You've heard that folks are Earn Money from Medium.com by writing stories, sharing ideas, and engaging with a big audience. Sounds cool, right? But how does it actually work? This guide will explain everything you need to know about earn money from Medium, from getting the hang of the platform to practical tips for boosting your earnings.
What is Medium.com?
Medium is a popular online place where anyone can write, share their stories, and with lots of people. It was started by Ev Williams, one of the guys who co-founded Twitter. Medium has become a spot for writers to share views on stuff like technology, culture, health, and personal experiences.
Medium lets writers earn money through its Partner Program. This program pays writers based on how much Medium members engage with their stories—like time spent reading and "claps" from readers. Let’s see how you can start making money on Medium!
Step 1: Join the Medium Partner Program
First thing to do if you wanna earn money from Medium is join their Partner Program. Here’s how:
Create an Account: If you don’t have a Medium account yet, sign up using your email, Google, or Facebook account.
Set Up Your Profile: Fill out your profile by adding a bio, profile picture, and links to your other social media accounts. This helps readers connect with you and trust you more.
Join the Partner Program: To qualify, you need to be in a country where Stripe (Medium's payment processor) is available. Visit the Medium Partner Program page and sign up. You’ll need to provide your payment details via Stripe.
Get Approved: Medium will review your application. Once approved, you’ll be able to start earning money.
Step 2: Understand How Earnings Work
Medium pays writers through two main things:
Member Reading Time: Medium members pay a monthly fee. Part of that fee is given to writers based on the time members spend reading their articles. The longer they read, the more you earn.
Claps: The more claps your story gets, the more it shows that readers like your content. Claps can also boost your earnings by increasing your story’s reach across Medium.
Medium uses an algorithm to figure out how much each writer gets paid. While the exact formula isn’t known, it depends a lot on engagement metrics.
Bonus Tip: The 5% Rule
Medium takes 5% of your total earnings, with the rest going straight to you. Keep this in mind when figuring out how much money you can make.
Step 3: Write Content That Engages
Now that you're set up, next step is creating content that grabs readers’ attention. Some tips:
Choose a Niche: Think about what you're passionate about or know a lot about. Picking a niche helps attract a targeted audience.
Craft Catchy Headlines: Your headline is the first thing people see. Use strong, clear headlines that promise value to the reader.
Examples:
“How I Lost 20 Pounds in 3 Months by Doing This Simple Thing”
Create Valuable Content: Focus on giving real value. Whether it's sharing a personal story or a how-to guide make sure readers feel like they've gained something by the end—knowledge or inspiration.
Write Visually Appealing Content: Break up your text with subheadings, bullet points & short paragraphs. People tend to skim so make it easy for them.
Tell Stories: Even if it’s something technical frame it in a narrative format which is more relatable & memorable.
Include a Call to Action: Encourage readers to leave comments clap or follow you which increases your reach on the platform.
Step 4: Get Published in Medium Publications
Medium has many publications—collections of stories picked by editors—that can greatly increase how many people see your articles.
How to Get Published:
Research Publications: Find those related to your niche & check their guidelines.
Submit Your Story: Most have a process where you pitch your story to editors.
Build Relationships with Editors: Engage with them by commenting on their posts or sending thoughtful emails which might increase chances of getting published later on.
Popular Publications:
- The Writing Cooperative (for writing tips)
- Better Marketing (for digital marketing)
- Personal Growth (self-improvement)
- The Startup (business & tech)
Step 5: Promote Your Stories Outside of Medium
While Medium has its own ways to share stories promoting them outside also helps.
Share on Social Media
Post links on Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Instagram use relevant hashtags.
Email Newsletter
Share stories if you have an email list can drive traffic especially if they’re interested in your niche.
Cross-Post
Consider republishing stories on other sites like LinkedIn or personal blog linking back to original post.
Engage with Community
Read clap for other writers’ stories leave comments participate—more active means more people discover content.
Step 6: Analyze and Optimize Performance
Tracking progress helps understand what works and what doesn’t.
Check Your Stats Regularly
Monitor which stories perform well look for patterns certain topics formats lengths perform better?
Experiment with Different Styles
Try different types content see what resonates most audience listicles personal stories guides etc.
Adjust Strategy Based on Feedback
Pay attention comments feedback provides insights into what they want read more about.
Use keyword research relevant tags writing aligning popular searches helps internal distribution search engine traffic too!
Step 7: Leverage Paid Partnerships Opportunities
Additional ways monetize beyond Partner Program include:
Publications’ Sponsorships Some partner brands share revenue featured stories.
Affiliate Marketing Use affiliate links (complying rules) when readers click make purchase earn commission.
Self-Promotion Promote products services within articles e.g., consulting services courses link them.
Paid Newsletters Memberships Strong following consider launching paid newsletter membership program exclusive content dedicated readers pay for it!
Step 8: Stay Consistent Patient
Earning money not quick-rich scheme requires consistency quality writing patience stay motivated aim publish small then gradually increase celebrating milestones learning improving patient—it might take while significant earnings but keep writing learning experimenting trying new strategies working toward success long game!
Stay dedicated experiment try new strategies—who knows how successful could be?