A Comparative Analysis of Earnings
Which Platform gives better income?

I began my digital writing journey full of optimism, aiming to leverage affiliate marketing through book review articles.
My goal was clear — establish a passive income stream.
However, the outcome of this venture led me to a surprising discovery.
Despite my strategic efforts in affiliate marketing, my engagement with Medium proved more financially fruitful.
This revelation surprised me and prompted a thorough reassessment of my online monetization strategies, shedding light on the varied dynamics of digital content earnings.
Passive Income through Affiliate Marketing
My initial dive into affiliate marketing was motivated by its potential for passive income generation.
The premise was enticing — create engaging content, embed affiliate links, draw in readers, and earn commissions.
Yet, the reality was more complex and nuanced.
Despite my meticulous approach to crafting and placing affiliate links within my book reviews, the resulting earnings were disappointing — a mere $2.23, accounting for only 39% of my total income from these efforts.
More Lucrative Path on Medium
In contrast to my affiliate marketing outcomes, my endeavors on Medium revealed a more promising avenue for revenue.
The platform’s vast readership and supportive environment translated into $3.52 earnings from the same 14 articles, representing about 61% of my total income.
Though seemingly modest, these figures highlighted Medium’s key advantage—its potential to offer a more reliable and direct income source compared to the indirect and fluctuating nature of affiliate marketing.
Analyzing Platform Dynamics and Earnings Potential
Diving deeper into Medium and affiliate marketing details, I noted significant differences in their revenue models.
Medium rewards writers based on reader engagement and time spent on articles, establishing a link between content quality and earnings.
This contrasts with the uncertain and sporadic income from affiliate marketing, which relies heavily on consumer purchasing decisions.
Over two months, I observed that my Medium articles earned variably yet demonstrated the platform’s capacity to reward well-received content consistently.
Reflecting on Lessons Learned and Looking Ahead
Reflecting on this comparative analysis, I recognize that while I was initially drawn to affiliate marketing’s passive income promise, my experiences underline Medium’s superior stability and reliability as an income source for digital content creators.
Although affiliate marketing remains a potential income avenue, its success is less predictable and more influenced by external factors.
In contrast, Medium’s transparent and engagement-based revenue model offers a more stable and predictable earning path.

This experience with Medium and affiliate marketing has been eye-opening, emphasizing the importance of platform choice in content monetization.
Medium’s model, predicated on direct engagement, offers more transparent and sustainable financial returns.
The insights gained from this experience will be instrumental in guiding my future strategies, reinforcing platform selection’s critical role in achieving success in online writing.
My Top Book Reviews:
1 — Get Backed — Book Review
2 — Starting a Tech Business — Book Review
3 — The Samsung Way — A Book Review
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