How to Adapt to the 2023 Medium Partner Program Changes

How I changed my approach to writing on Medium in 2023.

Anangsha Alammyan

Aug 9, 2023 • 3 min read

How I changed my approach to writing on Medium in 2023.

I started writing on Medium in 2020. Since then, I’ve got:

160k+ followers,
2Mn+ views, and
$30k+ in income from the Medium Partner Program alone.

I thought I had the platform figured out, but a few weeks ago, Medium announced major changes to its Partner Program that will significantly impact how writers make money from their articles.

Keeping these new algorithm changes in mind, I’m pivoting my Medium strategy in two ways. This article is all about them.

Keep these tips in mind for better reach and more Medium Partner Program earnings from your articles.

1. Quality > Quantity

My Medium journey got a kickstart when I wrote 90 articles in 90 days in 2020. It was crazy and my days were always packed. But things paid off as this acted as the launchpad of my Medium journey.

Back then, the algorithm incentivized volume. You needed to keep publishing if you wanted to stay relevant on the platform.

But things have changed now.

According to Medium’s latest update, heartfelt stories that hook the reader and force them to keep reading will be distributed more.

You can find all recent Medium updates here.

The takeaway for writers

Polish each article and make it shine. Don’t focus on writing 20 stories a month. Prioritize five high-quality articles each month, and you should be good.

"Writing fewer stories with more heart and soul poured into them will perform significantly better than the strategy that tends to work on more attention-grabbing platforms (writing lots of stories that are cranked out based on formulas). Great writing is meant to do a lot more than merely grab attention." - Buster Benson New Partner Program incentives focus on high-quality human writing

2. Insights > Research

The Medium of 2020 incentivized research-heavy, journalism-style stories. The more you shared facts and cited credible sources, the more value your story carried, and the better it performed.

But things have changed now.

According to Medium’s August 2023 update, stories that will be incentivized have to be original, with:

hidden life wisdom
deep knowledge.

These articles will perform the best on the platform because that’s what Medium’s paying members want to read.

"We want to incentivize more original, high-quality personal stories, hidden life wisdom, and deep knowledge that’s locked up in our collective lives. This is ultimately what members tell us they have come to Medium to read about." - Buster Benson New Partner Program incentives focus on high-quality human writing

The takeaway for writers

Take extra time to weave meaning into your stories, tune those words, land the ending, and make the story better for readers.

Closing thoughts

I’ve shared my thoughts about the Medium Partner Program changes and what writers need to keep in mind in this video.

Summing up, here are the two ways you should change your approach to writing on Medium in 2023:

Focus on story quality, not quantity. If you can publish five high-quality articles each month, you’ll be good.
Share insights instead of research. Personal stories that share deep insights will perform better.

Want to make your first $100 on Medium? Get Project Medium. It’s my flagship course that helped 50+ writers earn their first $100 and beyond on Medium.

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