The Hard Lessons When Having a Drastic Niche Shift on Medium

The Art of Engagement

Rebuilding a Community Around New Passions

Photo by Alexander Mils on Unsplash

The Unexpected Turn of March

March arrived with its usual unpredictability, but this time, it had a few extra tricks up its sleeve.

As I tried to reshape my content creation focus toward travelogue and poetry, the thrill of embarking on a new adventure was palpable.

Little did I know, this transition would serve up some unexpected lessons in content engagement and audience dynamics.

Why March Became a Desert in My Content Oasis

My previous content, centered on Medium insights and earnings, resonated well with my audience, creating a reliable stream of engagement and income.

The shift to travelogues and poetry, driven by a desire for fresh creativity and exploration, was a stark departure from the norm.

This new direction, while exciting for me, didn’t strike the same chord with my established audience, leading to a notable dip in engagement and earnings.

Understanding Audience Disengagement

The decision to leap into new thematic territories was met with silence and dwindling numbers.

It became clear that the audience I had cultivated was more attuned to my analytical pieces on Medium and earnings rather than the artistic nuance of travel tales or the rhythmic beauty of poetry.

The stark decrease in interaction was a loud and clear message: my audience’s preferences were not aligning with my new content direction.

Embracing Change and Community Engagement

Recognizing the disconnect, I acknowledged the necessity of fostering a new community aligned with my current interests.

Engaging with fellow travel and poetry enthusiasts became my new focus, marking the beginning of planting seeds in a garden I hoped would flourish.

Through active participation, sharing, and interaction within these new niches, I aimed to cultivate a dedicated audience who shared my passion for these genres.

Growth and Optimism Ahead

Despite the challenges, the latter part of March showed glimmers of engagement, suggesting that with persistence and genuine interaction, growth is possible.

While the journey through March was more humbling than celebratory, it underscored the value of adaptability and perseverance in content creation.

Lessons Learned and the Path Forward

This experience taught me that change, while necessary for growth, comes with its own set of challenges.

Audience engagement is not just about content creation but also about nurturing a community that resonates with your message.

As I look to the future, I remain committed to my new path, knowing that with time, effort, and engagement, I can rebuild a connected and supportive audience base.


In conclusion, March was a month of unexpected lessons and reflection, reminding me that the journey of content creation is ever-evolving.

Despite the initial setbacks, the experience has only fueled my resolve to pursue my passions and foster a community that shares them.


Why do some writers and creators become known for a term, a phrase, or even an entire category, while others (talented as they might be) fade away?

To write within your niche, check this Audible Audiobook from Amazon “Become Known for a Niche You Own: Why Legendary Writers Use Languaging to Design New & Different Categories”.


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How Medium Publications Managed My Niche Contents

Image created using Canva by Author

I am new to Medium Partner. Thus, I need to learn how Publication works.

I tried sending it to some Publications but did not get any response.

Either the Editor is busy, or my article needs to meet the acceptance requirements (which I don’t).

However, I noticed that Publications can help me in two things:

1 — Managing my niche contents

2 — Allow my Followers to focus on a specific niche

I have created 4 Publications. Below are their statistics:

(1) IoT World

I created this publication because, for many years, I have had a blog called IoT World.

However, I need help engaging and giving notifications to my readers and followers except for publishing them on my Social Media channels whenever I have a new post.

By having this Publication, I will encourage them to start reading here, and I will finally stop investing my time in IoT World Blog.

View at Medium.com

IoT World Publication

The average number of daily visitors to IoT World is 4.

(2) Startup Survival Journey

I have been writing my entrepreneurship journey in my Mazlan Abbas blog. Instead of managing similar articles in Medium, I will focus my energy on Medium. Thus, I migrated my custom domain to Medium early this year.

View at Medium.com

The average number of daily visitors to Startup Survival is 7.

(3) Influencer’s Journey

This is a niche topic which is my hobby and my passion. Since I have been in social media and speaking engagement for many years, I wanted to share my journey and experience as a Social Media Influencer and a Thought Leader.

View at Medium.com

The average number of daily visitors to Influencer’s Journey is 7.

(4) Aspiring Writer’s Journey

Of course, with all the experience writing blogs and articles online, I would like to share the challenges and tips of my journey to making money online.

By journaling the journey, I can learn what works and what doesn’t.

It will also serve as my diary as I put my effort in Medium.

View at Medium.com

Aspiring Writer’s Journey

The average number of daily visitors to Aspiring Writer’s Journey is 20.


What’s the Results So Far?

I noticed that the IoT World publication has the lowest number of reads, views, and visitors, even though I have put much effort into creating content for it.

IoT World doesn’t have a Paywall compared to the rest of the Publications. I will typically publish and send a link to my email subscribers.

However, as mentioned in my article here, the number of views or reach is very high.

View at Medium.com

I suspected that my readers on the mailing list would just read from the email rather than visit Medium to read the whole article.

This is suitable for me.

Furthermore, IoT World Publication is now leveraging Medium-high Domain Authority; these articles will get ranked on Google sooner or later.


Note: This is my 300th article!

I have never imagined I could write this many articles, especially last year and this year.

If you want to know about my entrepreneurial journey, check out my latest eBook, “Startup Survival”.

View at Medium.com