Start a business on Medium by setting up your profile, writing engaging stories, and joining the Partner Program to monetize your content. Medium is a great platform for writers to earn money.

Starting a business on Medium isn’t just about writing content. It’s all about finding a voice, finding a niche, connecting with the audience, and building a brand online.

When I first started writing on Medium, I already had some knowledge in digital marketing, managing websites, doing some freelancing work and creating content for this blog.

But the medium was different. It’s a platform where a lot of ideas are born, and anyone with an interest in writing could create a name for themselves.

I don’t know exactly how to make money from Medium, but I was determined to figure it out. I dare to turn my writing into a business, not just a hobby. So, I enter into it. Explore everything in Medium had to offer.

Now, I want to share what I’ve learned with you, so you can start your own online business through medium and maybe even overtake me what I’ve done.

What is Medium?

Medium is a popular online publishing platform where lot of writers are showing their work from bloggers to journalists to casual storytellers share their thoughts, ideas, experiences, innovations and stories with global audience.

It was founded by Evan Williams, one of the co-founders of Twitter, Medium is made to be a space for high-quality content. It’s not like traditional blogging platforms, Medium only focus on creating a community where readers and writers can interact directly, and discuss around with valuable and meaningful topics.

On Medium, anyone can publish on Medium, but the thing is its emphasis on reader engagement. The platform uses a unique membership model, where readers pay a monthly fee to access content, and writers earn money based on the membership readers spend on reading their stories.

The system rewards to the writers for creating engaging and valuable content, Medium is not just a place to express ideas but also a platform for earning income for the writers.

Whether you’re looking to share your personal stories, provide some advice from your fields or simply connect with like-minded individuals, Medium offers a dynamic and supportive environment for you to start your journey in writing.

YouTube For Writers

Yeah! You don’t need to create a video to get paid. In Medium you just need to write to get paid.

It’s a place where you can publish your ideas, thoughts, experience and stories and if people are interested on your content, you get paid. The medium doesn’t have a complicated process for entry.

You don’t need thousands of followers or viral content to start earning. The only thing you need is dedication, consistency and a strategy.

Medium runs through a membership model. You write and when Medium members read your content, you earn a certain amount of money. The amount you make in Medium depends on how engaging your articles are and how much the readers interact with the content.

The More Readers You Attract, The More You Can Earn

Set Up Your Profile

When I first set up my profile on Medium, I knew that it was the thing that made a first impression on my profile. Your profile is like your business card on Medium. It reflects who you are and what you’re about to share in the profile.

• Create a Killing Bio: Your bio should tell people who you are, what you’re going to write about, and why they should care. Keep it short but impactful. Something to create curiosity among the readers.
• Choose a Professional Photo: Use a clear, high-quality picture that shows you’re serious about your work. People are more likely to follow and trust someone who looks professional. Because people judge by their appearance.
• Social Media: Connect your Medium profile to your Social media pages like Twitter (X), LinkedIn, Instagram and other social media handles. It builds credibility and creates some bond between your readers.
• Join Partner Program: This is the part where the real business start. If you want to earn money from your writing. Medium Partner Program will pay you based on how many medium members read your stories. To join, you need to be a paid Medium member and publish at least one article on your Medium profile.

Write Your First Story: Make It Count

Publishing your first story on Medium can give you some different thoughts. I remember when I published my first story I felt nervous and wondering. What people think when they read it.

But the thing is: your first story is just the beginning. It’s your introduction to the Medium community. So, Make it count.

• About Me story: Write a first story to introduce yourself to your audience by sharing your background, what’s your passion and why you’re on Medium. Because the first story will you help you to connect with the reader on a personal level engagement.
• Submit to Publications: Submit your article to a publication can give your story more exposure rather than publish directly to your own profile. Publications on Medium are like Newspaper magazines. It built-in audience to build some credibility to the content. Publishing on publication can give some boost to your stories.
• Focus on Quality: Your first doesn’t need to be perfect because you’re going to write your own story, but you should write well and engaging. Write a killer headline and introduction, those sections are the first things readers will see.

Reach Global Audience

The powerful feature on Medium is its publication. As I said before it’s like magazines on the platform that have their editors and followers. When your work is published in a popular publication can skyrocket your visibility and build an audience faster.

When I started, I focused on my stories into publications that aligned with my niche – business, finance and digital marketing. Not only this process help me reach more readers but also connected me with other writers in my field.

• Research about Publication: Research and find publications that match your interests. Analyze what they publish, see their submission guidelines, and note how often they post. Some good publication pages are “Illumination”, “The Startup” and “Better Marketing”.
• Analyze Editors: Before submitting your article, follow the publication editors on Medium. Read their work and engage with it. Learn how they write, what tone they use, how they structure the article. This will help you get clear idea about their mentality and help you to increase the chances of your submission being accepted.
• Submission Pitch: When you submit your Article, write a brief pitch explaining why your article is important to their publication. Highlight what makes your story unique and how you provide value to the readers.

Turn Your Words Into Money

Once your first Medium story is published and you’ve joined in the Partner Program, it’s time to start thinking about how to make money on Medium.

This is the period where everyone gets excited. Medium pays you based on the amount of time members spend their time on reading your stories.

The More Engaging Content, The More You Earn

1. Engagement: Focus on creating engagement content that makes them keep on reading your post till the end. The medium algorithm give preference to the stories which have a high read times and engagement (claps, comment, share).
2. Consistent: The more you write, the more opportunities you have to earn. I set a goal to publish at least one article per week. It builds a connection with my audience and build momentum.
3. Network: Don’t be shy about promoting your stories. Share it on your social media, and relevant online communities, if you have an email list then you can share it on your newsletter. You’re the only person who works for you.

What to Write

One of the biggest challenges on Medium is finding out what to write. When I started, I didn’t know what to write and how to write. I experimented with different topics and see what connected with the audience and where you have an interest in writing.

Over some time, I figured out the stories based on my personal experience and practical advice which performed better.

• What You Know: Start with topics, where you have some knowledge, experience and interest. For me, that was digital marketing, business strategies and finances.
• Solve Problems: Find out the problems your audience are facing and how you can help them. Research the problems and try to give solutions with your articles to get more traction to your stories.
• Experiment: Don’t hesitate to try different topics and styles. Focus on what give you more impression, reads and engagement. Build a strategy according to the articles to build topical authority.

Build an Audience

Building an audience on Medium takes time and effort, but at the end of the day it’s worth it. The more followers you have, the more people will see your stories, and you can also earn more.

When I started, I focused on engaging with other writers content and readers to build some network as well as following.

Medium is community where you can grow your audience without showing your face. But, your content should be active. Read other writer’s stories and leave thoughtful comments and if you like it “Clap it”. It not only build a following it can lead to a healthy network in your life.

Join Writer’s Groups. There are many Medium writer groups on social media platforms. Those groups are great for mutual support, advice and engagement and consistent in your work.

Create a Support System

Mutual engagement is one of the powerful strategies I’ve used to grow my presence on Medium.

It’s all about building a group of writers who support each other by reading, clapping, commenting and sharing each other’s stories.

How I did:

1. Start Small: First, find out 5 to 10 writers whose work you genuinely enjoy. Engage with their stories regularly.
2. Be Genuine: Your character is everything. Only engaging with content will create impact in short term success. But, for long time you should be genuine to your networks to sustain in long term success. When you leave thoughtful comments, other writers are more likely to return the favour.
3. Expand: As you build relationships, your circle of mutual engagement will grow. You’ve got surrounded by like-minded people. Try to have a group of 20 writers who are showing their presence actively and engage with your stories.

The Key to Success

You may already know that Success doesn’t happen overnight. Medium is also included in it. It takes consistency and dedication. When I started, I set a goal to publish at least one story per week and engage with other writers daily. Consistency play an important role in my growth.

• Create Habit: Decide how often you want to publish the article and stick to it. Create a routine of writing and publishing stories. Whether it’s once a week or more. It create some momentum to progress.
• Track: After hit the publish button, Don’t forget the stories. Track it and how it perform. If it’s going good find out why, If it’s not going well find out why. Because those data will give you clarity for your future articles.
• Learn: The more you write, the better you’ll become. Keep sharpening your mind by learning from others, reading books and experimenting with new ideas.

Conclusion: Take Action and Build Your Medium Business

Starting a business on Medium is not just about writing a ton of paragraphs. It’s about building a brand, Connecting with the audience, creating a strong network then turning your passion into a profitable business on online.

By the following steps I’ve shared – set up your profile, your first story, engaging and consistent is enough to start your business on Medium successfully.

Remember, Everyone has a different path, don’t get discouraged by comparing yourself with others. Determination and the right strategies can start a business on Medium.

I’d love to hear about your own experiences or ask any questions you have about starting a business on Medium. Feel free to leave a comment or connect with my social media.