How Medium Partner Program Is Helping Me Make Money Online in 2022
The Medium Partner Program lets publishers monetize their content.
I first learned of the Medium Partner Program in the summer of 2017. I did join right away but soon lost my way into looking at other ways to make money online. In 2021, the Partner Program is my ticket to financial freedom.
Join the Partner Program (it’s free).
Medium has recently announced a new and updated Medium Partner Program that lets publishers monetize their content. The process is fairly simple and straightforward, but it can be a bit overwhelming if you’re not familiar with the ins and outs of it. I’ve been through the process of becoming a partner, and here’s everything you need to know to get started!
How does it work? Let us hear it from Medium itself.
Enroll in the Medium Partner Program
To join the Partner Program, you need to link your Medium account with your bank account or debit card via a third-party payment service called Stripe. Additionally, you need to provide your taxpayer information within 180 days to receive payments from Medium.
Make your stories eligible to earn money Once you’re in, you can write your story and put it behind the paywall. You can also put your already published stories behind the paywall to start earning revenue from them.
Earn money based on member engagement Partner Program writers are paid every month based on how members engage with their stories. This is determined by member reading time. Each member’s subscription fee is distributed proportionally to the stories that the individual member engaged with that month. You can always check your payment estimates in your Partner dashboard — source: Medium.
In simple terms, stories on Medium are on a paywall, while anyone can read stories in Medium if you are not a paying member. You only have three stories each month that you can read for free.
By becoming a paying member, you help writers to get paid. Medium, being ad-free, make revenues from the $5 a month each paying member contributes to the royalty pot shared by Medium with its writers who opted to join the partner program.
More about publishing on Medium: — Medium’s blog is a great place to start reading for would-be creators, click here.
How do I start writing on Medium?
↓ Everyone can start writing on Medium. It is up to you as a writer how frequently you would write on the platform. It is why you would find Barack Obama on the platform whenever he has an important message to share not only to the followers but to the world. As you can see we are in great company.
Who writes on Medium?
↓ Not only is Obama is here, but Hillary Clinton is here too. But Medium isn’t only for the big names. It welcomes everyone. You and I have as much to say as every celebrity, politician, and influencer, and we are all welcome here.
It all starts with a single story, a blog post, a narrative that you want to share with the world.
How can I make money writing on Medium?
↓ You have to sign up with the Partner Program, and you need to start writing.
Do I need to be in the Medium Partner Program to write on Medium?
↓ No, if you only wish to write one story, you can, but you need to have an account on Medium. Creating an account on Medium is as easy as linking your Twitter account or do it the old-fashioned way with your email address.
Who can read the work I publish on Medium?
↓ Everyone. While stories by writers who are part of the program are behind the paywall. Even those stories can be read by anyone as long as you haven’t read three stories if you are not a paying member. You can also read stories behind a paywall if you have a friendly link.
How can I see how my stories perform?
↓ You can see it on the “stats page,” You can also see how much each story earns a month by accessing the Medium Partner Program dashboard.
Where can I get updates and plug into the creator community?
↓ For the latest guides, resources, and inspiration for creators on Medium, follow Creators Hub, the official Medium blog for writers.
How can I grow my audience with Medium?
↓ I have written stories about growing your audience with Medium. Medium moved into a more relational Medium in 2020. With that, each writer can better interact with their audience by creating a newsletter, and by writing stories readers like, a writer can gain followers, find his tribe, and connect with his audience.
Many people don’t know that anyone who writes for Medium can monetize their stories with affiliate links aside from the Medium Partner Program.
Medium is also a great place to promote your website, newsletter, and YouTube channel. There are many ways to earn money aside from the royalties paid for by Medium for your stories.
You must disclose affiliate links or payment for a post. — Affiliate links, such as link out to Amazon with your code, or any other link out where you will receive a commission or other value, are allowed in posts. But, you must disclose somewhere in the post that it includes affiliate links. If you have received payment, goods or services, or something else of value in exchange for writing a post, you must still disclose this fact in writing within your post (as FTC Rules and Guides, and Medium Rules require).
If there is one thing you need to remember as a Medium writer, it is to:
Follow the rules.
How Medium Partner Program is helping me make money online in 2021
Where am I in my Medium writing journey? — I am writing this on May 31, 2021.
The last day of the month will bring to a close the month when I breached another milestone, research says, only 6.4% to 9% of all the Medium writers — anyone who earns more than $100, and this month I am part of the “elite” group of Medium writers.
Arigato Money, Arigato Medium.
As my way of saying Thank you to all my readers, I am publishing this story outside of the paywall system so that anyone who finds this story can start their journey as a Medium writer and also start making money online. It is my way of paying it forward. — Xin Xin
Other Helpful Information about the Medium Partner Program
What do I need to get started?
To get started, one must be willing to give it a shot. Money will not come easy. It will take a lot of work. It will be, at times, a very emotional journey, but all I can say is, it can be an enriching experience both as a person and as a writer.
I made my first $100 on Medium.com, and so should you.
Read the stories that are widely popular on Medium
Knowing the Medium audience will help you craft your stories better. At the same time, a Medium is a place for ideas. By learning about your readers, you reach your tribe, and don’t we all love what is already familiar?
Tip: Also, do keyword research; if Tim Denning does, shouldn’t we all?
Pick your niche
When I was starting, I feared that I would run out of stories to write. While some would say go and pick your niche, I would say follow your heart. When you write, I write about Medium, technology, and even about love.
Please don’t wait for a publication to publish your stories. Yes, you can try submitting to Medium publications, but I learned in my writing journey. Being published in big publications doesn’t guarantee virality, money, and get the badge that your story passed the Medium curation or what every writer here knows as, chosen for further distribution.
How do I make money through the Partner Program?
If you build it, He will come. — Ray Kinsella, Field of Dreams
Before you can start making money on Medium, you have to write as much as you can. While Medium prefers quality content, I would say, go on and publish your stories, as long they feel complete and free from grammatical errors.
When I was starting, I labored for hours and days to ensure that the story will be up to standards by big editors of big Medium publications.
Rejections very early in your writing journey can either make or break you. Instead of that, you write first and worry about readership. It will follow, believe me.
Other Perks of being a Medium Writer
You get the validation that you can be the writer you always dreamed of, you can make money online, and you can have followers.
Is there anything else I should know before signing up?
The Medium Partner Program is an excellent way for publishers to make money off of their content! It’s a simple process that can be done in just a few steps, but it’s important to know what you’re getting into before signing up.
And if there are other questions you need to ask, leave a comment below, and I would try to find the answer for you. There are also a lot of Facebook groups and Medium Partner Program Reddit communities where you can learn from.
Updated
How to submit your story to be reviewed by its curators.
Answer: Medium values quality content.
Is my story automatically enrolled in the program?
Answer: You have to join the program, but you can start writing for Medium.
Will my readers see a paywall?
Answer: Anyone has three free stories a month. After that, if the story is behind the paywall, then the reader can’t read its entirety.
Does Medium own my content?
Answer: No, your content belongs to you.
How much do writers get paid?
Answer: It will depend on a few things, like how many paying members to read your story.
Before you can start making money on Medium, you have to write as much as you can. While Medium prefers quality content, I would say, go on and publish your stories, as long they feel complete and free from grammatical errors.
When I was starting, I labored for hours and days to ensure that the story will be up to standards by big editors of big Medium publications. Rejections very early in your writing journey can either make or break you. Instead of that, you write first and worry about readership. It will follow, believe me.