True story:

When I started uploading YouTube videos three years ago, I quickly tired of waiting for the 1000 subscribers and 4000 watch hours it took to get into the YouTube partner program.

So, I googled: How do I get YouTube subscribers fast?

Oh, boy

I lost my naive digital innocence that day, looking at the results.

I found you could actually buy YouTube followers. And watch hours. And likes. Basically, everything you need to get in.

I was baffled.

I’m stupid too, so I tried it. It cost me a fortune and while I really did get more than 1000 subscribers (and they surprisingly stayed all those years), it wasn’t worth it in the long run. Those subscribers weren’t active, they didn’t watch. It’s almost as if they were robots. 😉

I did get into the partner program quicker, though.

That’s YouTube.

What about Medium

I’m a little smarter now, I’d like to think. Still, I was somewhat perplexed when I heard that you could buy Medium followers now, too.

With the partner program requirements of 100 followers that Medium instated last year, it was inevitable, I guess.

The follow for a follow game, the comments that beg for followers, the follower exchange in Facebook groups, and yes, selling followers, it’s all here.

Would you, for $60, buy the 100 followers it takes to get into the Medium partner program?

Apparently, many would. As the website above states, demand is high which might lead to delays. Could just be a marketing stunt. I don’t know.

What’s the problem with buying your way into the MPP?

Obviously there are the following issues with buying followers:

1. It might be a scam. That should always be the number one concern.
2. It costs money. $60. It might take quite some time to earn that amount on Medium afterward.
3. It won’t lead to reads. Those bought followers won’t be the most active, I’m pretty sure. Imaginary friend flashbacks.
4. You might still not get in. Nothing’s for sure. Medium will review your MPP application, and if something smells funny, they might just reject you. That’s $60 for nothing.
5. You could even get your Medium account suspended. Boom. You’re out.

What’s the benefit of buying followers

Well, there’s one:

1. You might get into the MPP quicker.

Then again, it shouldn’t be too hard to gain 100 followers organically on this platform.

Medium is huge. There are tons of writers and readers.

If you ask me, do this:

1. Comment on at least 100 stories of writers you enjoy and see how many followers you can get
2. Write at least 3 stories for large publications, like Better Marketing, Start it up, Curious, etc., (try to get in), and see how many followers you get

If those two things fail, you can consider buying your way in. I’m pretty sure, though, that if you do those two things, you’ll be right on your way into the MPP, without any funny business.

Try that.

The bottom line

You can buy anything on the internet. You can sell anything on the internet. Doesn’t mean you should.

Growing organic reach on Medium has its upsides:

1. You’re most likely to get more engaged followers
2. You will gain a few true fans
3. You experience the platform
4. And you may find that the MPP isn’t the only important thing on Medium.

You can do a lot without paywall, with free stories. Get external views (read this post to see where external views can lead), build an email list, incorporate affiliate marketing, sell digital products, just to name a few.

Doing that, you might actually earn and learn more than by forcing your way into the partner program and cashing in two cents a month.

Trust me.