Insights on This Week’s Top Trending Articles: A Deep Dive
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Understanding What Makes Articles Trend
Have you ever glanced at the most popular articles and thought, "What in the world?" It might seem random at first glance—spanning sports, technology, and entertainment. However, as top writer Sean Kernan noted, it’s not just a matter of luck with the editors choosing their favorites.
Last week, I explored five articles that garnered significant engagement, including a piece by Governor Cuomo that was featured on Saturday Night Live and later on CNN. So, what exactly drives an article to trend?
At its core, trending articles resonate with human interests. However, it's important not to make assumptions about what sparks that interest. Contrary to popular belief, readers don’t only click on sensational topics like adult content, listicles, or cat videos.
Section 1.1: The Power of Human Interest
Unsurprisingly, the most talked-about article on Medium this week comes from President Joe Biden regarding South Carolina. It’s hard to compete with presidential content, even for a globally recognized group like BTS.
Speaking of BTS, their article from last week continues to gain traction. Here’s a quick summary:
- The author has 42 followers.
- The article was self-published.
- Only two tags were used.
- It has garnered 9,200 shares on Twitter!
If something piques your interest, you’re likely not alone in that sentiment.
After last week's discussions surrounding BTS and anti-Asian racism, several more articles emerged, with one achieving over 5,000 shares on Twitter. Notably, the writer had fewer than 1,000 followers and also self-published their work.
Ryan DeJonghe aptly stated, "Write what you are personally interested in because many others will likely share your interest." When you express what you’re passionate about, it often resonates with others, leading to shares and discussions that can propel your piece into the trending category.
Section 1.2: The Importance of Engagement
Andy Dinh, with just 18 followers, wrote an article that received 197 claps and 12 comments. However, don’t let those numbers mislead you; his article sparked discussions among 5,000 people on Reddit.
What was the subject of Andy’s article? His insights on LCS, which stands for the League of Legends Championship Series. Many readers, including myself, had to look up what LCS stood for since he didn’t clarify it in his piece. Nevertheless, his passion for the topic drew a significant audience on Reddit.
Subsection 1.2.1: Content Over Headlines
While it’s true that crafting a headline that can be found through search engines is crucial for longevity, the essence of trending articles lies in the content itself.
Currently, there’s a buzz around sharing digital content through cryptocurrency exchanges, a concept akin to Bitcoin but applied to music, writing, and art. This allows creators to safeguard their work from exploitative practices.
Kings of Leon recently made headlines by releasing an album as an NFT (non-fungible token). However, not all digital artists are embracing this trend. A particular artist with 2,000 followers expressed his views in an article that quickly gained traction, even though he boasts over 18,000 followers on Twitter. Interestingly, it wasn’t his followers who propelled the article; it was the shared interest of other artists.
Summary of Key Takeaways
In summary, don’t be misled by superficial metrics. A high follower count or numerous likes doesn’t guarantee visibility and engagement. If your goal is to write a piece that stands the test of time, mastering headline creation is essential. However, if you aim to achieve trending status, focus on topics that genuinely interest you, as your passion will resonate with others.
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