Building a loyal audience on Medium is not solely reliant on going viral. While it’s true that viral content can significantly boost your visibility and reach, it is not the only way to attract and retain an engaged audience. There are several other strategies that you can implement to achieve this goal.

Firstly, consistency is key. Regular posting helps you stay in the minds of your readers and gives them something to look forward to. Whether you choose daily, weekly or monthly posts, stick with it so people know when they can expect new content from you.

Secondly, quality over quantity should be your mantra. Instead of churning out numerous mediocre articles just for the sake of publishing regularly, focus more on producing high-quality content that provides value to your readers. This means doing proper research, ensuring factual accuracy and presenting information in an engaging manner.

Engaging with your audience also plays a crucial role in building loyalty among your Medium followers. Responding to comments on your articles shows appreciation for their time spent reading and commenting on your work. Moreover, it opens up opportunities for meaningful discussions which could lead to deeper connections with individual members of your audience.

Another important strategy involves leveraging the power of networking within the platform itself by collaborating with other writers or publications who share similar interests or target audiences as yours. Guest writing or cross-promoting each other’s work could help expand both parties’ reach while providing varied but relevant content for their respective audiences.

Furthermore, being authentic in what you write about goes a long way towards attracting a loyal following on Medium. Authenticity resonates well with readers because it makes them feel like they’re connecting with real people behind those words rather than faceless entities trying hard sell something.

Lastly but certainly not least important is understanding SEO (Search Engine Optimization). By incorporating keywords into titles and throughout articles along with optimizing meta descriptions ensures better visibility during searches – both within Medium as well as search engines like Google – thereby potentially attracting more readers to your work.

In conclusion, building a loyal audience on Medium without going viral is not an impossible feat. It requires consistency, quality content, engagement with readers, networking within the platform, authenticity in writing and understanding SEO. With these strategies in place, you’re well on your way to establishing a strong presence and loyal following on Medium.