very shallow.
A journalist seeking the most possible money is likely to produce pieces just for the sake of producing content.
Thus, really good and well-written pieces are less likely to see the light of day in favor of shallow pieces that do not give anything of value to the reader.
For instance, you can read news published to attract readers into reading and clicking pieces like “How to Be More Productive” or “The Best Side Hustles for 2024.”
The topics are excellent but still leave the reader feeling a bit disappointed in terms of insights that may come out of the article or actionable steps to take based on what the piece suggests. Multiple articles on similar topics are published without much effort to make the content different.
It not only irritates the readers but also makes shallow all the content put on the platform. When a reader reads the same bland advice repeatedly, it leaves them wondering about the worth of the platform as a source of information.
This happens precisely to the heart of Medium, which established its existence through long-form, reflective writing.
3.The Long-Term Consequence: Writing to Earn, Losing the Reader
Clickbait articles may benefit writers in short-term earnings, but it is long-term poisoning to the health of the Medium platform.
Clickbait drilling holes into eyes for readers will not come back to spend time on writer-preset content. Sure, it may get the article a few views right away, but it does not make readers return.
One of the hallmark signs of an effective content platform is reader engagement and loyalty. People go back to places that they feel are going to deliver value, again and again.
When that trust is broken–either by clickbait or by shallow content or articles that are simply too promotional in nature–the chances that readers will come back will be lower. That cuts down on sustained engagement on the platform.
Another reason is that Medium’s algorithm tends to favor pieces that attract high numbers of views, claps, and comments.
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Those who make use of this algorithm to increase their pay may succeed in the short term, but the more readers get frustrated with the platform’s content quality, overall engagement is going to decline.
When readers leave, even quality writers suffer because well-crafted articles are trapped in a sea of mediocre content from earnings-driven writers.
In their quest to become a reliable source of information, writers on Medium will have to strike a balance between making a living and giving value.
Shifting the focus from short-term earnings to long-term readers’ trust will ensure the site remains profitable and attracts interested, loyal readers.
The Future: Time to Focus on Trust, Not Earnings
No doubt, it is a boon where earnings-driven stories pop up suddenly on Medium, piercing through overall quality and readers’ trust in the platform.
Readers begin to lose all faith over the platform as the very source of information when click baiting headlines roll alongside shallow content with enough over-promotion tactics.
Now, while monetizing is a tremendous tool for the writer, quality and reader trust must remain paramount in importance.
The more writers chase quick earnings, the more the platform risks losing its identity as a home for thoughtful reflection.
Both Medium and its writers will have to figure out the balance of making money with creating real value for that platform to get what it needs to truly live long and prosper: if readers can trust what is on the platform, they will keep returning, and that is what truly holds long-term keys to success.
