If I Was Starting a Medium Account in October 2023, This Is What I’d Do

The ultimate guide to getting started with writing on Medium.

Anangsha Alammyan

Oct 4, 2023 • 5 min read

The ultimate guide to getting started with writing on Medium.

Medium is one of the most inclusive spaces on the internet where every voice gets heard. The blogging and publishing site is still growing, making it one of the best platforms for writers in 2023.

Unlike other social media platforms, you don’t need a huge following to get readership here. It’s all about writing consistently and strategically.

Medium is a great place to share long-form content and build a community. I find it to be the best platform for writers because:

It has an easy learning curve in comparison to starting your own blog.
If you host your website, you require SEO and marketing strategies to boost the domain authority. With Medium, you get high domain authority, and your articles can rank higher on Google.
With 100 million active users, it’s easier to create an audience for your stories on Medium.
The best part is that you get paid for writing on topics close to your heart when you’re associated with the Medium Partner Program.

Medium is also changing its regulations to allow more writers to earn from writing on the platform. Now is a great time to join Medium and share your ideas, opinions, and experiences.

However, many aspiring writers often feel confused about what to write and how to create their content strategy on Medium.

If I were starting my Medium blog in October 2023, I would have steered my way to the top with the following strategies:

Step 0: Building a presence

Answer me this: what are the top 5 things that define you?

For me, they are: writing, reading, traveling, fitness, and entrepreneurship. These subjects are closest to me, and I can think of multiple story ideas in these niches.

I’m also not in the mood for writing heavy research-backed articles now, so I’d stick to life experiences in these domains.

While starting, you should also come up with 5 things that make up your personality. Publish 5 articles in these niches to kick-start your Medium journey.

Don’t pressure yourself to write something unwillingly. Pick topics closer to your heart. This simple beginning can help you build a consistent Medium presence.

Step 1: Applying to publications

This is a common mistake that most Medium freshers make.

If you only publish articles on your profile, your work gets a limited reach to just your followers.

From the very beginning, start pitching your articles to publications. When they publish your article, its reach expands to the entire follower base of the publication.

Once you’re successful in cracking the code to Medium publications, your account will gain huge traction. I have also created a step-by-step guide to help you choose the right publication for your story.

For a list of publications currently accepting submissions, you can check this post.

Step 2: Niching down

I wish someone taught me this strategy earlier in my Medium journey. If I were to start all over again today, niching down would be my priority.

After publishing approximately 20 articles, I’d analyze my stats thoroughly to check the performance of my stories.

I’d focus on finding similarities between the top 5 stories, like: the topic, the writing style, the target audience, or the publication.

Whichever of these factors would be working in my favor, I’d double down on it. This practice is essential to niche down, not only in topics but also in terms of writing style.

If your audience responds well to listicles, give them that. If they don’t want too many reference images, reduce them. This step is crucial to build a strong Medium profile with engaging articles and a vast readership.

Step 3: Polishing my craft

A tip for success on Medium as a writer: Be a reader.

It’s exactly like Ruskin Bond says,

“There’s only one way to become a writer, that’s to be a reader.”

Medium is not just for writers, but its plethora of articles is a reader’s delight. With a $5 monthly membership, you can access unlimited stories across the platform.

I’d scour through the home pages of popular publications in my niche, and see what’s common in their top stories.

What themes and styles make a story worth getting published here?

Then, I’d reverse engineer that to fit my stories. Of course, I’ll never compromise with my unique viewpoints. But I can always learn more about text formatting, hyperlinking, and attaching images.

I’d apply the takeaways to my articles and pitch them to popular publications.

Step 4: Building a consistent publishing schedule

The latest changes to the Medium Partner Program advocate quality over quantity. It’s no longer vital to publish daily if your articles get enough claps and comments.

But I believe, every article you publish on Medium is like a lottery ticket. The more tickets you have, the better your chances of winning.

When you’re starting, it’s okay to focus on quantity. I’d aim to publish at least 10–12 high-quality articles each month and see where this journey takes me.

Medium is not a social media platform, but it follows similar engagement metrics. The latest changes to the Medium Partner Program intend to incentivize claps, comments, and highlights.

If you want more interaction on your stories, you should build a community and be visible. I’d comment and interact with the high-performing stories on Medium to stay visible among the readers.

It’s crucial that I leave value-adding comments and not just copy+paste the same “Great article” everywhere. I can attract new eyeballs to my work on Medium through these comments. I can also socialize with the authors and plan on collaborative stories for mutual benefit.

Put it all together for a hit Medium account

To sum up, if I were to start my Medium account today, my go-to strategy would be:

Building a presence
Applying to publications
Niching down
Polishing my craft
Building a consistent publishing schedule
Socializing on the platform

Striking an ideal mix of these practices is extremely helpful to boost your Medium page. With the new Partner Program rolling out in several countries, you can also start making money with Medium. It’s time to get started!

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.

The ultimate guide to getting started with writing on Medium.

Step 0: Building a presence

Step 1: Applying to publications

Step 2: Niching down

Step 3: Polishing my craft

Step 4: Building a consistent publishing schedule

Step 5: The social aspect of social media

Put it all together for a hit Medium account

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.