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Medium's Distribution Guidelines: How curators review stories for Boost, General, and Network Distribution

Updated: August 14, 2024

Medium’s mission is to deepen our collective understanding of the world through human storytelling, knowledge-sharing, and personal expression.

We value thoughtful, nuanced, knowledgeable perspectives — and know readers do, too. 

Our human curation team reviews stories seven days a week to identify stories to Boost across the Medium homepage, emails, apps, and more. A Boosted story has a greater distribution to more readers, helping writers and publications gain more visibility and audience. 

We review stories submitted by our community of publication editors participating in the Boost Nomination Program, as well as stories we discover through our own internal curation tools.

We categorize stories on Medium into one of three distribution categories:

  • Network Distribution—stories that are matched to readers who are following that specific writer (and/or the publication, if the article is in a publication). This is the baseline category for any story on Medium which does not violate Medium rules.
  • General Distribution— matched to readers based on their interests, and on related writers or publications they follow. These stories are also given Network Distribution. 
  • Boost—especially high-quality stories that meet our Boost Guidelines (below). These get a higher priority in being matched to readers and are also given General and Network Distribution.

These distribution categories are only meaningful when a reader uses the Medium app, website, or Digest emails to find stories to read. Readers can find all stories on Medium, regardless of the category above, via direct links, search engines, social media, and other forms of off-Medium distribution. 

Continue reading for more details about the guidelines for each of these categories.

Boost Guidelines

Boosted stories are stories we’re especially proud to put in front of Medium readers. 

These stories can come in almost any form: nonfiction, fiction, poetry, personal essay, memoir, humor, photo essay, tutorial, and a myriad of other possibilities too numerous to mention.

We evaluate each story for how it fulfills the overall spirit of these guidelines in a broad, nuanced sense. A story need not perfectly exemplify every one of the elements below to be Boosted. And these elements should not be interpreted as a checklist of components that guarantee Boost. Instead, they describe the characteristics we’ve found to be hallmarks of the type of high-quality stories we Boost.

Writer’s experience

There’s a clear and compelling reason why this particular writer is writing about this particular topic, and why the reader should be interested in what they have to say. The writer has credible, first-hand experience with the subject, and they communicate about it effectively. 

The insights the writer brings to the story (whether revealed in the context of fiction or nonfiction, poetry or prose) are an integral part of the story itself. This is a more important element than the credentials a writer may claim. 

The story is human-created and does not appear to be generated by Artificial Intelligence, a large language model, or other text-generating technology.

Although pseudonyms are allowed on Medium, the story should engender a sense of authenticity and trustworthiness. 

Value and impact

The reader’s life is enriched by reading the story. Readers might be thinking about the story days later, or using a skill they learned from it—it made a difference in their life. Reading it is time well spent. It’s an example of the kind of story that makes someone happy to pay for their Medium membership and/or want to share the story with others.

Respect for the reader

There’s a relationship between readers and writers, and Boost-worthy stories exemplify respect for that relationship. The reader is not left with a sense that their time has been used to read a sales pitch or to indulge a writer’s bid for attention. The story shows genuine regard for the reader (as opposed to being written mainly for the benefit of the writer).

Non-derivative

The writer brings a fresh perspective, something new, or re-examines something with new insight, voice, or perspective. It doesn’t just paraphrase, recombine, or rehash information that is easily found elsewhere.

(The story does not need to be originally published on Medium—see more here about republishing from your blog or other site. Syndicating your own work from other platforms is a great idea!)

Republished translations of work from other sources are not eligible for Boost.

Writing and craftsmanship

The story is well-written, free of errors, appropriately sourced, and narratively strong. Ideally, it is a pleasure to read.

The length of the story is appropriate and serves the purpose and context of the story itself. Well-crafted stories can be short or long. 

Images, if any, add value to the story. We like to see ALT text that makes images more accessible, along with appropriate credits. (See more about cover images below.)

Correct formatting is one of many indicators of good craftsmanship (see formatting tips here).

What disqualifies a story from being Boosted?

Some factors can prevent a story from being Boosted even if it otherwise qualifies.

Title, subtitle, and/or cover image do not represent the story well

Titles, subtitles, and cover image (if any) should not be sensationalistic or have the feel of a screaming tabloid headline. Being overly generic, mysterious, or formulaic is just as bad as being sensationalistic. In both cases, the story doesn't give the reader a good idea of what they'll be clicking into.

Original cover images help represent the story. Stock photos work if chosen with care. AI-generated cover art sometimes works (if properly credited as such) but is often a turn-off to readers. Stories are not required to use a cover image to be Boosted; using no cover image can be better than using a poorly chosen one.

To sum it up: the title, subtitle, and cover image are what we present on Medium, and are what readers see when deciding whether or not to read your story. We will not Boost a story if we don't believe the title, subtitle, and cover image provide enough context about the story to appeal to readers in the feed.

NSFW (Not Safe For Work) content

Sex, violence, and other forms of sensitive material are a reality of life, a form of self-expression, and an important element of many stories. The way that Boost surfaces stories to readers at this time, however, does not work well for explicit content; readers want to see this type of content in varying degrees and it’s disrespectful to foist it upon them unexpectedly. 

For this reason, we only surface “safe for work” content to readers via Boost. 

Boost-worthy writing can deal with adult topics. But it does so in a “Safe For Work” manner: something you’d be comfortable sharing with others or seeing at a public place of work.

Stories in languages other than English

We can only review stories written in English at this time, so unfortunately stories in other languages will not be Boosted or be given General Distribution yet—it’s something we hope to do in the future.

Examples of Boosted Stories

Expand this section to see just a few examples of Boosted stories representing various topics and genres:

Examples of Boosted Stories
  • Both Sides Now (personal essay) - Strong narrative thread about the writer’s experience that is both relatable and illuminating. It shows good editing, eliminating “play-by-play” of what happened to the writer by omitting details that don’t support that narrative. The writer is vulnerable, showing honesty, humility, and humor in relaying her part in that experience.
  • My Laundry-to-Landscape Greywater System Will Take a 25,000 Gallon Bite Out of the Drought (nonfiction, how-to) - Well-crafted with all original content based directly on the writer’s experience getting their own system installed. Good original photos, properly captioned and used in a way that is helpful (not just as decoration). Links and discussion of the relevance of the how-to give the reader helpful context they might not otherwise have. Anticipates and answers common questions readers might ask about this topic.
  • "How It Goes:” On Slacking and San Francisco (memoir) - draws the reader in with images and experiences with entertaining and enlightening details. The theme of returning to a place, with both the place and the narrator having been changed, is universally relatable—but the details are uniquely that of the writer’s experience. Well-crafted; hones in on a unique place at a unique time, through a lens of the writing life—without tipping over into sentimentality.
  • All You Need to Know to Build Your First LLM App (programming) - highly detailed, well-organized original how-to article; extremely useful to readers. Details how to do individual tasks but also points the reader towards other options and areas to explore.
  • The Audacity of Nope (nonfiction, self-help) - This story takes a fairly common piece of self-help advice (the power of saying “no”) but gives it a fresh take through the lens of the writer’s experience and what she directly noticed in the experience of other Black women. It contextualizes this advice for Black women, but any reader could benefit by reading it with an improved understanding of what Black women face. Is this article “niche” or of general interest? It’s both at the same time, and that’s one way it sparkles. It’s also highly readable, exactly the right length for what it does—well-crafted.
  • The Frontiersman’s Diary (fiction) - This fiction piece draws the reader in; it’s well-crafted in that the narrative launches the reader directly into the story and continues to reveal elements that make the reader want to continue reading. It retains some mystery, a characteristic that can make the reader recall the story days later.
  • Coding, Fast and Slow: Developers and the Psychology of Overconfidence (programming) - Strongly based on the writer’s experience; highly readable narrative uses example stories, humility, and humor to illustrate the issue at hand. Fosters better understanding between programmers and non-technical people (interesting even to non-programmers). High potential for impact on a person in how they think about estimates going forward.
  • Design notes on the 2023 Wikipedia redesign (User Experience / Design) — detailed deep-dive by a person who actually worked on the redesign; full of interesting insights and insider background. Well-organized with helpful illustrations, headings, and other document structure. Extremely constructive and original material.
  • Catching the Train in November (Poetry)—The poem captures the feeling of being in a city as darkness falls in early winter. The imagery is fresh but immediately relatable. The poem is imbued with a quality of expressing something ineffable, quite effectively even with plain words.
  • How to Walk 100,000 Steps in One Day (how-to/memoir) — a how-to steeped in the writer’s experience, offering helpful, compassionate tips for writers who might want to attempt the same goal. Great example of an “empathic tutorial” that anticipates a reader’s difficulties and offers tested solution. An entertaining, well-crafted narrative.
  • Code Review Velocity — The Need for Speed (Programming) - strongly organized content and links to source material create an overall sense of being well-crafted and genuinely helpful to the reader. Writer clearly has first-hand experience. Potential to have a strong impact on its intended audience by helping them improve their skills.
  • Into Darkness: AI and the Death of the Artist (Technology) — There are so many hot-takes and listicles on AI lately; an article has to be well-crafted to hold the reader’s attention, and this one does that. It’s possible that the reader might not learn any new facts from this piece, but it’s highly likely they haven’t heard those facts related to each other in quite this way. The author’s experience informs the piece, but it never becomes a rant.
  • I Won the 1968 Boston Marathon. And Ran Many More. After the Bombs, Everything Changed (Memoir) - It’s hard to think of a writer more qualified to write about how this event is different after a terrorist attack—personal reflections about a race become a beautiful, relatable tribute to gratitude in action.
  • We’re Not All The Same: Why Lunar New Year Matters (Nonfiction) - This story, also based on personal experience, is a good example of “show, don’t tell”. This topic could have been handled as a listicle or opinion piece on what to do. What this writer did instead makes a beautiful impact on the reader.
  • An Inheritance of Pride (Nonfiction/Memoir) - There’s a point to the family history in this article—it takes the reader on a journey and makes them glad they went. One thing (not the only thing) that can make a memoir well-crafted is a sense of the writer and reader arriving at some shared insight together. This article does that beautifully.
  • Sounds in Silence (Poetry)—the structure of this poem supports it as a sort of meditation-within-a-meditation; the imagery gives the reader a clear picture of the experience and expresses a sense of peace; there’s a satisfaction in it being “just right.”
  • Three Magical Phrases to Comfort a Dying Person (Memoir) - an especially well-crafted and personal memoir that leaves the reader deeply affected. The writer lets the real drama of the story unfold without resorting to overly dramatic prose, drawing the reader into the experience and making a lasting impact.
  • Negative Proof (fiction) - a highly readable short story that takes on an issue of our time in a unique way. Well-written; draws the reader in and takes them on a journey that ends with a satisfying twist.
  • Relax In Our Fragile Airbnb (satire) - well-crafted satire uses believable exaggeration to make a point about overly-fussy AirBnB rentals.
  • Measuring the Gender Gap in Animated Films Using Computer Vision (programming)—based on highly original research and data collected by the writer; has a unique combination of how to do a similar study with the results of the study. Good use of images. Multiple possible take-aways for readers create impact.
  • Everything Everywhere All At Once: Severe ADHD and Tax Law Collide (nonfiction) — In this article, the narrative thread is a bit messy—it makes some jumps. But in this case, given the subject matter, it’s extremely effective. The writer shares deeply in a unique and entertaining way that helps a reader understand what people with ADHD experience. Highly unique; and well-crafted in the sense that it makes the impact intended by the writer (rather than in the sense it follows some set of rules for writing).
  • Diary of a Brand: Blank Street Coffee (marketing case study) - very well-crafted and original; the author did data collection and analysis; all images are credited, captioned, and contribute to the story directly. The title, subtitle, and cover image invite the reader in, and the content of the story really delivers on what they promise. The writer’s experience infuses the article (she shares a model she uses in her work and illustrates how to apply it).
  • When I’m Gone (fiction) - highly original and imaginative story; entertaining and insightful. Proper use of blockquotes (had this story not been formatted properly, it would have been far less effective). Engaging writing style.

General Distribution

We present stories that qualify for General Distribution to readers based on whether they follow topics relevant to the story, the writer, or the publication in which the story appears. Stories are eligible for General Distribution as long as they do not violate our site rules or are disqualified from distribution for the reasons listed below. 

What disqualifies a story from General Distribution?

Clickbait title, subtitle, or cover image 

The story is being presented in a misleading, dishonest, or overly sensational manner.

Unconstructive negativity

These are stories that seek attention through socially or intellectually unwholesome ways. They include outrage porn, misery lit, trolling, private disputes between individuals, and rants that don’t bring insight or understanding to the reader.

Low-value content

Stories that offer the reader little of value, including:

  • AI-generated content
  • Crypto airdrop announcements
  • Sponsored content, content marketing, PR pieces
  • Reputation laundering
  • Stories that have a primary point of gathering signups/traffic, selling something, or soliciting donations
  • Unoriginal, derivative, and generic content; summaries of content from other sources; link “round-ups”; link-farming
  • Stories that are so poorly written as to be incomprehensible to the reader

NSFW content

The guidance on NSFW content for Boost Guidelines, above, also applies here. But more generally, erotica and other sexually explicit content, stories depicting detailed graphic violence, and stories with prominent or prolific profanity are not eligible for General Distribution.

Misinformation

Medium curation does not fact-check stories. However, when we do recognize misinformation or factually inaccurate stories, those stories are not eligible for General Distribution. (They are often also rules violations and may trigger suspension.)

Topic/mentions spamming

Stories that are tagged with topics inappropriately to “spam” readers of those topics (eg. a story about dating that is tagged “technology," when the story doesn’t have any technology-related content), are not eligible for General Distribution.

Stories that include large numbers of mentions of other users (for example, tagging 20 other users in a post) are not eligible for General Distribution. Writers should take care to mention other writers only when they feel it will be appreciated for some reason—not simply to get attention.

(Note: If you’re using tags in a friendly, helpful, and cooperative way on the site, there’s no reason for you to be worried about this.)

Rules violations

Stories that violate Medium Rules are not eligible for General Distribution. 

These include but are not limited to:

  • Stories that use copyrighted images  without permission or accredited fair use
  • Stories with unverified claims that could be dangerous, illegal, or cause harm, including health, public health, or mental health claims
  • Hateful content 

Shout-outs to your community on Medium

Some stories, like writing prompts, “write for us” pages, or news about publications, are best suited for Network Distribution and are typically not given General Distribution.

Stories about Medium 

Posts about the Medium Partner Program, making money on Medium, or Boost itself are set to Network Distribution. This is how we prevent readers from being overrun by these stories; readers have repeatedly told us they don’t want this content appearing in their feed or digests when they don’t follow the writer or publication. We also often see inaccurate speculation or advice and are not able to respond in every case.

Other stories about how to use Medium as a reader/writer/member are occasionally eligible for General Distribution or (more rarely) for Boost.

We’re happy for you to write about your experience using Medium—good or bad—and those stories will always be distributed to your network (people who follow you, and people who follow the publication the story appears in).

We suggest that you tag these stories "medium-meta"—in the future, we hope to provide a better way to distribute these to readers who are interested in the topic.

Network Distribution

Stories that receive Network Distribution are eligible for distribution to the writer’s followers and the publication’s followers, if the article is in a publication. (They are not distributed to readers based on the topics they follow.) Readers can also find them via links shared on other platforms, search engines, social media, and more.

A story that does not qualify for General Distribution and does not violate any of the Medium Rules is given Network Distribution. This is the baseline distribution on Medium.

Want to learn more?

 

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