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$1908 Success Story of Iain Stanley
A Deep Dive into Stanley’s Non-Boosted Story Success
Welcome to Money Making Story
A platform dedicated to sharing inspiring journeys of financial success. Here, we delve into various strategies and personal narratives about earning money, providing you with a wealth of knowledge and inspiration.
Today, we’re thrilled to share the story of Iain Stanley, who made a remarkable $1908 from a story that wasn’t boosted.
In this discussion, we’ll delve into:
Stanley’s challenges with the Boost system
The tremendous success of his non-boosted story
How this experience transformed his perception of the Boost system
The passive income he earned over several months
The crucial role of compelling headlines and visuals
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Stanley’s Initial Struggles with Medium’s Boost System
Iain Stanley, a writer on Medium, shared his experience with the platform’s Boost system. He initially felt that the Boost system had negatively impacted his writing success and income. However, his perspective changed when one of his stories, which was not Boosted, earned him $1908, garnered 150,000 views, 112K reads, and over 12K likes. This experience challenged his previous perceptions about the Boost system.
![](https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/feb5bcad-692c-43a4-9a73-5dea2fb4ab7d/image.png?t=1712518682)
Photo by Iain Stanley
When Medium introduced the Boost system in August 2023, Stanley noticed a significant drop in his earnings, reads, views, and engagement. He felt that the Boost system had marginalized writers who were not Boosted, creating a gatekeeping system that disadvantaged them.
In Stanley’s experience, if a story was Boosted, it meant financial success. If it wasn’t, it seemed to be overlooked. This discrepancy caused him a great deal of frustration and dissatisfaction, particularly due to the power held by those who nominated and curated the Boosts.
The Unexpected Success
For six months, Iain Stanley’s perceptions of Medium’s Boost system remained unchanged. He had a story that he believed was worthy of a Boost, and when one of the editors nominated it for one, he was hopeful.
However, despite his anticipation, the Boost icon never appeared on his dashboard. This led him to believe that the curators had rejected the editor’s nomination, which further fueled his frustration with the system.
Stanley viewed the time he spent writing as an investment, as he balanced his passion for writing with his full-time job and family responsibilities. The lack of a Boost for his story felt like a financial setback, reinforcing his negative view of the system.
However, things took an unexpected turn. Despite not receiving a Boost, his story started gaining traction. The number of reads and views began to increase exponentially.
![](https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/0ccb7eb3-5f0e-4a44-a784-83eb258d04c2/image.png?t=1712512460)
Photo by Iain Stanley
On the first day, he had 91 reads and made about $6. By the 3rd day, he had 782 reads and made about $29.
![](https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/4b3c4f05-e7f1-462e-9969-e172e519ddf3/image.png?t=1712512550)
Photo by Iain Stanley
A week after publishing, he was getting between 3K-4K reads a day and making $40-$60 daily.
![](https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/a9b4a70b-cf14-49e4-aaf0-704c1e80c2d1/image.png?t=1712512632)
Photo by Iain Stanley
By the end of January, his UnBoosted story had earned him $867. This was a stark contrast to his previous experiences with Boosted stories, which typically saw a strong performance for about a week before quickly fading away.
![](https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/557f3074-1d45-46ba-8b0d-08d54517ffd2/image.png?t=1712512721)
Photo by Iain Stanley
However, his UnBoosted story continued to perform well throughout February, consistently generating 3K reads a day and earning him between $35-$50 daily.
How This Happened
Stanley questioned the workings of the Medium algorithm, especially after an UnBoosted story of his achieved remarkable success.
His experience with the Boost system, like many others on Medium, was initially quite binary. If a story was Boosted, it was akin to sipping champagne; if not, it felt like scavenging for rusty water. The inconsistency even within Boosted stories was perplexing, with some soaring high while others barely took off.
The common belief was that a Boost was essential for any tangible reward for one’s time and efforts. However, Stanley’s UnBoosted story, which he likened to a “monolithic T-Rex,” shattered this belief by achieving impressive records.
Even in March, two months after its publication, the story continued to perform well, garnering over 1K reads a day and generating around $20 every 24 hours.
![](https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/ca250d82-92c0-4a33-bd38-72e873498ace/image.png?t=1712513831)
Photo by Iain Stanley
Such success, Stanley noted, had a dual effect. On the one hand, it demonstrated the potential of Medium if the algorithm favored your content, which was inspiring. On the other hand, it could lead to complacency, as the passive income generated by the story could make one lax in their writing efforts.
Despite some personal challenges, including having his mother visit him in Japan and battling two bouts of influenza, Stanley admitted that his writing productivity had decreased since the publication of his successful story.
Takeaways
Stanley emphasizes the importance of basics such as the heading, sub-heading, and lead image. These elements play a crucial role in attracting readers and keeping them engaged for at least 30 seconds, which Medium classifies as a ‘Read’. Stanley believes he nailed these aspects in his successful story.
The workings of Medium’s algorithm remain a mystery, but Stanley’s experience shows that when you ‘crack the safe’, it can reveal possibilities previously unimagined on the platform. This serves as an encouragement for writers to keep trying, as one never knows what fortunes await.
Stanley also offers a free guide to successful Medium writing, outlining the 10 steps he uses for every story he writes. This could serve as a valuable resource for aspiring writers like you on Medium.
Stanley’s journey underscores the unpredictability of success on platforms like Medium and highlights the importance of perseverance, adaptability, and a strong grasp of the basics.
His experience is a testament to the potential for success, even outside established systems. It’s an inspiring story for all writers navigating the complexities of such platforms.
Thank you for joining us on this journey through Iain Stanley’s success story.
Stay tuned for more stories that showcase the diverse ways people are achieving financial success. Until next time, keep exploring and keep learning.