Please Don’t Beg for Claps or Reads

Let your readers find you than you finding them.

Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash

I know the title is direct and perhaps rude to some. But we need to straighten this out. I was compelled to write on this topic after seeing series of posts on multiple Facebook groups (for Medium writers) suggesting ‘Clap for Clap’ or ‘Share your articles, and I will read them all’ or ‘Can you please check out my article and clap for it?’

I am sure you would have seen them too or participated in a few yourself. Ok honesty, I am guilty of entertaining a couple of them myself. But it’s cringe-worthy and needs to be called out. I have decided — I am not going to get into this rabbit hole.

Here’s why.

You are paid for reading minutes and not for claps.

Thirty people clapping on your story doesn’t translate into 30 people reading it. If they are not reading it or benefitting from your article, think again, what was the entire point of publishing that article.

Your focus shifts from writing to marketing

I understand the pain of drafting a 1000 word article and getting less than 50 views sometimes. But, this process of socialising with a hundred people might earn you a few hundred claps but at…