An In-Depth Analysis of My Contributions and Experiences Across Multiple Platforms with Pros and Cons
Dear Readers, Happy September! I trust this post finds you well. In the evolving landscape of content creation globally, evaluating the platforms that shape our work and influence our success is essential.
In this unique and educational story, I offer a detailed, independent review of my experiences across eight major platforms to which I contribute, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and overall effectiveness.
From my high hopes and disappointments with X Premium to my surprising success with my own website, I have navigated diverse environments to find what truly works.
Join me briefly as I dissect my monthly performance, providing insights that could help you make informed decisions about where to invest your time and resources as a creator.
I will present my findings in ascending order, from the least effective to the most impactful platform. This will include an overview of my monthly performance, the pros and cons of each platform, and key takeaways to conclude. I also contributed to Vocal Media but the story only got 2 views so I excluded it as don’t even consider it as a platform and will write a story about it later.
1 — X Premium
My Monthly Performance
Two months ago, I eagerly subscribed to X Premium+ ($23) with high hopes. The platform’s promise of offering article-writing capabilities beyond tweets seemed like a golden opportunity to expand my reach and connect with a broader audience.
However, the reality fell short of my expectations. Despite my efforts, the results were disappointing, as I documented last month, forcing me to downgrade it. In light of this, I decided to downgrade to X Premium, paying $11, in hopes of better performance. Unfortunately, the outcome was even less favorable — an absolute waste of resources in my case. Yet, I acknowledge that this platform might work for others.
During this period, my content struggled to reach new readers, and I failed to generate any income from monetization. Even if I had been eligible for monetization, the returns would likely have been negligible, given the poor engagement and visibility. My metrics across the board deteriorated, highlighting the challenges I faced in leveraging the platform effectively.
This experience highlights the importance of thoroughly assessing the value of premium services before investing. While X Premium+ may offer benefits to some, it’s crucial for writers to consider whether it aligns with their specific goals and audience engagement strategies.
Pros
X remains a strong platform for discovering new readers, particularly through the use of well-crafted tweets and engaging threads. Its potential for organic reach, when used strategically, can still be beneficial for writers looking to connect with a broader audience.
Cons
The platform is expensive, especially considering the limited monetization opportunities. Without millions of impressions, monetization is virtually unattainable, making the investment hard to justify for most users. Additionally, X Premium+ falls short of its advertised capabilities, raising questions about its overall value for content creators.
2 — Quora
My Monthly Performance
Quora outperformed X Premium in terms of value, especially considering Quora+ costs just $3 per month. I was able to cover the subscription cost and even earn a small surplus from answering questions. The income from Quora Spaces, however, was minimal, ranging from $1 to $5. The best performing one was Substack Mastery Quora space this month.
Pros
Quora is an effective platform for discovering new readers through well-thought-out answers and by sharing stories or newsletter links in a blogging format. The potential for posts to go viral, particularly those that resonate deeply with the audience, is a significant advantage.
Cons
The platform’s algorithm can be slow in distributing answers or posts within Spaces, which can be frustrating. Despite Quora’s large user base, some posts struggle to reach even 100 views, limiting their impact and visibility.
3 — LinkedIn
My Monthly Performance
I have been on LinkedIn since its inception as my favorite professional network. This month, my LinkedIn posts received substantial visibility, and my newsletters performed exceptionally well.
Notably, my Substack Mastery newsletter attracted 3,188 new subscribers. Besides, my new LinkedIn group, Substack Mastery, gained 2000+ contributors this month.
While LinkedIn doesn’t offer direct monetization for content, it indirectly generated income for me by driving 14 paid subscriptions to my Substack newsletters through referrals.
Additionally, I secured a consultancy project set to begin next month, further underscoring LinkedIn’s value as a professional network.
Pros
LinkedIn stands out as a powerful platform for connecting with new clients and readers, particularly in a professional context. In my experience, and based on feedback from fellow writers, LinkedIn tends to have higher conversion rates for Substack newsletters. This is likely due to the platform’s user base, which consists mainly of professionals who value quality content and are more inclined to pay for subscriptions.
Cons
However, LinkedIn’s algorithm can be unpredictable, often favoring content related to career development while seemingly suppressing other types of posts. For instance, one of my posts received only 100 views — primarily through direct links — while a similar post garnered 3,000 views. This inconsistency can make it difficult to predict which content will perform well.
4 — Medium
My Monthly Performance
Medium was once my top-performing platform, where I dedicated 90% of my time to writing and community-building. However, over the past six months, my results have steadily declined, and this month was particularly disappointing.
My censored tech account only got views from direct links despite millions of followers on the topic, assuming most of them are fake accounts. A 16-minute cybersecurity case study from a seasoned technologist who gained over 100K views on Substack had only views from my direct links and earned only $1 on Medium, which was soul-crushing.
Moreover after my interviews, I am now disappointed to see that my original book about Substack Mastery is currently not being distributed by the algorithm. This type of evergreen content can potentially attract new readers and provide long-term value. It seems that the current focus of curation may lean towards more sensational content, which, while engaging in the short term, might not contribute as significantly to the platform’s enduring value.
Despite posting 30 new stories from my main account, which boasts 101K followers, ironically, I observed significant drops in views, reads, and income. Even experimenting with a new account yielded minimal results, gaining only around 60 followers and earning just $7. This leads me to conclude that neither established nor new accounts are currently performing well. It is puzzling and does not make any sense.
Unfortunately, the platform’s strategy remains opaque, with neither quality nor quantity appearing to influence success. It seems evident to me that Medium’s network distribution is now driven by selective curation based on undisclosed criteria, making it difficult for creators to navigate. However, it no longer bothers me as I use the platform as a great storage facility.
Pros
Medium remains an excellent platform for community-building. It also serves as a reliable storage space for content, though without effective distribution. This might be seen as a con, but it serves a purpose for content marketers in the long run. The membership cost is affordable, and anyone paying $5 can join the Partner Program to monetize their content. However, from what I’ve observed, 90% of Medium Partner Program participants earn under $30 monthly, which is a challenging reality for many creators.
Cons
The algorithm shows a strong bias, often prioritizing sensational content over more valuable, well-crafted stories. The Boost program, which is intended to elevate content, seems highly subjective and benefits only around 1% of authentic writers. The vast majority, 99%, do not experience the advantages of enhanced distribution. My recent experience highlights this issue: despite writing a constructive piece from my secondary account and even tagging the head of distribution, my story was ignored and, worse, censored. This action effectively silenced my voice as a long-time contributor to the platform, raising serious concerns about transparency and fairness in content distribution.
5 — NewsBreak
My Monthly Performance
This month, I wasn’t able to contribute as much to NewsBreak, leading to a slight decrease in income. Despite this, my experience on NewsBreak was significantly better than on the previous four platforms in every aspect.
Several of my stories went viral, reaching a wide audience. The platform’s editors have even reached out to inquire about my absence, which speaks volumes about the platform’s engagement and its appreciation for consistent contributors.
Pros
NewsBreak boasts an impressive audience, with around 45 million readers in the US alone, and has a robust distribution system that ensures content reaches its intended audience effectively.
The payment structure is fair and payments are made promptly. Furthermore, the support team is both professional and attentive, creating a supportive environment for writers.
Unlike Medium, NewsBreak places a strong emphasis on high-quality stories, particularly those grounded in scientific research, rewarding such content accordingly.
Cons
However, NewsBreak’s opportunities are currently limited to writers based in the US, which restricts its accessibility to a global audience. Additionally, the platform prioritizes local content, meaning that articles related to news and local events tend to perform better than more generic or international topics.
6 — Amazon Book Publishing
My Monthly Performance
This month, Amazon proved to be more financially rewarding than the previous five platforms, thanks to the launch of my new book, Substack Mastery.
Despite publishing it via a hybrid model and only making it available for pre-order, the book quickly hit the bestseller categories in three popular topics. This achievement not only boosted its visibility but also spurred additional sales of my earlier works.
I started sharing the free chapters of my book on multiple platforms for beta readers to refine it and make it a valuable knowledge source for the community. Here are the links to the chapters I published on this platform.
Pros
Self-publishing on Amazon is straightforward, providing authors with a fair platform to showcase their work. Amazon’s commitment to creators is evident in its free content distribution and the valuable support it offers.
The customer support team is highly responsive, often replying to my inquiries within an hour.
Additionally, Amazon provides free guidance on improving book quality, marketing, and sales, which can be invaluable for authors looking to maximize their reach and impact.
Cons
However, the process for publishing a paperback is more cumbersome and takes a significantly longer time compared to an e-book. Additionally, some of my beta readers who completed the book attempted to leave reviews, only to be told that the book was not yet eligible for reviews.
While reviews are not a major concern for me personally, this could be frustrating for other authors seeking early feedback.
Aside from these minor issues, based on my extensive experience, I have found no drawbacks to Amazon’s publishing platform.
7 — Substack
My Monthly Performance
Over the past three months, Substack has consistently delivered the best results across all metrics compared to the previous six platforms I’ve used.
In a remarkably short time, my newsletters gained 28,000 subscribers, and my income has surged by 600%. Given the effort and volume I invested in Medium, Substack’s performance has far exceeded my expectations.
This platform has truly made me feel that it is the most rewarding option currently available, and as a result, I plan to focus the majority of my writing, editing, curation, and community-building activities here.
To support other writers in leveraging this platform, I have even authored a book to guide thousands of creators globally and created a community to empower them. Details are in the attached resource:
ILLUMINATION Substack Community Support – Dr Mehmet Yildiz
Pros
Substack’s greatest strength lies in its fair distribution system, which operates without censorship. The platform is genuinely designed with creators in mind, and Substack’s commitment to enhancing the user experience is evident through its significant financial investments in the platform’s functionality and performance. Unlike other platforms, such as Medium or Quora, Substack takes a strategic approach, consistently prioritizing its contributors and fostering their well-being.
Cons
From my recent experience, I haven’t encountered any significant drawbacks with Substack. However, some writers have reported encountering occasional bugs, such as the disappearance of the unsubscribe button in emails, which can create awkward situations. Despite these minor issues, the overall experience remains overwhelmingly positive.
8 — My Own Website
My Monthly Performance
This might surprise some readers, as I haven’t previously highlighted the impact of my website despite my emphasis on owning our content, our audience, and our platform for sustainability.
This month, I decided to fully invest in my platform, turning it into a comprehensive ecosystem for all my fragmented content. For instance, I downloaded over 2,000 stories from my Medium publication, Euphoria which failed miserably on Medium due to algorithmic changes, and placed them behind a paywall on my site. This move significantly boosted my subscriber rate and income.
My website offers even greater flexibility than Substack, as I can provide a tiered subscription model — ranging from $0.50 to $5 — tailored to various demands. Moreover, the best part of investing in my website has been the substantial conversion rate it has driven for my Substack newsletters and books.
Consequently, out of all the platforms I’ve used, my website has delivered the best results across all metrics. Moving forward, I plan to prioritize investment in my website more than any other platform.
Pros
The biggest advantage of having my own website is the complete control and freedom it offers. I can publish, market, and sell whatever I choose at a low hosting cost through WordPress, which provides excellent service for creators.
With minimal costs — such as $5 a day — I can boost my content, reaching thousands of readers. Additionally, blogging offers significant SEO benefits, enhancing the visibility of my content.
Given these advantages, I plan to open my site to guest bloggers, either for free or at a minimal cost, depending on their needs. Interested writers can apply via this registration portal.
Guidance to Guest Bloggers on Digitalmehmet – Dr Mehmet Yildiz
Digitalmehmet.com now offers guest blogging service to Substack writers and storytellers from Medium.com. This service…digitalmehmet.com
Cons
Running a website is time-consuming and requires extensive planning and implementation efforts. However, the long-term benefits make this investment worthwhile.
Conclusions
After evaluating the performance of various platforms — X, Quora, LinkedIn, Medium, NewsBreak, Amazon Book Publishing, Substack, and my own website — it’s evident that different platforms serve different purposes for content creators. Each has its strengths and limitations, but ultimately, the choice of platform should align with your specific goals as a writer.
Key Takeaways
While some platforms, like X and LinkedIn, offer broad reach and professional networking opportunities, others, like Substack and NewsBreak, provide more targeted distribution and monetization potential. A diversified approach can maximize your reach and income.
Investing in your own website offers unparalleled control and flexibility. It enables you to tailor your content, pricing, and marketing strategies. This autonomy can lead to better monetization and a stronger brand presence.
Not all platforms are equally monetizable. Substack, for instance, excels in direct monetization through subscriptions, while LinkedIn indirectly drives income through professional opportunities. Understanding the trade-offs between reach and revenue is crucial.
High-quality, well-crafted content is consistently rewarded across platforms, particularly on NewsBreak and Amazon. Investing in the quality of your work, rather than just quantity, pays off in the long run.
Some biased and proprietary platforms, including Medium, Quora, X, and LinkedIn, have algorithms that can be unpredictable or biased. Diversifying your content across multiple channels can mitigate the risks associated with reliance on a single platform.
In summary, while each platform has pros and cons, the key to success comes from leveraging their unique strengths while maintaining ownership and control over your content. By strategically choosing where and how to invest your time and resources, you can optimize your reach and revenue.
I believe the most effective strategy is repurposing content across multiple platforms while customizing it for each one. This means taking the core message or idea and adapting it to fit the unique style and audience of each platform, ensuring that it resonates well and maximizes its impact.
Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.
If you want to purchase the book at a reasonable price or gift it to someone you care about, you may preorder it via various Amazon markets. If the editing process is complete on time, I can get it published faster.
The funds generated from this book will be donated to the management of the Substack Mastery site for the ILLUMINATION community. This education site also amplifies the newsletters of freelance writers.
If you are a writer on Medium and Substack, we have a new publication called Substack Mastery. You are welcome to join and share your Substack experience with your fellow writers and discerning readers. ILLUMINATION-Curators curate, feature, and promote newsletters of our contributors in collections like this one. Being part of a community can bring many benefits, such as a fast-growing audience.
For advanced writers, we also have a publication called Curated Newsletters, which replaced the former ILLUMINATION-Curated. As I resigned from the boost program, I now allocate more time to support writers in extending their services to Substack or other platforms.
Substack Mastery: Insider Secrets from a Content Strategist & Seasoned Author: Learn the Basics…
Substack Mastery: Insider Secrets from a Content Strategist & Seasoned Author: Learn the Basics, Stay Motivated, Grow…www.amazon.com
If you are a new reader, you may check out some of my topics, including the brain, mental health, cognitive function, significant health conditions, longevity, nutrition/food, valuable nutrients, ketogenic lifestyle, self-healing, weight management, writing/reading, including 100+ Insightful Life Lessons from My Circles for the Last 50+ Years.
I publish my health and wellness stories on EUPHORIA and share distilled versions on SUBSTACK. My posts do not include professional or health advice. I only document my reviews, observations, experiences, and perspectives to provide information and create awareness.
If you are a writer, you are welcome to join my publications by sending a request via this link. I support 31K writers who contribute to my publications on this platform. You can contact me via my website. I also have another profile to write and curate tech stories. Friend Links to My Sample Boosted Stories for Non-Members of Medium.
You can read the distilled version of this story on Substack for free.
You are welcome to join the ILLUMINATION Community on Medium and Substack and our education tool, Substack Mastery, curated by ILLUMINATION-Curators. Here is the Importance and Value of Medium Friendship for Writers and Readers
Join me on Substack, where I offer experience-based content on health, content strategy, and technology topics to inform and inspire my readers.
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This story was initially published at DigitalMehmet.com. My blogs and website offer free access to inspiring and educational stories for freelancers and content entrepreneurs. Please use this portal to contact me with inquiries and feedback.
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