Are you a writer considering joining Medium? Before diving in, it’s essential to understand the platform’s landscape and how it can impact your writing career.
With a loyal, intellectual readership, Medium is a perfect platform for writers aiming to surface their work in front of their intended readers.
In this extensive roundup, we’ve gathered essential Medium statistics that every writer should know. From user demographics to the highest-earning stories, we’ve got you covered.
Medium is a popular online blogging platform that takes the social media approach and allows writers to share their stories with a wide audience.
With millions of registered users and a vast library of content, Medium has become a go-to place for readers searching for engaging and informative articles on a variety of topics.
The platform has grown rapidly over the years and has become a popular destination for both writers and readers. Medium is unique in that it allows anyone to publish content, regardless of their writing experience or background. This has led to a diverse range of content being published on the platform, from personal stories to in-depth analyses of complex topics.
Another feature that sets Medium apart from other blogging platforms is the Medium Partner Program. This program allows writers to earn money for their work based on the reading time that their posts get, and the number of referred memberships.
When a reader subscribes to Medium, they can choose to become a member of the Partner Program. Members pay a monthly fee and can read an unlimited number of articles on the platform. Writers who participate in the program earn money based on how much time members spend reading their articles.
Interesting Medium statistics for writers
If you’re a writer or content creator, you’ve probably heard about Medium. The platform has been around for almost a decade, and over that time, it has grown in popularity. As a writer, you might be curious about Medium’s users, their earnings, and how the platform has evolved. In this extensive roundup, we’ll dive into the key Medium statistics every writer should know. So, let’s get started.
1) Overview of Medium’s user base
One of the most important aspects to consider when looking at any platform is its user base. The more users a platform has, the more potential readers and income sources for you as a writer. Let’s have a look at Medium’s user demographics.
Medium currently has over 63 million registered users. This number is constantly growing, making the platform more attractive to both readers and writers.
When it comes to demographics, here are key Medium stats to note:
- 25 to 34-year-olds make up more than a third of its user base
- More than half (53%) of Medium’s readers have an annual income of $100,000 or more
- In terms of gender, 55% of the platform’s readers are male, and
- 71% of Medium users are white, which aligns with the general demographic distribution in the US.
2) Medium’s content
Medium has published over 120 million articles. This shows that Medium is a platform with a lot of content, providing a wide range of options for readers to choose from.
a) New posts per month
Medium sees an influx of around 1.3 million new posts every month, according to Medium. This figure indicates that the platform is continuously growing and that writers are actively contributing to its content library.
b) Popular topics on Medium
Self-improvement, entrepreneurship, and technology are the most popular categories on Medium. Popular tags in 2023 include:
- Advice – 97K stories
- Architecture – 42K stories
- Art – 207K stories
- Artificial Intelligence – 219K stories
- Bitcoin – 350K stories
- BlackLivesMatter – 59K stories
- Books – 189K stories
- Business – 475 stories
This information can be useful for content creators who want to target specific audiences.
c) Story lengths stats
The average Medium article takes seven minutes to read (source: Medium). Medium readers are willing to spend a significant amount of time engaging with content on the platform.
3) Medium’s content monetization
Earning money from your writing is certainly an appealing aspect of any platform. Let’s delve into how Medium’s content monetization works and how much writers can potentially make.
a) Medium Partner Program
The Medium Partner Program allows writers to earn money from their articles. Around 70% of authors on the platform make money through this program.
There are two ways to earn through this program:
- Reading time on your monetized stories
- Commissions on referring new paying members
b) How much does Medium pay per 1000 views?
Medium does not have a fixed payment rate per 1000 views. Instead, the platform calculates earnings based on the engagement (total reading time) your article generates from Medium members.
You are also paid 50% commissions on referred memberships.
c) Highest-earning author and story
As reported by Medium, the highest-earning author on the platform made $49,705.40 in a single month. The highest-earning story generated an impressive $16,685.50.
4) Medium’s traffic
Generating traffic to your articles is vital for any writer. Let’s see how much traffic Medium receives from search engines.
According to Similar Web, search engines drive 60% of Medium’s traffic, with 25.56% of traffic coming from direct visits. Social media and referrals account for 6.50% and less than 6% of the platform’s visits, respectively.
5) Medium’s popularity among competitors
Medium faces stiff competition from other blogging platforms, such as WordPress and Blogger. WordPress alone powers 41.2% of the top 10 million most visited websites globally and has 455 million sites, as reported by Barn2.
Despite this fierce competition, Medium continues to grow and attract writers and readers alike due to its unique offerings and focus on quality content.
6) Medium’s company acquisitions
Medium has been acquiring a number of companies in recent years to expand its offerings and improve its services for writers and readers alike.
One of the most notable acquisitions made by Medium was the purchase of Glose, a social e-reading platform that allows readers to share and discuss books. This acquisition was made in January 2021 and is expected to help Medium expand its reach in the book industry.
Another acquisition made by Medium was that of The Pudding, a digital publication that uses data and visual storytelling to explore various topics. This acquisition was made in August 2020 and is expected to help Medium improve its data visualization capabilities and provide more engaging content for readers.
Medium has also acquired a number of smaller startups, such as Superfeedr, a real-time feed parsing service, and Matter, a long-form journalism platform. These acquisitions have helped Medium improve its technology and content offerings.
Other key acquisitions include:
- YesPath: acquired in April 2017
- Talkshow Industries, Inc.: acquired in July 2017
- The Bold Italic: acquired in February 2019
- Embedly: acquired in August 2016
- Projector – a web-based graphic design tool, and
- Knowable Universe – an audio learning platform.
These acquisitions are likely to enhance Medium’s offerings and user experience.
7) Medium’s Partner Program statistics
Understanding the performance and potential of Medium’s Partner Program is essential for any writer considering joining the platform. Let’s explore some key statistics related to the program.
a) Medium writers’ earnings
Medium’s top writers can earn up to as high as $15,000/month.
While this is a huge figure, it is important to note that only a small percentage of writers are able to achieve this level of earnings, as only about 6-10% of writers earn over $100/month and 50% don’t earn a single cent (source: GeorgeJD).
This means that while Medium can be a great platform to build an audience and showcase your writing skills, it may not be the best platform for earning a steady income.
Medium has in the past offered bonuses for top 2000 writers:
- The top 1,000 writers received a flat $500 monthly bonus
- 1001 – 1500 writers received a $100 cash bonus each
- 1501 – 2000 writers received a $50 cash bonus each.
The criterion used for ranking writers was partner program earnings.
Initially, Medium had intended to have cash bonuses as a one-time surprise deal for April 2021, but due to the reception, it continued to offer monthly bonuses for the months of May, June, and July.
b) Average earnings per monetized post
The average monetized Medium post earns $1.20. While this may not seem like a substantial amount, consistent publishing and engagement can lead to higher overall earnings.
8) Medium’s Domain Authority
Medium has a domain authority of DA 95, as reported by Moz. This high domain authority makes it easier for your articles to be discovered through search engines, compared to creating your own website.
9) Medium’s subscriber count
Medium’s subscriber count is an important metric for writers, as it can indicate the potential audience for their content. As of 2021, Medium had 700,000 paid subscribers.
10) Medium’s financial statistics
As a privately held company, there isn’t much public information available regarding Medium’s financial situation. However, we can share some insights based on the available data.
a) Medium’s revenue
Medium’s revenue in 2021 was approximately $35 million. This figure is tied directly to the number of members the platform attracts since Medium does not run ads.
b) Medium’s venture capital
Medium has raised a total of $132 million in venture capital. This funding has helped Medium grow and expand its offerings over the years.
11) Engagement stats
The average Medium post receives 33 claps. Claps are a way for readers to show appreciation for a post, and this figure can give writers an idea of what to expect in terms of engagement on the platform.
12) Medium publications stats
Some of the top publications on this blogging platform have over 1 million followers. You can imagine the size of the audience you can reach if your stories are featured in such publications.
Most top publications publish an average of 200 articles per month.
What writers need to know
- 30% of Medium readers prefer to read long-form articles of more than 1,000 words.
- The average read time for an article on Medium is seven minutes.
- Articles with headlines that contain between 6-13 words have the highest engagement rates.
- The number of claps an article receives affects its visibility; articles with more claps get prioritized and are more likely to be featured and recommended.
- An article’s featured image is crucial; articles with bright, bold images capture 94% more total views than articles without images.
- An article’s first few lines are critical. Articles that start strong are more likely to engage readers.
- Medium readers tend to be highly educated, with over 70% of them holding bachelor’s or graduate-level degrees.
- The most successful articles on Medium tend to include a story or personal experience that connects with readers.
- Titles that ask a question tend to generate more engagement and encourage readers to participate in the conversation.
- Medium offers writers access to advanced analytics that can help them better understand their audiences’ behavior and interests.
Wrapping up
As a writer, staying up-to-date with Medium statistics is a great way to gain a clear understanding of how to generate more views, engage with your readers effectively, and gain more financial rewards from your work.
With over 60 million monthly readers and a vast pool of active writers, Medium represents a prime market with substantial potential for writers looking to take their work to the next level.
So, pay close attention to the statistics discussed above and implement them in your writing process to achieve success on Medium.
