What I Learned From Making $105 on Medium in My First Full Month With 2,600 Views
A newbie’s advice for surviving your first month on Medium
In mid-July of this year, I decided to try posting on Medium for fun. I wanted to get my writing out there while I established my freelance writing career.
Slowly I started watching more videos on Medium and learned that it is a great way to make money, meet new people, and get your name established as a writer.
By the end of July, I had posted a few articles for fun, I wasn’t expecting to make any money. But I made it my goal to make money on this site. I knew I could do it; I just needed to work hard and not give up.
I wrote, failed, succeeded, and overall struggled during my first month, but I did it.
As of September 3rd, I have 2,601 views, making $105.54 within my first month. My first whole month on Medium has given me $100, and I could not be more grateful!
The money I earned isn’t anything compared to others, but it is still a fantastic accomplishment. I never thought I would’ve achieved this.
I posted 23 articles in August, and Medium curated only 4 of my pieces. In total, the curated articles earned me under $1.00 of my monthly earning. The other $104.54 came from uncurated articles — so don’t stress curation.
Not to mention I became a top writer before the end of August! I am blown away by what I have achieved and how many supportive people are on this website.
What I learned in my first month
These are some basics, but from one newbie to another, it’s helpful. Starting on Medium is confusing and stressful. It’s a big game of trial and error. Any advice is beneficial during this awkward period.
Focus on writing
Medium is about writing, so don’t focus on getting views and being liked right away. Just concentrate on getting consistent, well-written content out there. You can work for hours on the perfect article for it to only get a couple of views.
I’ve been pleasantly surprised to find that the work that I feel less confident about are the ones that perform the best.
Read a lot on Medium
I mean a lot, like A LOT.
Don’t spend all day reading Medium articles, but definitely carve out some time each day. Spending 30–45 minutes on Medium, just reading articles, is a great way to stay engaged and active — aside from posting articles.
Medium is a social platform, so get reading to understand what readers want and what is popular. Learn to write in a way that gets attention and offers something to your readers.
Make your new article better than your last one
From a good amount of reading, I have found that I learn different styles of blogging. I am constantly trying to make my writing better. Exploring different authors and various topics can give you ideas on how to improve your own work.
I studied what popular featured images got more views.
Focus on your headline
The headline is everything. If your headline isn’t eye-catching or attention-grabbing, then redo it.
You want readers to scan your title and click on it; it engages them even if they don’t stay. Your story could be unique, but with the wrong title, it’ll never be seen.
I always run my titles through a headline analyzer to ensure it’s readable for everyone, that it has emotional sentiments, and is attention-grabbing.
Writing on Medium is a work in progress
Everyone has to start somewhere, and it’s always at the bottom. Everything takes time; there is no magic solution to get you views or earnings on Medium.
Time brings beautiful rewards, but you can’t give up.
Stop looking at your stats page
The stat page has a wealth of knowledge, but it is not something that should be relied upon every day. You don’t want your life stuck on refreshing the stats page.
All that time you spent refreshing your stats could’ve been used writing! Checking your stats doesn’t change them, but writing more content will.
Keep going
Don’t give up, and don’t stop due to a lack of views. Over the past few days, I have received less than 100 views. I am struggling to get my content seen, but that’s okay!
Views fluctuate like crazy, and you can never predict what your stats will look like; I need to go with it. Who knows, maybe tomorrow my views will rise — and so might yours!
I accomplished what I thought I never could. If you’re new to Medium, welcome! I’m still new, and I am learning every day. I’ll continue to retain for as long as I am writing on this site.
Please check out more established writers to understand how to find long-term success on Medium. I am nowhere near qualified to give advice, but it’s always great to share your progress from one newbie to another.
Enjoy your time, and remember to focus on your writing, and don’t give up! I know I will be! See you all in October for another check-in!
