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Medium is one of the most popular blogging and digital publishing platforms on the Internet. It allows anyone to easily create and publish a blog post, with a sleek and minimalist design. Medium is popular among writers because of the Medium Partner Program which allows writers to get paid for articles that are posted on the platform.
Medium is unique because it is probably the single best blogging platform for writers who just want to write, build an audience, and get paid. Medium pays writers based on total member reading time and provides writers with a built in audience. It also is free and eliminates any effort required to start your own site.
Medium is probably the single most used platform by bloggers who have tried HubPages but are looking for alternatives.
Vocal.Media is a platform for supporting, discovering, and rewarding creators. Vocal provides the storytelling tools and engaged communities for writers, musicians, filmmakers, artists, and all types of creatives to get discovered, and fund their creativity. Vocal was designed to expand the audience for content distribution and advance writers’ efforts on monetizing their content through various features.
Vocal helps writers earn in a few different ways.
First, Vocal pays creators based on the amount of “reads” their stories receive.
- Vocal creators are paid $3.80 per 1000 reads.
- Vocal+ creators are paid $6.00 / 1000 reads.
Vocal is very similar to HubPages, but many writers who have used HubPages try Vocal, as Vocal tends to pay better than HubPages (especially if you are able to generate large amounts of traffic).
Steemit is a blogging platform with a social network and cryptocurrency component. It borrows some of the features of Reddit in that it allows users to upvote and downvote content, as well as follow topics, have discussions, and submit content of your own. However, users also have the ability to earn a share of revenues in the form of Steem cryptocurrency. Content creators, people who curate content, and commenters all have the opportunity to get paid.
Steemit is similar to HubPages in that there is a built in monetization system, however, Steemit has a very different audience than HubPages. Most readers of Steemit are tech savvy, cryptocurrency enthusiasts, or are passionate about blockchain technology.
HubPages is a user generated content, revenue-sharing website founded in 2006. The company moved from a single-site to a multi-site business model in 2016. The platform that lets you publish articles and you can earn money from those articles, depending on how many views they receive.
The HubPages writer payment system is based on a formula that primarily measures page views and your article’s contribution to display advertisement success.
But where should writers seeking an alternative to HubPages, go? Read this article covering the top HubPages alternatives.
Alternatives to HubPages
Ghost is an open source blogging platform for writers and journalists. It boasts a minimalist and straightforward user interface that simplifies blogging for its users. Ghost offers SEO tools and plugins that are built into the software, making it easy for users to optimize their content. The Ghost platform is utilized by amateur bloggers, as well as experienced editors based at large media organizations.
What really sets Ghost apart from other blogging platforms is the range of services you can easily offer. This is increasingly important in a world of blog hybrid-products, such as subscription newsletters, membership sites, gated digital content, offering courses, and selling digital products.
WordPress is one of the world’s most popular open-source platforms. More than one-third of all websites currently run on WordPress. It is commonly used as a content management system (CMS) for websites, as well as for blogging.
The appeal of WordPress is that no technical knowledge or experience is required to use it. The platform is utilized by bloggers, small business owners, and even Fortune 500 companies.
WordPress is probably the closest direct competitor to Ghost. WordPress is generally regarded as simpler to use than Ghost, while still offering a greater versatility than any other platform on this list. Perhaps the greatest strength of WordPress is its library of WordPress plugins for bloggers.
NewsBreak is a local news aggregation and digital publishing platform. The content from this platform is largely featured on the NewsBreak functions mobile app. NewsBreak now boasts 23 million monthly users with a growing network of more than 10,000 content providers. Sensor Tower estimated the app has more than 50 million installs globally across iOS and Android devices, among which more than 99% are from the U.S.
The platform originally launched with a $1,000 per month “guarantee” for writers who were accepted into their creator program and met certain publishing requirements.
It has since shifted to a model that pays a minimum per article based on a CV score of 1-10 assigned to each article published. There is also a payment rate based on page views and referrals.
Wattpad brings authors and readers together online through its website and mobile app. The platform is free for all users and promotes a social community experience based on the original stories that are shared. Both amateur and established writers publish stories on Wattpad from a wide variety of genres, including Young Adult fiction, romance, fantasy, and techno-thrillers. Wattpad has steadily grown in popularity, reaching 80 million readers and writers, due to its ease of use and simple business model.
Conclusion
HubPages is one of the more established players in the pre-monetized blogging space. And it is definitely possible for writers to make money using the platform. However, HubPages is generally not where new writers head when looking to build an audience. That’s why it’s important to consider these HubPages alternatives if you are feeling stuck writing on HubPages or are just beginning on your journey writing online.
