The Explanation Effect: How Highlights on Medium Changed Publishing Forever

The Explanation Effect: How Highlights on Medium Changed Publishing Forever

In the world of online publishing, Medium has made a significant impact with its unique approach to content creation and consumption. One of the features that sets Medium apart from other interactive blogging platforms is its "Highlights" feature. Introduced in 2015, Highlights allows users to mark a phrase, sentence, or paragraph in any Medium article and engage with it in a more granular way.

Medium's goal of being a platform for both stream-of-consciousness conversation and long-form writing posed a challenge when it came to measuring value. Vanity metrics like views or clicks don't necessarily indicate depth and engagement, which are often more important than reaching a larger audience. Medium recognized this and optimized its product decisions around a single key performance indicator (KPI) known as Total Time Reading (TTR). TTR measures how long visitors spend reading, indicating true value and user engagement with the platform.

Highlights play a crucial role in driving engagement on Medium. When a passage is highlighted, the author receives a notification, allowing them to see which parts of their articles resonate with readers. This feedback helps authors understand what engages their audience and build a larger following on Medium. It's not just about receiving likes or positive feedback; it's about knowing that readers are actively interacting with their content.

For readers, Highlights make the reading experience more social and interactive. Instead of simply scanning the top points of an article, readers are encouraged to pay attention and engage with the content on a deeper level. They can highlight a quote, passage, or phrase that resonates with them, share it on other platforms, or even challenge an author's ideas. This social response stimulates discussion and encourages readers to become active participants in the writing process.

The value of Highlights extends beyond reader engagement. It also helps authors become better writers. By receiving direct feedback from their audience through Highlights, authors can understand what parts of their posts are most engaging and worthwhile to read. This feedback allows them to improve their writing and better engage their readership. As one author on Medium puts it, "When I see that some of my articles are all highlighted, it makes me feel I achieved my purpose. Not because people necessarily liked the entire piece. But, because they played with it — they made it their own."

Medium didn't stop at the initial launch of Highlights. They continued to improve the feature based on user feedback and their own observations. They added the option for readers to respond directly to Highlights, leading to deeper discussions and higher engagement. Additionally, they improved the visual design of Highlights to match the custom color schemes of each publication, enhancing the overall reading experience.

The success of Highlights on Medium offers valuable lessons for other companies and content creators. Firstly, it highlights the importance of measuring true engagement rather than relying on vanity metrics. Medium's focus on Total Time Reading (TTR) as a KPI demonstrates the value of prioritizing depth and engagement over reaching a larger audience. Companies should consider finding a metric that accurately measures the value users are getting from their product.

Secondly, the iterative approach taken by Medium in developing Highlights is worth noting. They started small with the initial launch and iterated based on user feedback and observations. This approach allowed them to refine the feature and create a more seamless and engaging user experience. Starting small but remaining open to feedback and iteration can lead to significant improvements in product development.

Lastly, it's essential not to assume that everyone uses a product in the same way. Medium recognized that users engage with Highlights differently, and they made adjustments to surface the right number of Highlights per post and prioritize those from friends or popular sources. Understanding how users interact with a product and catering to their unique needs and preferences can greatly enhance the overall user experience.

In conclusion, Highlights on Medium have revolutionized the publishing landscape by creating a more engaging and interactive reading experience for both writers and readers. The feature's ability to drive engagement, provide valuable feedback to authors, and foster deeper discussions showcases the power of incorporating social elements into content consumption. By measuring true engagement, iterating based on user feedback, and catering to individual user preferences, other companies and content creators can learn valuable lessons from Medium's success with Highlights.