Medium goes beyond being just a blogging platform. It is a refined and efficient publishing space where both new and professional writers can share their stories, ideas, and experiences with a wide audience.
The early days
Founded in 2012 by Ev Williams, the co-founder of Twitter and Blogger, Medium aimed to prioritize high-quality writing. Over the course of more than a decade, Medium gained popularity by fostering a large community of writers and readers.
Medium emerged during a time when traditional media models were being disrupted by the increasing accessibility of the internet and the rise of social media platforms.
As readers sought alternative sources of information and entertainment, online publishing platforms started gaining prominence.
Medium entered this scene by providing a platform that bridged the gap between individual bloggers and established media outlets, catering to both emerging and established writers.
The need for a new publishing platform
The need for Medium arose from the realization that existing blogging platforms were saturated with varying quality of content.
Ev Williams envisioned a curated and engaging reading experience that would highlight the best ideas and stories.
Medium’s principles of simplicity, collaboration, and high-quality content set it apart from other technical, SEO-driven platforms like WordPress and Blogger.
The platform attracted a diverse range of writers, offering an intuitive publishing experience that allowed them to focus on creating compelling content without technical complexities.
Key features and innovations
Medium introduced innovative features that contributed to its rapid rise in popularity, such as its clean and minimalist design, which prioritized readability and eliminated distractions like ads and pop-ups.
From the beginning, Medium emphasized community and engagement, implementing features like clapping, highlighting favorite passages, and facilitating meaningful discussions through comments.
Shift towards curated content
Starting in 2015, Medium shifted towards a curated approach to surface the most compelling articles. The platform employed editors who handpicked exceptional stories, giving greater visibility to high-quality content. This curation strategy distinguished Medium as a platform that emphasized quality and relevance.
Monetization efforts
To create sustainable opportunities for writers, Medium introduced monetization initiatives, including the Medium Partner Program in 2016. This program allowed writers to earn revenue based on engagement and reading time, giving them the option to place their articles behind Medium’s paywall. By rewarding creators and providing readers with ad-free, premium content, Medium aimed to build a sustainable ecosystem that supported both creators and readers.
Personalization and auto-curation
In the 2020s, Medium heavily focused on personalization and curation by leveraging algorithms and machine learning.
By analyzing users’ reading behavior, the platform provides personalized article recommendations aligned with their interests.
Additionally, Medium’s editorial team continues to curate and highlight outstanding articles, promoting diverse voices and unique perspectives, most recently with the boost mechanism. Boost gives more control to human editors and publication owners who can recommend submitted stories for the boosting algorithm.
The bottom line
To me, Medium has revolutionized blogging. Away from traditional platforms that depend on SEO and sharing methods to gain traction, to a built-in audience-driven approach with a subscription model to counter the growing advertisement space.
In my eyes, Medium’s journey from a simple, user-friendly platform to a curated, subscription-based ecosystem reflects the team’s commitment to empowering individual voices, helping readers find great content, and paying writers for their words without relying on ads.
That’s why I love Medium.
