The internet, and social media in particular, can be a very complicated place.

That’s where Medium steps in. It offers an opportunity for people to share stories and ideas. 

There is no need to have a huge following, the purpose of Medium is to help you get your story out there.

In short, to help others via your own experiences. 

Anyone can join for free and users are encouraged to sign-up.

The cost is less than $5 a month and gives you access to members-only stories.

Writers are paid via the monthly subscriptions, meaning you’re directly contributing to their success. 

Medium was launched in 2012, originally as an alternative to Twitter, allowing writers to create something more meaningful than 140 characters.

It hasn’t achieved the same level of success as Twitter.

But, how many people use Medium?

Key Statistics

• Medium has 100 million monthly readers
• The site has a domain authority of 95
• 4.5 million hours are spent on Medium every month
• Medium has a valuation of $600 million
• In 2016, 140,000 stories were uploaded every week!
• The most popular Medium subject is politics
• It’s estimated Medium has 700,000 subscribers
• 68% of Medium traffic comes via mobile devices
• 49.56% of Medium’s visitors follow a search engine link
• 70% of Medium writers earn money every month

Medium Users: How Many People Use Medium?

1. Medium Has 100 Million Monthly Readers

Medium doesn’t disclose the exact amount of monthly readers it gets.

However, they recently confirmed that they were rapidly approaching 100 million active monthly readers.

That’s readers who read at least one article every month.

This figure has been growing steadily for years. Estimates suggest that reader numbers are increasing by approximately 140% every year. 

Like any business, Medium has experienced issues, such as the attempted unionization by employees.

However, it seems likely that this growth rate will continue. 

Of course, as the site becomes more popular it will be both easier and more difficult to earn money as a writer.

Higher customer numbers equate to more readers and more earning potential. 

They also mean more writers will be attracted to the site, increasing the competition and making it harder for a post to stand out. 

(Cheddar)

2. The Site Has A Domain Authority Of 95

Every website is issued with a DA, or Domain Authority, score.

This tells you how a website ranks compared to its competitors. 

Medium currently has a score of 95.

That means, if you searched on a topic which is discussed on Mediul, and listed all possible websites, Medium would be 95th in the list. 

It may not sound impressive but consider the fact that there are well over a billion websites online. 95th place is suddenly looking good!

(Moz)

3. 4.5 Million Hours Are Spent On Medium Every Month

In 2015 there were 1.9 million posts uploaded on Medium. In 2016, this lept up to 7.5 million.

Today, the number of posts exceeds 1.3 million, every month. 

That’s 15 million posts a year!

With so many articles in one place it’s not surprising that the average month sees 4.5 million hours spent reading them.

It’s estimated that the total number of hours spent on Medium in the year is over 50 million!

If you’re looking for a new audience then Medium has something to offer. 

(Medium)

4. Medium Has A Valuation Of $600 Million

Medium was started by two ex-Twitter employees.

Evan Williams and Biz Stone helped found Twitter, they then went on to start Medium. 

Interestingly, Medium doesn’t directly compete with other social media sites like Twitter.

It is dedicated to providing a forum for higher-quality writing. 

The concept was obviously appreciated by others as the business got an impressive $132 million in funding to get it off the ground.

Today, it’s valued at $600 million.

That proves the concept works and the investors are happy. 

Naturally, as Medium becomes increasingly popular its membership numbers and revenue streams will grow.

This will push the value of the business up further. 

(The Wall Street Journal)

5. In 2016, 140,000 Stories Were Uploaded Every Week!

As of 2016 it was estimated that 2 billion words had been written and published on Medium.

That’s not surprising when you consider 140,000 stories are being uploaded every week. 

Stories can be almost any length, although most people keep them relatively short to ensure readers complete the story and hopefully become subscribers. 

As of 2021 the number of stories being uploaded every week has exceeded 200,000, showing how Medium is becoming more successful. It also makes it more appealing to writers and readers. 

(Medium)

6. The Most Popular Medium Subject Is Politics

You can write about almost anything and upload it to Medium.

This is especially useful for people that simply want to share their stories and aren’t interested in building a following. 

However, if you want to monetize your stories and generate an income, you’ll need to appeal to the largest possible audience.

That means choosing one of the most popular topics. 

Currently, politics tops the list. This is probably because there are so many opinions and politics are constantly changing across the globe.

In short, there is plenty to write about and always someone to disagree with. 

If politics isn’t your thing then another very popular topic is life.

This is a general topic covering a variety of self-hemp stories and how to do things better.

This topic has over one million followers. 

Other popular topics include health, love, and even the latest technology. 

(Medium)

7. It’s Estimated Medium Has 700,000 Subscribers

In 2021 Medium reported it had over 700,000 subscribers. This is different to readers as subscribers have paid to become members of Medium. 

They gain access to members-only articles and a unique array of features. 

Medium figures released in 2019 show 400,000 subscribers, that’s a significant increase in just two years. 

Each subscriber pays a $5 monthly charge, or can have a discounted annual rate of $50.

During 2021 the site generated an income of $35 million, although the CEO would like to see this figure be much higher. 

For comparison, the Bumble dating app earned $337 million in 2020. It’s a similar size to Medium and also relies solely on subscriptions, there are no ads.

The difference is their subscription charge is substantially higher. 

(The Verge)

8. 68% Of Medium Traffic Comes Via Mobile Devices

Over the last five years the number of people using mobile devices to access the internet has overtaken desktop users. 

Mobiles have become powerful enough to rival any computer, especially when you are simply reading a story. 

Of course, a mobile device is also much more convenient and likely to be on hand when you need it. 

Medium is the perfect example of this in action. The site is mobile-friendly and 68% of its visitors arrive via a mobile device. 

That means Medium is moving with the times and ready for the future. 

(Statista)

9. 49.56% Of Medium’s Visitors Follow A Search Engine Link

The majority of Medium users return to the site once they have found it and read more articles.

However, despite a solid user base, a large number of people are directed to Medium by search engines. 

This reflects the fact Medium is less well known. 

Approximately a quarter of the traffic is direct visitors, that’s people who know about the site and use it regularly.

In contrast, Facebook traffic is 83.2% direct traffic. 

49.56% of Medium traffic comes from people undertaking web searches and finding interesting articles.

Less than 6% of the traffic comes via social media, hence there is no need for an existing following. 

Any writer can make money from a post, it just depends on how many people read it. 

(Similar Web)

10. 70% Of Medium Writers Earn Money Every Month

Medium offers writers the opportunity to share their stories and, in the process earn money.

That’s not surprising, most social media sites offer some opportunity to make money. 

What may surprise you is that, according to Medium, 70% of writers will receive some money every month. 

The statistics show that many of these will earn $100 or less.

However, there is potential to earn much larger sums.

For example, the highest earner in 2019 made $8,390.03 monthly.

In 2021, the highest earner received $49,705.40 every month!

Alongside this, Medium offers regular rewards.

Specifically, they give the top 1,000 writers a monthly bonus of $500, the next 500 get $100 each, and the following 500 get $50 each!

That’s commitment to keeping their talent on the site.

(Medium)

Joining Medium

Medium is growing rapidly, meaning that now is the time to join and make the most of the opportunities available. 

If you’re an offer the site is completely free to use. All you have to do is visit the website, create an account, and then post your first article.

You can post daily, weekly, monthly, or even yearly.

There is no contract stating when or what to post. Obviously, the more often you post the easier it is to build a following. 

As a reader you can simply visit the site. You’ll need to create an account. T

he site will guide you through the process, but it’s very simple. 

You’ll then be able to read any of the standard articles.

However, to access the most popular you’ll need to subscribe. This process is also simple. 

Payments are taken by a variety of means and the charge is just $5 per month.

This gives you access to all the articles on the site and means you are directly helping authors to make a living from their writing. 

Should you choose to subscribe, you’ll find there is no commitment.

You can just as easily unsubscribe. However, once you’ve started reading the articles this probably won’t be an option. 

Summing Up

You’re probably surprised at how many people use Medium.

After all, despite the high number of subscribers and readers, it’s still comparatively unheard of. 

The good news is the site is growing and recognition is building.

If you’re looking for somewhere to share your story or a special message, the Mediul is an excellent choice. 

Of course, if you’re looking to make a little extra money then the Medium statistics may not interest you that much.

You can simply start posting and hopefully generate a healthy part-time income.

That’s worth trying today. 

Sources