Strategic Case Study #1: Understanding the Remarkable Success of Dr. Joseph Mercola on Substack
Dr Mercola has 387,000+ free subscribers and 10,000+ paid members as #1 creator on Substack in health and wellness topic.
As an exception, I did not publish this story on Medium and might share it if Medium solves the recent payment fiasco for authentic writers. However, I created interactive audio to make it more educational, helpful, entertaining, inspirational, impactful, relatable, and memorable for my subscribers, who value my premium content on Substack.
Dear Friends,
Welcome to an exciting post to inform, educate, and inspire you today. For those who don’t know me yet, this is
, an executive science/technology consultant, seasoned content marketing strategist, and author of multiple books in different disciplines, including a best-selling Substack Mastery book. I’m the founder and chief editor of ILLUMINATION Integrated Publications on Medium and Substack, supporting 35,000+ writers and 200,000+ readers. Now, I am the leader of the first of a kind Substack Mastery Boost Pilot initiative, which is my brainchild supported by early adaptors of 160 founding members and sponsors.Quick Update on the Dire Situation of Medium
For those who know me, it has been two weeks since I posted an educational newsletter sharing my insights on content marketing strategy. In the last post, I discussed an unexpected situation on Medium.com, which was seen as a payment fiasco that has adversely affected thousands of authentic writers.
Many writers participated in both online and offline conversations about this issue, including my farewell story on Medium, which Medium leaders read. I still do not write on Medium and remain determined not to do so until they address this unfair situation for authentic writers. I am sorry I couldn’t respond to many comments on Medium and Substack, but I analyzed responses with my sentiment analysis software and will share the highlights in a separate post.
Although not much progress has been made, I have noticed some improvements, giving me a glimmer of hope. I approached their leadership team, which opened communication channels with me, and I will provide an update soon.
While waiting for a resolution on Medium, a few interesting patterns emerged that consumed my time. One of them is the rise in sophisticated plagiarism on Medium.com, which seemed hidden but has surfaced as a reality after some diligent cybersecurity experts uncovered patterns.
It appears to be an organized effort by a group of savvy scammers who plagiarize well-written stories, adjust them with AI tools, create Medium accounts believed to be purchased using stolen cards, and attempt to divert funds to their accounts. Now, we believe that this could be the cause of stolen money from Medium funds paid by subscribers instead of going to authentic writers to scammers. Medium has not provided an official bulletin, but they suspect the situation; therefore, they said they needed to tweak the algorithm. Most writers earn only a few cents daily.
The plagiarism-related claims are still speculative, as there is no hard evidence yet, but recent incidents and preliminary analyses by volunteer cybersecurity experts indicate potential credibility, which I will articulate in a community report ASAP.
wrote an important and eye-opening story about this issue yesterday, but it unfortunately received minimal views as it seems to have been flagged as spam which happens to many authentic writers. This disappointed him and countless writers contributing to my publications.To address this issue, I instructed my 179 volunteer editors to perform more spot checks for plagiarism. Additionally, several cybersecurity experts and ethical hackers volunteered to investigate further and provide data for analysis to be conducted by our experienced team of data scientists. Once these additional activities are finalized, I will inform the community in a newsletter.
By the way, we also created a new publication on Medium beyond the storytelling but as a connection tool for the Substack Masery Boost initiative. You can check out the submission guidelines and leave a comment on it if you are interested in being part of our growing network on Medium and Substack.
Quick Update on My Substack Initiatives
Another key activity I focused on over the past two weeks was understanding the requirements and expectations of the 160 paid members who joined the Substack Mastery Boost Pilot Program. I started by engaging with the founding members of my publications.
One of their requests was access to the premium content I produce for my clients and graduate students related to content marketing strategy. They want to access my professional research and case studies in the field. I typically use such bespoke research for clients via private subscriptions, priced at $1,000 monthly, or for offline staff education programs priced at $3,000 for weekly courses per student. I also offer research and investigation papers for senior executives for around $10,000 per piece.
Given my goal to scale the Substack Mastery Pilot Program, I decided to incorporate some of my relevant research and educational tools into this initiative to empower our founding members, as they will be the cornerstone of this program’s success in upcoming years.
I aim to educate and empower all founding members so they can act as ambassadors for this program when it expands into a global service in 2026. Managing and leading this program alone is impossible for me, so I need at least 500 founding members to serve as partners and vice presidents to help orchestrate its activities.
Over the next 12 months, I will upload most of my premium content—including 100+ bespoke case studies, book chapters, and training course materials such as From Zero to Substack Hero—to this publication, Content Marketing Strategy Insights. After archiving this content, I will continue publishing weekly newsletters to educate, inform, and inspire these partners, linking to critical pieces in the archive.
If you are not a member but want to become a founding member, it is not too late to join. There are still seven days left to upgrade any basic member on the $5 plan to a founding member until January 31. After that, the founding membership fee will remain $500 annually until December 31, 2025, and increase to $3,000 in 2026.
This special offer is only for authentic freelancers and aspiring entrepreneurs with a vision, mission, strategy, and dedication to learning content marketing and being part of a thriving, illuminating community.
My three-year goal is to serve 10 million freelancers across multiple areas through a well-designed and relatable business model for high achievers who take their business seriously and aim for a healthy work-life balance. This is not a get-rich-quick scheme but an initiative to create an environment where members can earn adequate income without excessive stress or compromising their health.
With this background in mind, I will share a summary of my first case study on the best-selling Substack writer in the Health and Wellness discipline.
This topic is close to my heart, as I have thousands of clients in the healthcare sector whom I serve as a science and technology consultant. I also run a Health and Wellness publication on Substack and aim to make it a top 100 publication by 2026, as I did with Content Marketing Strategy Insights, which ranked in the top 20 in 2024.
Why Did I Choose Dr Mercola as the First Case Study in This Series?
I chose
for several reasons. Apart from being the #1 best seller in health and wellness on Substack, I have known him for decades—even before he became a famous online figure. He is a charismatic leader who speaks from the heart with humility and fearlessness. But this does not mean I agree with his ideas or content fully. Some of his content resonates with me, and some do not.
Please note that this case study is not about praising or criticizing Dr. Mercola. It is also not about endorsing his ideas, products, or services. Please don’t leave hate speech about him as I don’t tolerate such behaviour on Medium, Substack or any other platform. However, you are welcome to share your thoughts and feelings with respect and feel free to criticize ideas as I value such professional approach.
Some people, like thousands, love him and pay for his services, while others dislike or even defame him. He was harsly criticized by mainstream media like New York Times, Washington Post, and many others.
However, he does not let this affect him. He focuses on his business and delivers like a true professional, always calm and composed as a business leader. Substack appreciates him, even though many platforms, including YouTube, have banned him. This reflects Substack’s unique ethos, and therefore, it became my priority in 2024, as advised by my wise mentors.
I believe the summary of this case study can inform, educate, and inspire you.
Before presenting the case study, I want to briefly introduce my methodology to ensure my findings connect with you. I do not rely on secondhand information, but I create knowledge through a rigorous and methodical approach in my profession. This approach has enabled me to sustain a career as a scientist and technologist for 42 years at reputable organizations like IBM, Siemens, Microsoft, and NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) until retiring from the industry in 2021.
About My Methodology for My Case Study Development
As a content development and marketing strategist, I follow a stringent yet flexible methodology to study and analyze the success factors of high achievers like Dr. Mercola. My research methodology includes both qualitative and quantitative approaches to ensure credible and actionable findings, providing a roadmap for aspiring creators. Here is a summary of my approach:
Data-Driven Content Analysis: I systematically review a comprehensive sample of articles, newsletters, and social media posts, identifying patterns in language, tone, and topic selection. Tools like keyword analyzers and sentiment analysis help me quantify these patterns, ensuring objective insights.
Audience Engagement Metrics: I analyze engagement strategies, including comments, subscriber growth, and email campaign responses. For instance, Dr. Mercola’s consistent inclusion of reader testimonials highlights his focus on two-way communication.
Competitor Benchmarking: By comparing Dr. Mercola’s approach with other health and wellness creators, like those with multiple PhDs or MDs, I identify unique strategies that differentiate his work, such as his maverick branding and integration of product recommendations.
Trend and Innovation Analysis: I track trending topics and evaluate how high achievers integrate these into their content. Dr. Mercola’s ability to align his messaging with emerging health concerns, like immunity during the pandemic, exemplifies this adaptability despite controversies.
Community Perception Studies: By analyzing reader sentiments in comments and reviews using my data analysis tools as a seasoned technologist and advanced researcher, I assess how creators build trust, credibility, and relatability. This provides qualitative insights into audience loyalty and perception.
Monetization and Business Model Evaluation: I map the intersection of content and monetization strategies, such as product placements and subscription models. Dr. Mercola’s seamless integration of supplements into his articles depicts effective monetization.
Ethnographic Observations: As a long-term ethnographic researcher in the cognitive science, technology, and business leadership disciplines, I observe the narrative evolution of creators over time, documenting shifts in tone, focus, tool utilization, and platform strategies. This holistic approach helps me uncover the strategic pivots that sustain their relevance.
Through these seven steps, I ensure each case study is insightful, actionable, educational, and inspiring, which offers lessons that transcend specific niches.
About Dr. Joseph Mercola Who Don’t Know Him
For those unfamiliar, Dr. Joseph Mercola has become a prominent figure in the Health and Wellness category on Substack, even with many highly qualified and experienced professionals in the field, including those with multiple PhDs or specialist MDs. The point is that he is not the most qualified person in the field, as there are thousands of individuals with more advanced credentials.
However, those more qualified individuals do not possess his unique set of skills, which have made him the #1 best seller in his field. Dr. Mercola has 387,000 free members and over 10,000 paid subscribers. Using basic logic, if each paid subscriber is charged $5 monthly, his income from this publication alone amounts to $50,000 monthly or $600,000 annually. Yet, for Dr. Mercola, this is just a small side hustle, as he also runs an established business that includes health products and services.
If you ask Google, “What happened to Dr. Mercola's massive YouTube channel,” you will find the following response:
In 2024, he created a smaller channel with only 12K subscribers. However, he does not seem to care, as he has built a much larger and more engaged community elsewhere. He now does educational YouTube shorts like this.
A person with an abundance mentality can achieve a life like this. It is not about working excessively hard but about opening your mind and heart to connect with others. The more you give, the more you receive.
For instance, millions consumed his free content on YouTube and other social media platforms for years. When YouTube removed his content, it was a setback he could not prevent. Yet, the public who trusted him sought him out on other platforms, such as Substack, which we all cherish now.
This situation is not exclusive to Dr. Mercola. There are many more case studies I will share with you as part of this case study series. Some of them are my mentors and even wealthier than Dr. Mercola, but they keep a very low profile on Substack as their goal is not to be a celebrity but to illuminate society.
For my readers, from his setbacks, the key takeaway is that Dr. Mercola’s success offers valuable lessons in content strategy, audience engagement, and platform optimization, which I cover below. In this case study, I examined the strategic elements driving his prominence, providing insights for writers, marketers, and professionals aiming to enhance their digital influence.
Summary of Strategic Case Study #1: Understanding the Success of Dr. Joseph Mercola on Substack
What are Dr Mercola's key success factors on Substack?
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