Medium is an online publishing platform where anyone can read, write, and share stories on a vast range of topics, from human stories and knowledge to business and technology. Founded by Twitter co-founders Ev Williams and Biz Stone, Medium offers a clean, simple design for both readers and writers, focusing on high-quality, in-depth content. Writers can monetize their work through the Medium Partner Program, earning money based on reader engagement like read time, and can submit their work to publications for broader exposure.
Key Features and Concepts
Read and Write:Anyone can sign up to read articles or write their own posts, called “stories”.
User-Friendly Interface:The platform features a clean and simple design with large images, readable fonts, and straightforward formatting options.
Monetization:Writers can earn money from their stories if they are part of the Medium Partner Program, which bases earnings on reader engagement, particularly read time.
Publications and Collections:Writers can publish their work directly or submit it to “publications” for increased visibility. Readers can also create “collections” of articles on topics of interest.
Engagement Tools:Features like paragraph-specific comments, highlights, and recommendations allow for deeper interaction between readers and writers.
Focus on Storytelling:Medium emphasizes high-quality writing and encourages writers to share insightful perspectives, useful knowledge, and life wisdom.
How it Works
Sign Up: Users can register using their Twitter account or other methods to create a profile.
Read: Readers can find articles on topics that matter to them and follow collections or writers to curate their feed.
Write: Writers can create new stories with large header images, titles, and body text, using simple formatting tools.
Publish: Stories can be published directly to a user’s profile or submitted to a publication.
Engage: Readers can leave comments, make notes, recommend articles, and interact with authors.
Monetize (for writers): By joining the Partner Program and accumulating reader engagement, writers can earn money based on the time readers spend reading their stories.
