How to Get Started on Medium: A Beginner’s Guide

If you want to start from scratch on Medium, this post is for you

Have you ever wanted to share your ideas and get paid for it? 🖋️💰 You don’t need to look any further than Medium, the well-known online publishing site shaking up the world of digital writing.

“How do I even get started?” you might ask if you’re new to the scene.
Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you!

Medium is a great way to connect with millions of readers worldwide, whether you want to be a writer, a blogger who wants to reach more people or just someone who has something to say.

I’ll show you everything you need to know to get started on Medium in this guide for beginners. I’ll give you the tools and advice to make your mark on this active platform, from setting up your account to writing your first story and making money.

Are you ready to start? Let’s check out the fun world of writing on Medium, where your posts can motivate, teach, and amuse people worldwide.

I’ll talk about the most important things you need to know about Medium’s platform to make your content successful, build your following, and make writing a regular habit that could turn your hobby into a profitable business. 🚀📝.

1. Understanding Medium’s Platform

A. What is Medium?

Medium is a well-known website for writing that lets writers of all levels share their thoughts, stories, and knowledge with people worldwide.
Medium was established in 2012 by Evan Williams, a co-founder of Twitter. It has become a place where people can share thoughtful, long-form content about various themes. Now, Tony Stubblebine is the CEO of Medium.

B. Key features for writers

Medium has several features that make it a good place for writers to work, including:

• User-friendly editor
• Built-in audience
• Partner Program for monetization
• Publications and communities
• Analytics and insights

C. Benefits of writing on Medium

There are many benefits for both new and expert writers to writing on Medium:

• Exposure to a vast, engaged audience
• Through the Partner Program, you can make money.
• Making connections with other authors and publications
• Improved writing skills with feedback and practice.
• Access to a helpful community of readers and writers.

Knowing about Medium’s platform and its unique features, you’ll be ready to start writing and get the most out of this powerful publishing tool.

In the next part, I’ll show you how to set up your Medium account so you can start writing.

2. Setting Up Your Medium Account

Now that you know how Medium works, it’s time to make an account and get it set up. This critical step will help you look professional on Medium and prepare for your writing journey.

A. Setting up information for payments

If you want to use Medium’s Partner Program to make money from your work, you need to set up your payment information:

• Go to your account settings – Click on your picture in the upper right area. Then, click on Settings.
• Find the “Payment information” section –  Once you find the “Payment information” area, click on it.
• Enter your bank details – You must link your bank account to Medium because payments are made through Stripe.
• Verify your tax information – Ensure you give the correct tax information because payouts need it.

Note: You only need to do this step if you want to use Medium’s Partner Program to profit from your stories.

B. Linking your social media accounts

More people will follow you if you make it easy for them to share your posts on social media by linking to them:

• Go to your account settings- Find the part called “Connections.”
• Choose which social networks you want to connect (Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn).
• Follow the on-screen instructions to link and approve your social media accounts.

C. Customizing your bio and interests

You have one chance to make an excellent first impact in your bio:

• Click on your picture to display it.
• Select “Edit profile.”
• Write a captivating bio (no more than 160 characters).
• Choose topics you’re interested in

You can get idea from my profile information-

You can update your bio time to time as well.

Tip: Make your online presence stronger by using important keywords in your bio that fit with the way you write.

D. Creating your profile

On Medium, your profile serves as your home. Make it look inviting:

• Add a professional-looking, clear personal picture.
• Include an image in the header that shows off your work or brand.
• Attach links to your website or other social media accounts.
• Consider pinning your best story to show off your work.

Setting up your Medium account carefully is the first step toward a great writing career. Now that your profile is perfect and your payment information is saved, you can start writing your first story.

3. Crafting Your First Story

After setting up your Medium account, it’s time to start writing your first story. This is the actual start of your journey as a Medium writer.

A. Using the writing tools on Medium

Medium’s editor is easy to use and has many tools to help you write your story. What you’ll find is:

• Text formatting options (bold, italic, underline)
• Heading styles
• Quote blocks
• Dividers

To get the most out of these tools, try different styles that make things easier to read and look better.

B. Incorporating images and multimedia

Visual information can make people much more interested. This is how you can add video to your story:

• When adding a new line, click the plus (+) icon.
• You can pick from things like pictures, movies, or embeds.
• You can add your media or look for pictures that you can use for free.
• Remember to use critical, high-quality images that go with your text.

C. Making sure your information is well organized

A well-organized piece gets people interested. Take a look at this structure:

• Section
• Purpose
• The Starting Point
• Grab the reader’s attention and discuss your subject.
• Main body
• Develop your thoughts in parts that make sense.
• Concluding lines
• Provide a call to action and a summary of the main points.

To make your material easy to read and scan, use subheadings, short paragraphs, and bullet points.

D. Writing an attention-grabbing headline

Getting people to read your paper depends on your title. To write an interesting one:

• Try to use Strong, active language.
• When it makes sense, include numbers or facts
• Make people feel rushed or interested.
• If you can, keep it short (under 60 characters).

E. Choosing a compelling topic

Choose a subject that:

• You’re interested in
• Fits your area of knowledge
• Addresses the hobbies or problems of your target group

Find ideas that appeal to Medium readers by looking into what’s popular in your area.

You can start writing your first story on Medium once you have all of these important things in place. Remember that the only way to get better at writing is to practice and try new things. Take advantage of the chance to improve your style along the way.

4. Optimizing Your Content for Success

Now that you’ve written your first article, let’s work on optimizing it so it reaches and engages your intended audience on Medium.

A. Tips for editing and proofreading

Check your work for errors and fix them with these tips:

• Read your work out loud to catch any awkward language.
• For the first checks, use Grammarly or Hemingway Editor.
• Give yourself a break between writing and rewriting to look at your work with fresh eyes.
• Ask a writer friend or fellow writer to look over your work.

B. Implementing SEO best practices

Follow these SEO best practices to make your story more visible:

• Use important keywords in the title and all over the body of your writing.
• Make your tag descriptions enjoyable.
• Include links to reliable sources both inside and outside your site.
• Make headlines that are clear and interesting.

C. Formatting to make it easy to read

If you want your work to be easy to read, follow these style rules:

• Short paragraphs (two to three lines) are preferred.
• There are number and bullet point lists that you can use.
• You can include important movies, pictures, or infographics.
• You should use bold or italic text to draw attention to key points.

D. Making use of groups and tags

Follow these steps to make sure that as many people as possible see your story:

• Each story needs three to five good tags.
• Use both well-known and niche tags.
• The idea of making your own tag strikes your mind.
• Put your story in the right section, like “Technology,” “Writing,” or “Self-Improvement.”

If you use these tips to make your writing better, Medium readers will be more likely to find it and enjoy it.

I’ll now talk about how to use the tool to get more people to your site.

5. Building Your Audience

Now that you know how to write and improve your Medium stories, it’s time to work on getting more people to read them. To build an audience on Medium, you need to do a lot of different things, like interact with other users, promote your posts, and network strategically.

A. Engaging with other writers

To grow your Medium profile, you need to interact with other people. Here are some good ways to interact with other writers:

• Read stories that move you and clap for them.
• Feel free to leave thoughtful comments on stories you like.
• Highlight important parts that you think are important.
• Like and follow writers whose work you like.

By regularly contributing to the Medium community, you’ll make yourself more known and open the door for others to do the same.

B. Sharing Your Work on Social Media

Use your social media accounts to get the word out about your Medium posts:

• Twitter – Post small excerpts with interesting quotes to catch the eyes of your followers.
• LinkedIn – For a business audience, post total pieces or links to your stories.
• Facebook – Write interesting descriptions and use click-worthy images to catch people’s attention.
• Instagram – Post to Stories or on your feed the framework of what you wrote and link through to Medium.

Tip: To get more people to see and interact with your posts, always use appropriate hashtags and tag @Medium.

C. Following relevant publications

Reading publications is a great way to find new things to read and meet new people. To get the most out of books:

• Look for publications that fit your field.
• Follow these publications to get the latest news about what they’re writing.
• Read the news in these publications and respond to them.
• You should send your work to these publications.

By reading and responding to relevant sources, you can reach established audiences and find people who might want to follow you.

D. Commenting on stories

Commenting isn’t just a way to share your thoughts but also to show off your knowledge and get to know other users. This is how to get your comments to be seen:

• Provide helpful information by making knowledgeable comments.
• Share your own stories that are related to the subject.
• Encourage more conversation by asking questions that make people think.
• Respond to other comments to get to know them.

You will become known as a knowledgeable and active member of the Medium community if you regularly leave helpful comments.

As you use these tips, you’ll see that the number of people who follow you rises. Remember that getting people to listen takes time and effort.

Next, I’ll talk about how to join journals and take your Medium experience to the next level.

6. Joining and Creating Publications

Since you’re already known on Medium, it’s time to check out the publishing world. Publications on Medium are groups of stories with the same themes or subjects. They are a great way to get your work seen by more people and work with other writers.

A. Finding the Ideal Publications

Look at other publications that fit your hobbies and writing style before you start your own. How to find sources that fit your needs:

• You can use Medium’s search tool to find posts about interesting things.
• Check out the “Publications” area on Medium’s home page.
• Check out magazines and newspapers that have stories like yours.
• Check the publication’s submission rules to make sure your work fits.

B. Types of Publications:

• Large and well-known: It can reach many people, but there is a lot of competition.
• Specialized or niche: This is aimed at a specific group and usually has a smaller audience.
• New and growing: Getting accepted at first is more accessible, but there is little publicity.

C. Submitting Stories to Publications

Here are the steps you need to take to send your stories to publications once you’ve found them:

• Carefully read the publication’s instructions on how to submit your work.
• Make your story better so it meets the standards of the magazine.
• When you post your story, use the “Submit to publication” button.
• Please wait for the publication editors to review it and reply.

D. Starting Your Publication

You could start your publication if you can’t find one that meets your needs or if you want to give other writers a place to share their work. How to do it:

• Select “Publications” from your profile picture.
• Click “New publication” and follow the on-screen instructions.
• Pick out a name, a description, and pictures for your newspaper.
• Set up the homepage of your publication and change how it looks.

E. Managing Contributors and Submissions

You’ll need to be good at managing contributors and getting stories sent in as the owner of a publication. Here are some suggestions:

• Make it clear what your publication is about and how to submit it.
• Set up a regular way to look over written stories.
• Communicate with contributors quickly and adequately.
• Take care of roles and rights with Medium’s built-in tools.

You can reach more people on Medium and connect with them by contributing to other sites and starting your own.

Next, I’ll talk about how you can make money from your Medium writing and turn your hobby into a possible way to make money.

7. Monetizing Your Medium Writing

Now that you have an audience and a regular writing schedule, it’s time to look into how to make money from Medium. Let’s look at how you can make money from your work on this platform.

A. Diversifying your income streams

To make the most money on Medium, get money from multiple sources. These are some ways to do it:

• You can write for partner publications.
• Please start your own publication and let people send you their work.
• Provide writing skills to other Medium users.
• Follow Medium’s rules when you write a story and promote an affiliate product.

B. Tracking Your Stats and Performance

It’s essential to keep track of your work to improve your Medium strategy. The platform gives you information that you can use to figure out how well your viewers and content are doing:

• Views: How many times has someone seen your story on their screen? It shows how far your work has reached.
• Read Ratio: The number of people who kept reading after the first view. It shows how interesting your material is.
• Highlights: How often do readers notice certain parts of your text? It shows that the reader is interested in certain things.
• Responses: How many comments have people left on your story? It gives you straight feedback and information about what readers are interested in.
• Earnings: The payment you get from writing stories through the Medium Partner Program. This metric is still an excellent way to see how well you do financially on the site.

You can see what topics and writing styles your audience likes by checking these numbers regularly and changing your content plan based on what you find.

C. Maximizing earnings potential

If you want to make more money on Medium, try these ideas:

• Publish regularly to keep readers interested.
• Write about niche-related themes that are popular right now.
• Write catchy headlines to get more clicks.
• Use appropriate tags to make things easier to find.
• Comment and respond to what your fans say to get them involved.

D. Understanding the Partner Program

• Eligibility: If you want to join the Medium Partner Program, you must meet the following requirements:
  – Be an active Medium member.
  – Published at least one story in the last six months.
  – You must have a bank account and file taxes in a country that lets you.
  – You must be 18 years old or older.
• Earnings: Based on how long members read and how interested they are in your stories.
• Payment: Every month through Stripe, with a $10 minimum payout threshold.
• Content requirements:  Authors must write original, high-quality pieces that follow Medium’s rules.

You can devise a plan to turn your Medium writing into a business by learning about these ways to make money.

Next, I’ll talk about how to make writing a regular habit that will help you be successful on the platform in the long run.

8. Developing a Consistent Writing Habit

Now that you know how to make money from your Medium posts, you should make writing a regular habit. For long-term success on this platform, this is a must.

A. Keeping Quality and Quantity in Balance

It might be exciting to post a lot, but quality is essential on Medium. Make the right choice by following these steps:

• Quantity: Post regularly to get more attention and grow your audience.
• Qualitative: Focus on engaging, well-researched content to get readers, likes, and followers.

Aim to publish on a regular schedule and keep the quality of your work sound.

B. Overcoming Writer’s Block

Having writer’s block can make it easier to stay consistent. To keep your creative juices running, try these things:

• Write for free every day for 10 minutes.
• Keep a thought book for articles.
• Read a lot to get ideas.
• You should take breaks and do other things.

C. Making a schedule for content

A content schedule helps you keep things in order and on track. To make one, follow these steps:

• Pick out a tool for planning (like Trello or Google Calendar).
• Come up with thoughts for the month’s topics.
• Put topics at certain times.
• Set due dates for writing, editing, and posting.

D. Setting Doable Goals

To keep up your writing habits, you need to set goals that you can reach. When you put your goals, think about the following:

• How much time do you have to write
• How difficult the things you chose are
• Your current writing speed
• Other things you have to do in your life

Set small goals at first, like publishing one article a week. As you get better at the process, slowly increase the number of articles you write.

If you follow these tips, you’ll be well on your way to making writing on Medium a regular habit. Being consistent will not only help you get better at writing, but it will also help you get more readers and maybe even make more money on the platform.

The Bottom Line

When you first start writing on Medium, it can be scary. But if you do it right, it can be fun to write online. To build a name on Medium, you need to learn how to use it, make an account, and write interesting stories. Make sure that your audience is interested and that your material is optimized. To reach more people, you should also write for or start your own journal.

As you write more and look for ways to make money, keep in mind that being great on Medium is a marathon, not a sprint. Keep trying, don’t give up, and don’t be afraid to try out different types of writing and topics. Your speech and point of view will be valued by many. You will get more writing jobs if you share them on Medium.

Related Articles:

Mastering the Art of Freelance Writing: 10 Essential Tips for Success

How to Start a Successful Blog in 2024

Thank you for reading my story with great patience.

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