What is medium and how does it work?

If you desire to know, “What is medium and how does it work?” You need to walk through the whole article step by step.


Medium is an online publishing platform that allows users to create and share written content in a variety of formats, including articles, essays, personal stories, and more. The platform was created in 2012 by Evan Williams, one of the co-founders of Twitter.

Users can sign up for a free account and start publishing their own content. Medium organizes content into “collections” which are groups of similar content on a specific topic. This makes it easy for readers to discover new content that they might be interested in. Medium also has a built-in audience and distribution , which helps writers to reach readers beyond their own personal networks.

Medium has an algorithm that organizes and curates content for readers. It’s based on engagement, so content that receives more engagement, like claps and views, is likely to be promoted to a larger audience. Medium also allows monetizing their content through Medium Partner Program, which pays writers based on how many views their stories receive.

In addition to allowing users to publish their own content, Medium also features content from a variety of publishers, including media outlets and independent bloggers. Medium’s content is generally considered to be high-quality, long-form writing and is often focused on personal development, technology, and culture.

The effective ideas on Medium to follow

There are many great ideas and perspectives shared on Medium, but some popular topics include:

  • Personal development and self-improvement
  • Entrepreneurship and business strategy
  • Technology and innovation
  • Mental health and wellness
  • Writing and storytelling
  • Social issues and activism

It’s also a good idea to follow thought leaders and experts in your specific field or area of interest. Additionally, Medium has a feature called “collections” which curates articles on a specific topic. You can follow specific collections to stay updated on particular areas you’re interested in.

Otherwise, for going with the platform, you must follow the following ideas step by step. In the writing, I have listed most of the demands that medium lovers ask.

Use Medium to share your writing or ideas.

To use Medium to share your writing or ideas, you will first need to create an account. Here are the steps you can follow:

  1. Go to Medium.com and click on “Get started” or “Sign up” to create an account. You can sign up using your email address or with your Google, Apple, or Twitter account.
  2. Once you have created your account, you will be taken to your dashboard. Here you can create a new post by clicking on “New story” or “Write a story.”
  3. Medium’s editor is user-friendly and you can format your text, insert images, embed videos and links, and set the story’s title and subtitle.
  4. Once you have finished writing your post, you can choose to publish it immediately or save it as a draft to come back to later.
  5. After publishing, you can share the post on social media, add it to collections, and also add tags to make it more discoverable.
  6. Medium also allows monetizing your content through Medium Partner Program, which pays writers based on how many views their stories receive.
  7. You can also choose to make your post members-only, which means that only Medium members will be able to read it.
  8. Medium also allows you to track your stories’ statistics, like views, claps, reads, and shares.

It’s worth noting that Medium has a strong community and there’s a chance your story will be picked up by curators, which can increase your reach and readership.

What types of content can be found on Medium?

Medium is a platform that features a wide variety of content types. Some of the most common types of content found on Medium include:

  • Articles: Medium is known for featuring high-quality, long-form articles on a wide range of topics, including personal development, technology, culture, business, and more.
  • Personal stories: Many writers use Medium as a platform to share their personal experiences and perspectives on various topics.
  • Opinion pieces: Medium is a popular platform for writers to express their opinions on current events, politics, and other controversial topics.
  • How-to guides and tutorials: Medium features a lot of content that provides step-by-step instructions on how to do things, such as coding tutorials, how to start a business, how to improve your mental health, etc.
  • News and journalism: Medium is home to a variety of publishers, including news outlets, that publish articles on current events and investigative journalism.
  • Poetry and fiction: Medium is also a platform for poets and fiction writers to share their work and connect with readers.
  • Creative Writing: Medium has a vibrant community of creative writers, who share their short stories, flash fiction, and other creative works.
  • Self-help and personal development: Medium has a lot of content that’s focused on self-improvement, personal growth, and self-care.
  • Travel: Medium also has a travel section that features stories about people’s experiences traveling to different places around the world.

It’s worth noting that Medium’s content is moderated and they have guidelines in place to ensure that content meets certain quality standards.

Discover new content or writers on Medium

There are several ways to discover new content and writers on Medium:

  1. Medium’s homepage: Medium’s homepage is a great place to start discovering new content. It features a mix of popular stories from different categories and collections.
  2. Collections: Medium organizes content into collections, which are groups of similar content on a specific topic. You can browse through different collections to find content that interests you.
  3. Search: Medium has a search feature that allows you to search for specific topics, writers, or collections.
  4. Recommended Stories: Medium’s algorithm suggests stories based on the stories you’ve read and engaged with. This is a good way to discover new content that is similar to what you’ve enjoyed in the past.
  5. Follow writers: If you find a writer whose work you enjoy, you can choose to follow them. This will ensure that their new stories appear in your Medium feed.
  6. Medium publications: Medium publications are curated by an editor, and they often feature a specific topic, theme, or genre. Following a publication is a great way to discover new content and writers.
  7. Social media: Many Medium writers also share their stories on social media, so following them on Twitter or Facebook can be a good way to discover new content.
  8. Medium’s curation feature: Medium curates stories and features them in the top stories section, and it’s a good way to discover new content.
  9. Medium tags: Medium allows the addition of tags to the stories, it’s a great way to discover stories on a specific topic.
  10. Medium’s newsletter: Medium send a weekly newsletter that features some of the best stories of the week, it’s a good way to discover new content.

By using a combination of these methods, you can find new content and writers that match your interests.

Is there a way to monetize my writing on Medium?

Yes, there is a way to monetize your writing on Medium. Medium has a program called Medium Partner Program (MPP) that allows writers to earn money from their writing. Here’s how it works:

  1. Apply to the program: To be eligible for the MPP, you need to apply and be accepted. You can apply by filling out this form:
  2. Publish your stories: Once you’ve been accepted into the program, you can publish your stories on Medium and make them available to Medium members.
  3. Earn money: Medium pays writers based on the number of views their stories receive from Medium members. The payment is calculated based on Medium’s member engagement metric, which takes into account the number of views, claps, and reads.
  4. Get Paid: Medium pays writers on a monthly basis, through PayPal or Direct deposit.
  5. Track your earnings: Medium provides statistics on your stories, like views, claps, reads, and earnings, you can use it to track your progress and optimize your content.

It’s important to note that not all stories on Medium are eligible for the MPP program, stories that violate Medium’s guidelines or that contain low-quality content will not be included in the program. Additionally, the pay-per-view rate may vary depending on the country of the reader and the number of Medium members.

How does Medium’s algorithm work and how does it affect content visibility?

Medium’s algorithm is designed to surface the most interesting and relevant stories to its users, based on their reading habits and preferences. The algorithm takes into account a variety of factors, including engagement, recency, and the writer’s past performance, to determine which stories to promote and show to readers.

Here are a few ways that Medium’s algorithm affects content visibility:

  1. Engagement: Medium’s algorithm prioritizes stories that receive a high level of engagement, such as claps, views, and shares. Stories that receive more engagement are more likely to be promoted to a larger audience.
  2. Recency: Medium’s algorithm also takes into account how recently a story was published. Recently published stories are more likely to be promoted than older stories.
  3. Writer’s past performance: Medium’s algorithm also takes into account a writer’s past performance, such as their overall engagement, the number of followers they have, and the number of stories they’ve published.
  4. Topic and tags: Medium’s algorithm also takes into account the topic of the story and the tags added to it, stories on popular topics and with specific tags are more likely to be promoted to a larger audience.
  5. Medium’s curation: Medium has a curation team that handpicks stories to feature in the top stories section, and this can greatly increase the visibility of a story.
  6. Medium’s newsletter: Medium sends a weekly newsletter that features some of the best stories of the week, stories featured in the newsletter are more likely to be seen by a larger audience.

It’s worth noting that Medium’s algorithm is constantly evolving, and the way it affects content visibility can change over time. Additionally, Medium’s algorithm is not the only factor that affects content visibility, the quality of the content and the way it is promoted can also play a role.

How does Medium’s paywall work for members and writers?

Medium’s paywall is designed to provide a way for writers to earn money from their writing and for readers to access exclusive content. Here’s how it works:

  1. Medium members: Medium members are readers who have paid for access to exclusive content on the platform. They pay a monthly or annual fee to access stories that are behind the paywall.
  2. Paywall stories: Stories that are behind the paywall are only visible to Medium members. These stories are marked with a “Members” badge and can only be read by members.
  3. Medium Partner Program (MPP): Medium Partner Program (MPP) is a program that allows writers to earn money from their writing. To be eligible for the MPP, writers need to apply and be accepted. Once accepted, they can publish stories that are behind the paywall and are eligible to earn money based on the number of views their stories receive from Medium members.
  4. Paywall : Medium uses a metered paywall . This means that members can read a certain number of stories per month before they are prompted to pay. This allows readers to explore and discover content before committing to a membership.
  5. Paywall for publications: Medium also allows publications to have a paywall for their stories, this means that only members of that publication will be able to read the stories.
  6. Paywall for collections: Medium also allows collections to have a paywall, this means that only members will be able to read the stories in that collection.
  7. Free stories: Not all stories on Medium are behind a paywall. A significant number of stories are still free to read for anyone.

Medium’s paywall aims to provide a way for writers to earn money from their writing, while also providing readers with access to exclusive content. It also allows Medium to provide a sustainable business model for the platform, allowing them to invest in new features and improve the overall user experience.

How does Medium compare to other blogging platforms or social media sites?

Medium is a unique platform that combines elements of blogging and social media, but it also has some key differences when compared to other popular blogging platforms and social media sites.

  1. Quality of content: Medium is known for featuring high-quality, long-form content, with a focus on personal development, technology, culture, and more. While other platforms like WordPress, Blogger, and Tumblr also feature user-generated content, Medium has a more curated approach and has a higher quality standard for its content.
  2. Audience and Distribution: Medium has a built-in audience and distribution that helps writers reach readers beyond their own personal networks. Medium’s algorithm organizes and curates content for readers, making it easy for them to discover new content that they might be interested in. Other blogging platforms rely more on writers’ personal networks and to drive traffic to their sites.
  3. Monetization: Medium has a Medium Partner Program (MPP) that allows writers to earn money from their writing. This is a unique feature that sets Medium apart from other blogging platforms. Other blogging platforms, like WordPress, Blogger, and Tumblr, rely on advertising, sponsorships, and affiliate to monetize content.
  4. Social features: Medium has a built-in commenting that allows readers to engage with writers and other readers. This feature is similar to social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, but it’s not as widely used as these platforms.
  5. Accessibility: Medium is a closed platform, readers need to sign in to access its content, while most blogging platforms are open to the public.

In summary, Medium is a platform that combines elements of blogging and social media, it has a focus on quality content, audience and distribution, monetization, and social features. Medium is more curated than other blogging platforms and it has a unique approach to monetization. It also has closed access, which makes it different from most blogging platforms.

How does Medium’s partnership program work for publishers?

Medium’s partnership program is designed to help publishers create and monetize their content on the platform. Here’s how it works:

  1. Application: Publishers can apply to the partnership program by filling out this form: Once accepted, they will be given access to a suite of tools and resources to help them create and monetize their content.
  2. Monetization: Medium’s partnership program allows publishers to monetize their content using Medium’s member engagement metric, which takes into account the number of views, claps, and reads. Publishers can earn money from their content based on the number of views it receives from Medium members.
  3. Customizable paywall: Medium’s partnership program also allows publishers to customize their paywall settings, this means that they can choose which stories are behind the paywall and which are free to read.
  4. Customizable branding: Medium’s partnership program also allows publishers to customize their branding, this means that they can add their own logo, cover images, and other design elements to their publication.
  5. Analytics: Medium’s partnership program also provides publishers with analytics and performance metrics, this means that they can track the performance of their stories, see which stories are doing well, and make data-driven decisions.
  6. Distribution: Medium’s partnership program also allows publishers to distribute their content to a larger audience, this means that they can reach Medium’s readers and members, as well as Medium’s distribution channels, like newsletters and top stories.
  7. Partner Support: Medium’s partnership program also provides dedicated partner support, which means that publishers can contact Medium’s team for help with their accounts, troubleshooting, and other questions.
  8. Medium’s curation: Medium’s partnership program also allows publishers to have their stories curated by Medium’s curation team, this means that their stories have a chance to be featured in the top stories section, which can greatly increase their visibility.

Medium’s partnership program is designed to help publishers create and monetize their content on the platform, while also providing them with tools and resources to increase their visibility, reach, and engagement.

You may dive into, “Quora and drive traffic to your blog to monetize

What are Medium’s editorial policies and guidelines for content?

Medium has an editorial policy and guidelines for content to ensure that the content on its platform is high-quality, relevant, and appropriate for its audience. Here are a few key points about Medium’s editorial policy and guidelines for content:

  1. Quality: Medium’s editorial policy states that the platform values quality writing, original thinking, and diverse perspectives. Medium encourages writers to produce well-written, thoughtful, and well-researched content that is relevant to the platform’s audience.
  2. Originality: Medium’s editorial policy requires that all content on the platform is original and not plagiarized. Medium reserves the right to remove any content that is found to be plagiarized.
  3. Prohibited content: Medium’s editorial policy prohibits certain types of content, such as hate speech, harassment, and misinformation. Medium’s guidelines also prohibit content that is sexually explicit, violent or promotes illegal activities.
  4. Fact-checking: Medium’s editorial policy encourages writers to fact-check their content and provide sources for any information that is not common knowledge. Medium’s guidelines also prohibit content that is misleading, false, or unsupported by evidence.
  5. Community guidelines: Medium also has community guidelines that outline what is and is not acceptable behavior on the platform. This includes guidelines around respectful communication, harassment, and hate speech.
  6. Transparency: Medium encourages writers to be transparent about any potential conflicts of interest or biases that may be present in their writing.

Medium is a popular online publishing platform that allows individuals and organizations to share their ideas and stories with a global audience. It is known for its clean and minimalist design, as well as its focus on long-form content and thoughtful, in-depth writing. Many people find Medium to be a valuable resource for learning and staying informed on a wide range of topics, while others use it as a platform to share their own thoughts and ideas with the world. Overall, Medium is a great way to discover and engage with quality content.

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