Is External View Monetization on Medium Cancelled?

Some good news, some bad news — and some options

I think Medium got sick of writers poking them with a stick about external-traffic monetization. Because they actually did it. Well, they tried. It didn’t go well.

Did you know that they have been running a test of it? See — Medium does indeed listen to us for you naysayers! I figured it had been in the testing phases for a while now, but super sleuth Susie Kearley has been really keeping her finger on the pulse of this. I’m officially a huge fan of Susie’s…who, *cough*, my dumbass totally knew before today (doh!).

Despite Susie not being invited to the test trial (I’m with you, you were robbed! — how dare they) in her latest update on the matter she got the inside track from one of her buddies in the program. This is someone who is really good at SEO by the way, and they earned a sliding scale from actually nothing (zero) to $10.

Here’s the article, with all the details including links to previous updates and key information on external-view monetization:

So it looks like the concept might be dead in the water. And for good reason.

But don’t worry, I have some awesome alternative ideas further down that may get your motor running!

I Don’t Want External-View Monetization

Phew. There, I said it. I’ve had a few private conversations with people about this but I haven’t said it publicly for fear of being burned at the stake. But here I am, coming out and saying — I don’t want external-view monetization (well, not ad-based anyways).

Before you burn me for the traitorous witch I am, here’s why:

1. It’s Not As Much Money as You’d Think

Even before that article, I knew it wouldn’t earn people are much as they think. It won’t rain down money like you’re in a rap video. I’ve worked in and with online advertising/advertisers. It’s not as easy or profitable as Medium people make it sound. Susie’s friend confirmed it — and again, that’s someone who knows how to SEO-ify their shiznit!

2. SEO Content Blows

I’ve written tons of SEO content —and let’s face it, it ain’t the greatest. It is written with goals in mind. Especially if you want traffic conversion.

I personally don’t want to see people take advantage of Medium’s kickass Google ranking and flooding it with SEO crapola. We have enough of a problem with a flood of shitty AI content.

In addition to a potential flood of SEO content, there’s an algorithm to consider. How would SEO optimization affect Medium’s algorithm in what we see in our feeds?

If you’re thinking ‘Well, just train the algorithm to out-smart Google’s then’ so it doesn’t impact Medium display results. Ahem, it’s freaking Google. The company that became a verb. I’ll just say this: algorithm stuff is hard. And I don’t want to see the best-optimized content in my feed — I want the best written, freshest perspectives and moving personal stories.

3. Medium Wasn’t Built For That

My pom-pom-laden, borderline sycophantic ass loves Medium. It really has something special here. The community, the diverse topics and perspectives — I love it all so much. Can it be too cliquey and high-schooly at times? *Ahem, an argument could certainly be made for that.

The platform wasn’t built for this. It is unique. There’s nothing else like it — because let’s face it, if there were one better than Medium, we wouldn’t be here. That’s not a knock on Medium, but if someone builds a better mousetrap — people switch to it, especially when it comes to money.

There are alternatives for revenue-share models, like Vocal and NewsBreak. But we’re here. And I think we’re here for a reason.

4. The Ads Could Be Awful

With AdSense (or whatever alternative) you wouldn’t have control over what’s associated with your words.

Those ads could potentially promote harmful products. I mean, have you seen the ‘health products’ being peddled out there? Not to mention the ads that would be targeted to self-help crowds. What about an ad for a pro-MAGA site or forced-birth site? Are you vomiting in your mouth a little?

But what if you could control what ads are on your articles? Keep reading — my cheerleader dumb ass has some ideas.

5. Medium Pays Better

I know this isn’t an either/or situation, but Medium pays better than AdSense. I know people think it’s peanuts (and yeah, it can be sometimes), but on the low end, it pays what a content mill does. On the high end, however, you can earn $30, $40, $100, $1000+ an article.

And this is for doing a hobby that we love.

When you compare that to click-through rates of external monetization like AdSense…it’s better. Way better.

And not only that, but it’s getting to write about whatever the heck you want (well, to a point at least). As a professional writer, ooph — wrap it up and call it Christmas. What a gift that truly is.

‘But Robin, I could setup my own blog and monetize it and make more money’

I’m going to assume you haven’t tried that before. Getting traffic in today’s online world is so incredibly hard. And getting Medium’s Google ranking power? May the force be with you! It is so much harder than you think it is.

I got my former company’s website ranked top 3 on Google for niche keywords and that was me working like my life depended on it. It took a gargantuan amount of sustained effort…over 2 years. I also had SEO experience before that. If you think succeeding on Medium is difficult, then trust me, you ain’t about that life.

‘Ok, but they could still put ads on the platform to compensate us fairly, they owe it to us!’

I don’t believe they ‘owe us’ anything. I personally think they gave us a gift, even though I know that it is indeed a business and not pure benevolence. If their test runs’ testimonial showed us anything it’s that they listened, they tried — and it didn’t do what people here were hoping.

That’s just the unfortunate truth. But, never fear…I got you boo boo, there are alternatives.

Alternatives to External-Traffic Ad Monetization

OK, so I’ve told you a myriad of reasons why it could be problematic — but I haven’t solved your problem of making some more moolah. Don’t worry, I like money too. You can buy shiny things with it, and bacon.

I believe there are better options than ad monetization, and here they are:

1. Free Trial Account — for Growing the Readership

So the Medium goldrush days are over. There are more writers and the readership hasn’t grown at the same rate. Queue the sad kazoo sound.

Medium has a PR problem, in that so many people have never heard of it. I hadn’t until 6 months ago — and I’m a writer! With the current problems of other social networks, like Twitter being a twit, Facebook dwindling, and TikTok possibly getting canceled — there has never been a better time to grow Medium and its readership. Of course, this, like everything in this article, is easier said than done.

So I ask this: why on earth does Medium not have a free trial?

Instead of converting traffic to ad clicks for fractions of a penny — turn them into readers. Offer them a free trial, and allow them to fall in love with Medium as we have. Or sign up, and forget about the subscription fee as we’ve all probably done with at least one subscription before. Either one technically works.

Imagine if that worked alongside the referral program. In that the author whose content landed them on Medium got the referral fee if they convert into paid members.

I don’t know about you but I would be very happy with that external-traffic monetization option.

2. Compete with Substack

How many Medium writers have you seen start offering a Substack? Or, move there entirely. For anyone unfamiliar with Substack, it’s basically a newsletter service (but they have a growing built-in readership too) that you can charge for.

Why doesn’t Medium have an option for us to create a substack right here on Medium? So a paywall we can put select articles behind that people can subscribe to get access to. Like Medium inception, a personal subscription Medium within the platform itself. A Medium Substack.

They’re missing the ball on this one in my opinion.

3. Monetize Yourself

‘Go monetize yourself’ isn’t as mean as it sounds, I pinky swear. If you get a decent amount of external traffic — monetize it yourself with affiliate links.

The term affiliate link has a dirty connotation to it for some reason. But here’s how I think about it…if there’s something you really like you’d recommend it to a friend to buy right? Well, what’s wrong with you getting a little marketing payment for recommending them?

I haven’t personally used affiliate links myself because I’m a lazy arse (and to be kinder to myself…I’m still learning here), but I would. Let me give a couple of examples.

If I wrote personal-development or self-help articles I would happily be an affiliate for therapy. I have done therapy myself and I truly believe in it. Online-therapy.com has an affiliate program that offers $150+ per successful referral.

Here’s another one. So I’m sick, I might have blood cancer, it’s a long story — but I have physical pain issues. I just bought a new mattress that rocked my sleep world. It’s by Bloom, it feels like sleeping on a god-damn marshmallow wrapped up in a mother’s hug, and it keeps my bones from being ouchy.

If they had an affiliate program (again, I’m a lazy arse and didn’t look hard for one) I would 1000% become an affiliate. I’ll do it for free, the mattress is amazing, go buy one (or any new mattress — invest in one, and your bones will thank you).

Find affiliate products that you really love, and put them in your articles. You’ll make way more money than with fractional pennies from AdSense.

Medium is Your Oyster

I’m a firm believer in working with the grain, and if you can’t find what you’re looking for…build it. Let’s field-of-dreams this bitch and get shit done! Medium has given us the platform, the readers, and the views — let’s take that and run with it.

You have more power at your fingertips here than you may think. Realize it or not, Medium’s got your back. So do I. Now let’s create the Medium world that we want to live in.

Let’s start taking a serious look at solid affiliate options and substack possibilities. Only Medium could do the first option of free-trial subscriptions based on external views or a Medium Substack, but maybe we can cough in their direction and infect them with the ideas.

If you want to monetize external traffic — do it. Seriously, you can do this. Just find a product or service that you’re passionate about. For me, it’s a mattress for my weary, old-ass bones. For you? Who knows.

There are affiliate programs for wine. Like, a lot of them. Oh sure — now I’ve got your attention huh? There’s a program out there for everyone.

I’m off to go search and see if there’s one for bacon.