Medium Business Model Canvas: Complete BMC Analysis
The Medium Business Model Canvas reveals how Ev Williams (Twitter co-founder) built a quality-focused publishing platform that pays writers based on reader engagement. This BMC framework analysis covers Medium's nine building blocks and demonstrates how the platform balances reader experience with creator monetization.
Value Propositions: Quality Over Quantity
Medium's Value Propositions include a clean reading experience, curated quality content, the Partner Program for writer earnings, and no ads for subscribers. Unlike the newsletter ownership model in the Substack Business Model Canvas, Medium aggregates content under one subscription, offering readers variety and writers built-in distribution.
Revenue Streams: Reader Subscriptions
Medium's Revenue Streams derive from member subscriptions ($5/month or $50/year), with a portion distributed to writers based on read time. This reader-funded model differs from advertising approaches in the Meta Business Model Canvas and Google Business Model Canvas, and contrasts with the creator-owned subscriptions of Substack.
Customer Segments in the BMC
Medium's Customer Segments include readers seeking quality content, writers wanting built-in audiences, publications curating content, and businesses using Medium for thought leadership. This two-sided platform serves both creators and consumers, similar to the Spotify Business Model Canvas artist-listener dynamic.
Key Resources: Content and Community
The Key Resources block includes the publishing platform, Partner Program infrastructure, recommendation algorithms, established publications, and writer community. This content ecosystem parallels the creator networks in the Patreon Business Model Canvas and TikTok Business Model Canvas.
Key Partners and Key Activities
Medium's Key Partners include writers, publications, payment processors like Stripe, and content curation partners. Key Activities encompass platform development, content curation, writer payments, and quality moderation. This curation focus differentiates from the open publishing of Substack.
Channels and Customer Relationships
Medium's Channels include medium.com, mobile apps, email digests, and SEO-driven discovery. Customer Relationships leverage personalized recommendations, the Partner Program, publication features, and community highlights. This algorithmic discovery resembles the Spotify Business Model Canvas playlist approach.
Cost Structure Analysis
Medium's Cost Structure includes platform development, writer payouts (majority of subscription revenue), content moderation, and hosting. The model prioritizes long-form quality over viral content, contrasting with engagement-maximizing approaches in the TikTok Business Model Canvas.
Comparing Content Platform Business Model Canvases
Study related BMC examples: Substack BMC for newsletter ownership, Patreon BMC for creator memberships, Spotify BMC for content aggregation, and the Subscription Business Model Canvas for reader-funded media strategies.