The Bizarre and Surprising Reality of Medium:
The Truth Behind Gaining Followers and Whether It’s Worth Chasing the Numbers
There’s really no point in me writing about health and science here anymore, is there? I will no longer bore you with my cancer cells research, investigation on dementia for elderly, or those farmers committing suicide. No one loves those stories. My 2025 writing is is more fun, just as what Medium wants and boosts.
So, I’ve decided to shift gears and focus on the popular crowd-pleasers that Medium’s audience adores — those juicy, sensational topics. Now, I’ll admit, I’m no expert on sex like Christine or money like in Better Marketing (not my forte, folks), so I’ve set my sights on the next best thing: celebrities.
And let me tell you, I’ve got a cracker of a yarn for you today. Who knows? Maybe the Medium gods — or their chosen goddesses — will bless it with a boost and send billions of followers my way. I wish Ariel was here to nominate my story. Hey, a retired writer can dream, right?
I’ve been following the bizarre online behaviour on Medium for a while now. While I couldn’t build up a solid following myself as my stories was censored by Medium algorithm religiously, I’ve learned a few key lessons that make the whole follower count thing seem pretty irrelevant.
Some of you may be wondering — how on earth can someone like me, with years of experience and thousands of stories, only have about 4K followers when others seem to be skyrocketing with far fewer stories with no substance and in less time?
Let’s talk about the real story behind those high follower counts that everyone is chasing. I am talking about Medium celebrities made by Medium itself for the future of the platform to make it competitive like YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram.
The “Incredible Rise” of a 18-Year-Old on Medium
You’ve probably heard the story already: a teenager named Remi, barely three months on Medium, managed to rack up an unbelievable 168K followers.
For some, it’s mind-blowing. But honestly, after hearing the details, I’m not shocked. What’s shocking, though, is how this success story is making waves while other talented writers are being left in the dust.
The secret is TikTok. Yep, that same platform I’ve avoided for years. Remi doesn’t even have a huge following there — just 47K followers to be exact — but somehow, that small group helped her attract over 231K on Medium. That massive growth wasn’t driven by her writing skills or anything deeply meaningful — just a clever use of TikTok’s platform to cross-pollinate and help from caring Medium staff.
Let me explain where it gets interesting.
Remi’s story was amplified even further by Zulie, a staff member at Medium who turned her into an overnight celebrity. Zulie gave Remi the spotlight on the Medium blog, followed by millions.
This publicity launch, coupled with her TikTok traction, catapulted her into the stratosphere. Why does it matter? Does the number of followers really tell you anything about the quality of someone’s work? Shouldn’t we be focusing on engagement, interaction, and the true value we bring to the platform?
The Flawed Metric: Followers and Medium’s Boost Program
Here’s what I’ve come to realise after over two years of being in this game: followers mean absolutely nothing on Medium.
Funny how the more followers I gained, the less my stories got shared and boosted by Medium’s algorithm. I wrote a story about it as my earlier earning reduced from $500 to $22.
Here’s How My Medium Followers Grow Yet Income Declines in an Order of Magnitude
After gaining 1000 new followers in the last 8 months, my income dropped 96.04%.medium.com
But even more interesting with the changes in the algorithm now I am part of 2 cent club. Yes, my stories now only earn one to two cents and I proved it. In a story and also in a podcast on Substack. Here are the link for juicy 2 cent tale for you:
We Are Building a Creative Support Path for Freelance Writers in 2025
We will offer customized services based on the needs of creators, freelancers, and content entrepreneurs with…medium.com
What happens when an article gets boosted by a Medium employee in the Medium blog as it happened to Scott Lamb recently?
It’s all about the game behind the scenes — the algorithm. When Medium boosts a story, it doesn’t just stay within the writer’s circle of followers; it’s tested with a broad audience, igniting a chain reaction that lands it on the homepage or prominently featured across trending topics.
A prime example is Remi’s meteoric rise, propelled by the platform’s algorithms and the influential endorsement of Medium staffer Zulie.
The result? Remi now boasts 231K followers — outshining ILLUMINATION, one of Medium’s largest and oldest publications, which took five years, contributions from 35K writers, and over a million stories to amass 182K followers. She even has more followers than Zulie or Scott let aloine Medium CEO.
Remi’s success story is remarkable and perhaps a testament to Zulie’s knack for spotting and nurturing viral potential. I’d love to hire Zulie as my PR strategist, though I suspect she might pass on working with a retired old-timer like me.
She seems to have a talent for championing brilliant young minds, which could be exactly what Medium needs to recover from recent challenges — ranging from spam overload to the notorious payment fiasco.
But don’t be fooled by the numbers. A boosted story can skyrocket to thousands of views, comments, and claps — even if the writer doesn’t have the same engagement as someone who’s been on the platform for years.
What’s Really Happening Behind the Curtain?
I’ve been around the block, mate, and I’ve seen how things operate behind the scenes. It’s not just about good writing — it’s about strategy, visibility, and a well-timed push from the right sources.
Here’s what really gets my goat:
Talented writers from professional backgrounds like medical doctors or scientist and many others who’ve spent years on this platform are getting outshined by these “overnight successes” thanks to a combination of external platforms, staff involvement, and, let’s face it, some behind-the-scenes manipulation from the powers that be.
Some speculate that Remi might one day become the CEO of Medium, with whispers suggesting she’s being groomed for the role. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised — on Medium, anything seems possible.
Just yesterday, in a twist worthy of a satire, the VP of Medium was cloned multiple times within the very story where he triumphantly declared their progress against spammers and scammers. Talk about fighting fire with digital doppelgängers!
The Bigger Picture: Is This the Future?
Let’s not kid ourselves. The game has changed. Medium, like many other platforms, is evolving. Its flowed algorithm is driving traffic to stories that are often based on numbers or sensations like sex and money, not real substance that matter for society.
Sure, platforms like TikTok and Instagram have their place in the ecosystem, but they’re not the end-all-be-all for serious writers looking to make a real impact.
So, what’s next?
Well, I’ve moved a lot of my focus over to Substack. The community there is more aligned with what I believe — engagement based on real value, not just followers.
Plus, it’s a platform where writers can truly own their work and build a sustainable business model.
And you know what?
If I’ve learned anything over the years, it’s this: quality trumps quantity every single time.
If you’re trying to build a meaningful presence online, don’t fall for the trap of chasing followers. Focus on creating content that resonates with people.
The right audience will find you, and you’ll build long-lasting connections that matter. Forget the quick fix, forget the inflated numbers — true success comes when you stay true to your craft.
So, if you’re frustrated because you’re not seeing the same results as someone else who’s jumped on the TikTok bandwagon, don’t sweat it.
Keep doing your thing, stay consistent, and remember: quality will always rise to the top in the long run. No one will give a Nobel Prize to a teenager with billions of followers on Medium, TikTok, or Instagram.
Finale for the Fun
A celebrity story without a dash of rumor? Unthinkable! So here’s one straight from my circles.
Word has it that Medium was initially grooming Tim Denning as their future CEO — hence his meteoric rise in gastronomic followers (seriously, his numbers could feed an entire nation!).
But then, life happened — Tim got married, had a baby, and apparently, that was enough to disqualify him. Parenthood, it seems, isn’t CEO material in Medium’s world. Oh, and let’s not forget — Tim lives in Australia, the land of skyrocketing living costs. So Tim’s meteoric rise stopped and he couldn’t gain any followers in the last 12 despite many cool stories on Illumination.
Enter the next best choice: Remi. Young, energetic, and living in a country with low labor costs. And there you have it — the tale of how the crown passed from Down Under to a rising star. Talk about a plot twist!
This one’s not a rumor — I know it firsthand. After Medium pulled the rug out from under him, Tim Denning is now shining on Substack like a star reborn. And get this — he’s not basking in the glow of fake or meaningless followers but thriving with loyal, paying subscribers who actually care about his work.
From follower inflation to real appreciation, Tim’s story is the ultimate comeback. Who needs hollow numbers when you can have a tribe that truly values your voice? Substack’s gain, Medium’s loss!
Thank you for reading my 2 cent value of story.
Now I don’t blame my mentor, founder of ILLUMINATION who said goodbye to Medium two days ago. He has more important things than to deal with the bizarre things on this platform.
I asked our handsome Aiden, with the voice that could charm a crowd, to invite Remi to join Illumination Publications and our YouTube channels. He looked at me and said, ‘Don’t be silly, Mike, how can we possibly invite a celebrity bigger than Tim Denning to our little home?’ I couldn’t help but burst out laughing. Classic Aiden, always keeping it humble!
Here you got it my first celebrity story. If you like it please give 1 clap not 50 as Medium can cut my 2 cent to 1 cent 😎And don’t highlight everything like knowledge hungry David who was thrown out of the platform.
Now I don’t blame my mentor, founder of ILLUMINATION who said goodbye to Medium two days ago. He has more important things than to deal with the bizarre things on this platform.
This Is My Last Story on Medium Until the Algorithm Is Fairly Adjusted
Publishing on ILLUMINATION publications will be paused until this unfair issue for authentic writers finds an amicable…medium.com
Thanks for reading my priceless two-cent story. See you in the next juicy tale — no more boring health and science stuff.
I’m about to bid farewell to my Health and Science publication because, let’s be honest, who wants to read insights from MDs, PhDs, RDs, or retired scientists?
Apparently, everyone’s too busy chasing sex, money, and celebrity gossip. So, I’m joining the crowd to bump my two-cent contribution up to a solid four cents soon. Fingers crossed!
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