I’m Going to Focus on Video Pick a Cards
Ever since Medium changed its algorithm and monetization of stories at the end of Summer 2023, I’ve struggled. Overnight I lost almost 75% of my income. And each month only got steadily worse.
Although I do make some money on this blog, it’s usually just $20-30 a month. That meant I relied on Medium to pay my bills and I used this blog as a way for those who can’t pay a monthly subscription to still have access to my content with ad support.
But I persisted on Medium anyway. I thought if I kept pushing, I’d eventually get back to where I was. That never happened.
This article isn’t to complain or seek pity donations. Rather, it’s an act of transparency to inform my readers about my future plans and why I’m making them. It’s also to inform newer writers in my niche about the limitations of Medium and blogging.
What I Tried Next
About six months ago, I realized that blogging was dead. This is something many bloggers are coming to accept in the wake of the AI-apocalypse and search engines pushing normal blogs off the front page in favor of major brands.
If it’s not video, it’s not going to succeed on the internet.
I thought Medium would be different, but they’ve elected for artificial favoritism instead of an algorithm and monetization that trusted readers to find and support articles they wanted.
Initially I decided to supplement my writing with other social media platforms and private tarot readings. However, I simply don’t have the time.
Trying to prioritize Medium and then doing things on the side simply isn’t working. And you’ve probably noticed how my publishing rate has gone down. I can’t do both.
I’m burning the candle on both ends and I’m about to immolate.
Why Medium Failed Me
This next section is about me, but it’s also for a lot of writers on Medium and bloggers elsewhere, especially those in the spiritual or tarot niche.
Although I have about 11,800 followers on Medium, most of them are bots, inactive users, or no longer receiving notifications about my articles in the algorithm. I’d say about 800 to 1,200 readers are consistently engaging with my content judging by the read-rate on my Medium articles while this blog has about 300 daily views.
You might think, just write more. However, I’ve noticed the more content I publish on Medium, the worse each individual article does. It’s a problem of diminishing returns.
As soon as Medium changed the way they do things, my “official followers” rose dramatically but my newsletter subscribers became anemic. I no longer have the organic reach on Medium I once did and I don’t get selected for boost favoritisms.
I’m slowly being squeezed out.
Okay, I get it Medium: you don’t want me here. I’ll try to not let the door hit me on the way out.
You Can’t Convert on Medium
On average, only 5% or less of your followers will convert to another social media network or premium offer.
That means I can’t use Medium as a way to convert traffic. With the 5% rule, I only get 40 to 60 people to buy something or join me on another social network.
And it’s not like my Medium following is growing. Those 40 to 60 people can’t accept a premium offer with each new article. It’s not realistic.
Doing private text readings also isn’t the answer. They take time and in an era of AI tarot readers, it’s not uncommon for me to earn just $5 an hour to stay competitive.
Text is dead. Video is what’s left.
For every article I write on Medium or private text reading I do, I can’t grow my platform elsewhere to pay my bills. And I can no longer pay my bills.
Here’s My Plan
It’s clear to me that video is the only answer if you create content like I do. That means there are two major social media platforms to work with: YouTube and TikTok.
The natural extension of what I do on Medium are pick a cards on YouTube. I have experimented with that in the past with my own channel, Emmarie Tarot, but I didn’t have the time to commit to it with Medium and private text readings.
That’s going to change starting now. That YouTube channel and private video readings will become my primary focus.
I won’t be leaving Medium or stop posting text pick a cards immediately. I hope to still publish some more and maybe the occasional article during this transition period.
Fundamentally, I don’t think there’s a future for tarot readers and perhaps spiritual writers on Medium. While there might be the rare success story (I’m happy for you if that’s the case!), it doesn’t seem to be true for even the majority of “top” writers.
But I’m happy to have spent the time I have with my readers on Medium and this blog. I’ll enjoy what time I have left here.
If you like my readings, be sure to join me on YouTube for future pick a cards.
hi, i’ve been enjoying your pick a card readings for some time. not on Medium, because they are for members only, but here, on your website (thanx to a link provided there in your bio). again i saw the notice about end of your Medium era – also on Medium, and then followed here to find a full explanation article. the point is, not everyone (me included) can afford subscribing or paying for every type of content out there, but I highly appreciate and am grateful for your free pick a card sessions here, on your site. i subscribed to your channel on youtube, hope the number of subscribers will grow fast and help you thrive.
Medium is a big name, so i first head to that site and look for people i follow. Medium built their reputation based on your collective skills and now try to oust with help of ai and scripts. my writing job also partially died because of ai crashing in. but it does not work that way, i don’t come for robots, i come for people i know and trust. the platform is already overflooded with rubbish, so sooner or later the bubble will burst. so Medium is more of a connecting bridge, because otherwise i wouldn’t be able to find interesting people and useful stuff.
to be honest, some readings i found did not resonate much (that specific one related to the time that was already gone, and nothing in cards predicted the ordeal i was coming through). but maybe that’s the point, look in future and ask correspondingly, don’t try to test if the cards know the past, although again, who knows. otherwise, some readings are really deep and resonate with me, like they are really up to a point.
Pluto is leaving Capricorn with a bang and bust and crashing into Aquarius, so it’s a hard reset for all of us, end of one era and the beginning of a new one. new ideas, new challenges, new jobs, new search for meaning in life and career that will be really fulfilling. i feel this change real hard, my life is basically falling apart, so looking to cards for advice or some assurance helps a bit.
anyway, thanx for your work, wish you a heathy growth of your youtube channel.
Thank you so much for your interesting comments! October was a difficult month astrologically but we are also in some longterm transits that are putting us through an ordeal too! Sometimes it’s easy to blame our own decisions, but there are bigger forces at work that we have to deal with.
But I have confidence that we’ll both find pathways in the end. You’re right about ai: it’s not what people are looking for. 🙂
Thanks for posting abt what’s going on w/ your Medium content! While I usually go There for reads & posts from you, I’ll start going to your YouTube channel; & I’m heading there now! Keep on keeping on, your audience Loves You, & as long as you tell us where you are, we’ll be there. Thanks for all you do Emmarie!💚👍🏼
Thank you so much! 🙂