How I made money on Medium: My Two Cents
Literally
Now before I go any further, let me share an important screenshot with you:
When I say two cents, I was being literal!
I’ve made that clear from the top because I don’t want anybody thinking this is going to be a guide to generating $10K per month from blogging — there’s more than enough of those out there.
This is just a short tale about the absolute joy in seeing something in the Earnings column, and two things I’ve done since joining Medium that got those two little cents.
Consistency: Post Regularly
I’ve posted every few days, mainly to allow time for articles to land, and to see what to share next and what inspires me to write. If you’re blogging on Medium with the sole purpose of making money then this method would work because it allows you to see what your audience connect with — if you’re just in it for the dollars, demand drives.
Consistency: Connection
This is something I’ve done a lot and honestly I’ve found it easy simply because of how engaging Medium can be. If I’ve read an article and enjoyed it, it gets claps (more than one — that’s a thing, in case you don’t know). If I’ve really enjoyed the content I’ll comment, seeking to engage the author and the audience. I think this has naturally led to growth of followers and views and ultimately reads, but that wasn’t the motivation behind it.
Seeing those two cents was such a wonderful feeling of validation.
I’ve said elsewhere that money isn’t my primary motivator on Medium and that stands (in spite of my roaring success!) so to see that people wanted to read my content? I can live with shouting into the dark, the pinprick of light that was the reads is very nice too.
It has also made me want to engage even further, and to plan what I do more. I’m looking to share more content in my Sleep Series (if you do one thing in 2024 people, make it “get better sleep”) whilst although branching out into more of what I want to talk about here. I’m also looking to find a publication or two to write for and have reached out, so any tips / suggestions in the comments would be most welcome.
Before I go — I want to start thanking other writers in my articles a lot more, especially if it’s relevant. Considering the topic of this post being about beginner’s tips, I want to say that if I was starting again on Medium I’d definitely want to follow Zulie Rane and sign up for her newsletter on your first week on Medium as it’s a brilliant beginner’s guide. Here’s just one of her great articles, aimed at making money on Medium:
Last thing I’ll say is that whatever your goals are on Medium — it’s a marathon, not a sprint. I know that’s a cliché, but it has become one because it is true.
