A New Approach to Content Marketing: Insights from My Mentors
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Why My Wise Mentors Advised Me 80% Substack, 15% NewsBreak, 5% Medium for My Writing Effort
I share the insights and tactics that shaped my new content marketing strategy, which is grounded in data-driven analysis and the expertise of my respected mentors who are more attuned to market dynamics than I am.
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This narrative may come as a revelation to my dedicated readers, collaborators, and the protégés I've mentored over the years. With nearly fifty years of experience in writing, editing, publishing, and content curation, I have learned valuable lessons along the way.
I strongly advocate for sharing our truths with honesty, transparency, and humility. Such an approach fosters genuine connections and nurtures sustainable relationships. Embracing new knowledge is vital for personal and professional growth.
Previously, my writing efforts were divided as follows: 90% on Medium, 7% on NewsBreak, and 3% on Substack. Recently, I sought the expertise of senior data scientists to analyze five years of data from these platforms, as I felt something was amiss.
The findings were eye-opening. Even with 90% of my resources directed at Medium, my returns were diminishing, reflecting negative growth—a metaphorical bankruptcy, as my mentors put it.
An analysis of NewsBreak since January 2024 indicated a 30% audience growth and a remarkable 300% increase in content views, accumulating over six million views within six months. Substack's results were even more striking, showcasing a 400% growth in audience, a 600% rise in content visibility, and an astonishing 1200% return on investment in terms of time and effort.
Initially taken aback by these statistics, I recognized the necessity of strategic change. While my instincts urged me to persist with Medium, my intellect and intuition led me to seek professional guidance and recalibrate my approach for better survival and growth.
My reflections echoed the wisdom of my late mentor Jim Rohn, who advised, “Your life does not get better by chance; it gets better by change.”
With my background in science, technology, academia, and leadership, I trust in corroborating findings through triangulation. I gathered additional data from fellow writers and mentees across these platforms, and with insights from my data scientist friends, I noted a consistent pattern.
To further validate my observations, I consulted with seasoned content strategists who independently evaluated my findings. Their feedback was closely aligned, suggesting that for optimal growth and return on investment, my public content marketing efforts should be redistributed to 80% on Substack, 15% on NewsBreak, and 5% on Medium.
After retiring from corporate life in 2021, I launched a consultancy that includes content curation for executive decision-making, allowing me to sustain my livelihood and meet my financial obligations. My income from public content is dedicated to altruistic endeavors and community enhancement.
While the triangulation provided intellectual certainty, I still grappled with mixed emotions. One of my mentors, versed in psychology, highlighted that my emotional attachment to the Medium community, compounded by the lack of tangible metrics—such as followers, likes, or comments on Substack and NewsBreak—subconsciously influenced my decision-making.
A pivotal point raised by my mentors was that Substack has made significant strides in empowering writers in recent years, while NewsBreak has enhanced its processes and distribution methods.
Conversely, the changes implemented by Medium have often placed writers at a disadvantage, prioritizing membership growth over creator support. While I respect the varying goals and audiences of each platform, it is clear that investing more time and resources into Substack is more beneficial for me, as it genuinely prioritizes and values creators. Nonetheless, I acknowledge that this dynamic could evolve, as no platform can guarantee stability, necessitating an open-minded and vigilant approach.
To illustrate the financial implications, a mentor with a substantial following on Medium shared his experience: his earnings on Medium plummeted from about $10,000 to $1,000, while his income from Substack surged from $1,000 to $100,000 within a year after adjusting his strategy—a shift he recognized before I did.
As a cognitive scientist, these professional insights resonated deeply with me. After meditating and reflecting on my feelings with a clearer mindset, I realized I had overlooked the subtle wisdom from my higher self. My discerning mentors aided me in evaluating the situation through a logical, intellectual, and intuitive lens rather than an emotional or instinctual one.
What does this mean for my readers, fellow writers, protégés, and loyal followers across various platforms?
By sharing this evolution, I aim to communicate that I will be recalibrating my content marketing strategy: allocating less time to Medium while dedicating more effort to NewsBreak and primarily focusing on Substack to better serve my audience and support my growth as a content developer, strategist, marketer, and community builder.
Many may question the future of the community I have nurtured on Medium after five years of heartfelt commitment and how my leadership focus will shift.
I want to reassure you that I hold my Medium community in high regard and will not abandon them. I plan to continue providing support through a revised strategy and new tactics. This community is invaluable to me, and I will always be a grateful and engaged member.
However, I must point out that the constraints imposed by Medium—such as supporting a massive publication managed by 30,000 writers with just 30 volunteers—have heightened my stress and made it increasingly unsustainable to commit the same level of time and effort.
The once supportive team at Medium has become less responsive. When scammers targeted my account, stealing my identity and defrauding my readers for over a year, it exacerbated my stress. Despite my attempts to seek help, I received no acknowledgment, apology, or compensation from Medium's leadership. Instead, I was unjustly placed in distribution jail, adding insult to injury.
Consequently, I have resolved to revise my publication and community-building strategies. I can no longer afford to dedicate six hours of my limited time solely to Medium, as it has become detrimental to my health, well-being, creativity, productivity, and growth.
I have long recognized that unidirectional relationships can become toxic and unsustainable. This realization brings to mind Frank Herbert's insightful words: “Without change, something sleeps inside us and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken.”
What is next?
I recalled the wise counsel of Alan Watts, who advised that the only way to understand change is to embrace it fully and join the dance. Through my extensive leadership experience, I recognize that hesitation stemming from emotional attachments and fear of risk can paralyze us from making necessary changes.
To swiftly embrace the changes I seek, I meticulously documented my decisions and sought validation from my mentors and key stakeholders within my community, whose advice proved both sound and practical.
Once the processes and procedures are finalized, I will compose an editorial bulletin detailing specific action points and share my plan publicly to maintain transparency with a community that deserves honesty.
The key takeaway from my experience is that change is crucial for achieving optimal results and sustainable growth. Our decisions should be informed by data, logic, intuition, and trusted counsel rather than emotions and instincts.
This narrative does not constitute professional advice, and I do not intend to mislead anyone regarding my decisions and plans. I share my insights to illustrate my findings, intentions, and strategies with my audience.
Critical Point: My approach is tailored to my unique objectives and may not be applicable to every writer. The purpose of sharing this account is not to persuade you to adopt my path, but to demonstrate how you can diversify your content distribution in alignment with your individual goals and needs. For example, one writer may find success on platform X, while another may perform better on platform Y. Awareness and critical evaluation of options are invaluable.
Our editorial team has established a new Medium publication to support Substack creators via my organization, the ILLUMINATION Connect network, which I founded in 1995. All writers are welcome to join this publication. Details can be found in the accompanying invitation.
Invitation: ILLUMINATION Curators on Substack Publication on Medium
Empowering Creators of Substack on Multiple Platforms through Collaboration to Create Synergy
medium.com
I have authored numerous articles on writing and content strategy to assist new writers. While some of my earlier pieces may be outdated due to recent platform changes, many principle-based concepts remain relevant and can inspire aspiring writers. You may find pertinent examples in the attached list. I also plan to write an educational piece to help jumpstart writers on Substack soon, so please save this list.
Writing, Content Development & Marketing Strategy Guides
dr-mehmet-yildiz.medium.com
Thank you for engaging with my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and fulfilling life.
To inform my new readers, I have written many articles that may enlighten and inspire you. My topics include brain health, cognitive function, significant health conditions, longevity, nutrition, and over 100 Insightful Life Lessons from my experiences over the last 50 years.
I publish my health and wellness narratives on EUPHORIA and share condensed versions on SUBSTACK. I also contribute to NewsBreak and Vocal Media. Customized content is available on my website digitalmehmet.com. Please note that my posts do not constitute professional health advice; I simply document my observations, experiences, and perspectives to share information and foster awareness.
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