The Truth About Writing on Medium

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What is Medium?

You may never even have heard of medium, although though it was launched in 2012. Evan Williams founded it as an example of social journalism. Essentially it is a blog hosting platform for amateurs and professionals alike. It is rather like a modern day blogger!

Is medium a platform that you want to be associated with?

I have been told repeatedly by a lot of professional writers that it is the best blogging platform in the world! Equally, I have a lot of eclectic friends who come from an extensive range of backgrounds and experiences. Some of them believe the world is flat. Some of them, including me, believe that the '69 moon landing was a hoax.

So don't believe everything you hear.


If you can't be bothered to write your own blog, then I guess it is a reasonably good platform as blogging was before it. The thing that you have to concern yourself with is the fact that when people want to read one of your articles on Medium, then they are faced with a mammoth slog to register!

Your readers are presented with this, look down and see the image below. It may seem a simple thing to register, but just because you're registered doesn't mean you will be able to see the posts and that that you will only be able to see five posts before you have to upgrade.

My biggest bugbear against Medium

Other than the fact you have to pay to use it, which I do. Now, of course, some of you be asking me why I don't agree with the platform, and yet I pay to use it. The answer to that is I wanna see where it goes! Although at the moment have to say it is going nowhere.

Second Biggest Bugbear.

This is a really annoying feature if you want to read the articles on your phone then you have to download the app.Initially, if you were to join the platform then you are allowed to use links to your own offers, this, of course, makes sense because otherwise, what's in it for you why would you write this platform. For the last year or so, Medium has been ad-free.You can still promote your own work, goods or services. Nowadays, you can no longer promote third-party brands, products, or services.

What's my third big bugbear

Every page is a container within a container within the container. As a web designer, I understand the concept, but as a user, it is a really crap, dysfunctional, horrible experience. Those of you who object to the word crap, most of you know I'm an awful typist which is why I speak my text just substitute the word carp!

Fourth Biggest Bugbear.

Actually, I may well revise this and put it further up the list! They do use first-party tracking. What does this mean it means they track what you are doing to provide information to 3rd party users. Even if you use the do not track policy which you have an option to fill in if you want to (which is a legal requirement) they still track and follow your content.

Fifth Biggest Bugbear Against Medium.

Even if you do register, you will get lots of pop-ups, which will have to close down just to read a few paragraphs of text, and the chances are when you do get to read it you'll be disappointed about the content.In conclusion, it is a platform built for pop-up and banners, advertisers, page views, and clickbait. I understand it has to make a profit, but it also has to be written for real people and real readers.

There is no engagement with the readers or any real depth to the platform.If you choose to go ahead and write on Medium, then you have to understand that you need to write on one of their supported browsers. The ability to format is absolutely terrible. Although medium claims to allow you to reach a new audience with your amazing stories, you will be lucky to be able to format the story on Medium!


If you go ahead and decide to write, you will see that there is an opportunity to become a "top writer". It's a bit like the best in any category, and Medium features the top 25 writers in each category. Like any other algorithm on the Internet, the category top 25 writers changes every day.

I guess it's a bit like being fortunate enough to be an ambassador here. Just because you make the top 25 doesn't mean you can stay in it. You have to earn the privilege.You can lose your status as a top writer if you don't publish regularly.

I was once a million years ago, a top writer and realized I had to post something every three days. As I couldn't actually see any benefit from it, I couldn't be bothered to keep it up.Of course, like everything else I write here, these are my views, and they are totally subjective. I would be really interested if any of you have a more profitable experience of being a medium writer.

Has it worked for you?

What did you do to make Medium work?

Wealthy Affiliate v Medium

On the other hand, I would conclude by recommending that it is easier to write on this platform at Wealthy Affiliates. You can share an article, any article written within wealthy affiliates anywhere you choose. That means you can tweet an article, and you can put it on social media to earn commission here at Wealthy affiliates.We all understand that it takes time to build a blog, and you all need to have strategies in place to try and share content, which will earn you a commission. You can do this in Wealthy Affiliates by clicking the affiliate button above any article. It doesn't have to be an article, or a blog that you have written is any old article or tutorial. You click affiliate, and then you share that link. If anybody joins Wealthy Affiliate from that link, then you get a commission from it as simple as that. In fact, if you fancy sharing this article, go ahead and click the affiliate button shown below.

There are no annoying pop-ups you don't have to struggle with an editor that doesn't work; you simply have to click one link and share. Of course, you should write on this platform and blog as well as on your own website.

Half of the American population is on the edge of a panic attack when they look into their bank balance. They are paralyzed by fear. Fear of not being able to pay their bills, the fear of losing their home, the fear of not being able to provide for their families. For many foreigners including myself it is purported to be the wealthiest country in the world yet the more I read about it, and the more I speak to people in the country, I realize that for the majority of people, they are less than $500 away from disaster. Source https://www.federalreserve.gov/publications/files/2018-repor...

There are lots of ways to practically get out of the position of having your back against the wall situation, but I certainly wouldn't recommend Medium in the top 500.


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Recent Comments

30

I have actually never heard of that platform. When I read or hear about things like that I always think - okay one more thing to try, and it feels like an obligation. So I am very glad you cleared this up here, so I don`t have to feel obliged to try!
Thanks for the interesting article!

I don't like Medium as a reader. I have not tried it as a writer. I used to write for a site called Hubpages, but the interface, editing and commission structure became so difficult I stopped. They also take a cut of the traffic and sales because they have to make money. This was before I joined WA.

As a voracious reader, I find these writing sites tedious to use and navigate. Medium's constant reminders that I have one free article left prompted me to unsubscribe from their nonsense. If I"m looking up a topic, I just want to read about it not jump through hoops. And I"m not interested in paying for content that may or may not be informative and well researched.

As a writer, I just want to write on my own blog, in my own time with my own links, etc. WA allows me to do that. There are no hoops to jump through. If you do the work your success will be directly proportional to your efforts. I like that.

I will say that I somewhat hooked on Pocket. They don't ask for money. They don't seem to have popups. And I can save interesting articles in their Chrome extension for future reference.

Thank you for sharing your experience with Medium. You've verified for me that keeping that platform at arm's length is the right decision. :-)

I'm a pocket fan as well. I often say things the pocket to research is a great platform but have never tried to write on it. Thank you for spending the time to give as your insight from a reader's point of view and I have to say is a pain in the proverbial as a reader when you are free

Like Twack, I was put off right out of the gate by the word Medium and having to write more than I already do. My motto is "baby steps" and that's how I advance, SLOWLY, because with my health challenges that's all I can do. So thanks for the info, but no thanks. WA is sufficient for me.
Success2u

Linda

Success to you Linda Everything you need is here

Thank you for the information. I didn't know you can actually write on Medium, but I won't be bothered to try after reading this post. I won't be paying them to get to read the articles either, there are plenty of free articles to read on the internet.

From reading your posts here on this platform you are far better having a guest writer right for you and becoming guest writers that will increase your leverage far more than Medium will. At least that's my opinion

Definitely something to take a look at, Catherine! Thanks for sharing!

Take your helmet in their Jeff you might need it

You know, Catherine, I just might!

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