medium vs own blog seo: where should you publish?

Let’s be honest: deciding between publishing on Medium or your own blog for better SEO is like choosing between a fancy coworking space with free coffee and your own slightly-messy home office. Both have perks. Both have quirks. And both can leave you wondering if you’re making the “right” move for your business’s organic traffic and long-term growth.

At BloggingMachine.io, we’ve seen this debate play out more times than we’ve seen the “Monday motivation” hashtag. So, let’s cut through the noise, sprinkle in some wit, and get to the heart of the “medium vs own blog seo” conundrum — with a little help from recent research, expert insights, and a dash of self-aware humor.

The Quick Take: Medium vs Your Own Blog

If you’re here for the TL;DR (we get it, lunch breaks are short), here’s the gist:

Medium: Fast exposure, built-in audience, but you’re building on “rented land.”
Your Own Blog: Slower start, but you own everything — traffic, data, and destiny.

But let’s not stop at the surface. Let’s dig into the details, because that’s where the SEO magic (and the occasional existential crisis) happens.

Organic Traffic & Audience Reach: The Fast Lane vs. The Scenic Route

Medium: Instant Gratification, Sort Of

Medium is like that trendy downtown café — walk in, and you’re surrounded by people. With over 100 million monthly readers, Medium’s built-in audience means your post can get eyeballs fast, especially if you land in a popular publication or get featured by Medium’s recommendation engine (source).

But here’s the catch: most of this traffic stays within Medium’s ecosystem. You can’t easily collect email addresses or retarget visitors. It’s like hosting a party in someone else’s house — fun, but you don’t get to keep the guest list.

Your Own Blog: Slow Burn, Big Payoff

Publishing on your own blog is more like starting a garden. It takes time, patience, and maybe a few “why aren’t people reading this?” moments. But as your site’s authority grows, so does your organic traffic. And the best part? You own your audience. Build an email list, retarget, and nurture relationships however you like (source).

Domain Authority & Google Indexing: Who Gets the SEO Juice?

Medium: Riding the High DA Wave

Medium.com boasts a domain authority (DA) of 95+ (source), which means your articles can rank quickly for less competitive keywords. Google indexes Medium content rapidly, so your post could show up in search results within hours.

But, and it’s a big but, all that SEO juice benefits Medium — not your brand. Your content lives under Medium’s domain, so you’re not building up your own site’s authority.

Your Own Blog: Building Your Castle

With your own blog, every post adds to your domain’s authority. Over time, this compounds, making it easier for all your content to rank. Plus, you control technical SEO — meta tags, schema markup, site structure, and all the nerdy stuff that makes Google happy (source).

Content Ownership & Control: Who’s Really in Charge?

Medium: The Landlord Always Wins

On Medium, you’re subject to their rules, policies, and design. If Medium changes its algorithm, policies, or (gulp) shuts down, your content and followers could vanish faster than free donuts in the break room. Customization is limited, and you can’t fully brand your space.

Your Own Blog: You’re the Boss

With your own blog, you own everything — content, design, data, and destiny. Want to redesign your site? Go wild. Need to export or repurpose your content? No problem. You’re not at the mercy of anyone else’s platform changes.

Monetization: Show Me the Money (Or At Least Coffee Money)

Medium: The Partner Program Gamble

Medium’s Partner Program pays based on member reading time and engagement. Some writers make a decent side income; others, not so much. Earnings are unpredictable and subject to Medium’s ever-changing algorithms (source).

Your Own Blog: Multiple Revenue Streams

Your own blog is a monetization playground: ads, affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, digital products, memberships — you name it. You keep all the revenue and control the user experience. No need to split the pie with anyone (unless you want to).

Long-Term Growth: Playing the Long Game

Medium: Great for Exposure, Not for Assets

Medium is fantastic for quick wins, thought leadership, and building a writing portfolio. But for long-term SEO growth and brand building? Not so much. You’re always building on someone else’s platform.

Your Own Blog: Compound Interest for Content

Your own blog is an asset that grows over time. Every post adds value, builds authority, and attracts organic traffic. Advanced SEO strategies — internal linking, content silos, schema markup — are all at your fingertips. It’s the difference between renting and owning.

Recent Trends & Best Practices (2025): What’s New?

AI and SEO: AI-driven search and content recommendations are making high-quality, original content more important than ever. Both platforms benefit from clear, authoritative writing, but your own blog allows for deeper technical optimization (source).
Hybrid Approach: Many experts recommend publishing original content on your own blog and syndicating or cross-posting to Medium for extra reach. Always use canonical tags to avoid duplicate content issues.
Regulations & Policies: Medium’s policies can change without warning. With your own blog, you’re only subject to general web regulations and your own rules.

Expert Insights

“If your goal is to build a long-term asset and brand, nothing beats owning your own blog. Medium is great for exposure, but you’re always building on rented land.” — SEO Consultant, 2024

“Medium’s built-in audience is a huge advantage for new writers, but you sacrifice control and long-term SEO benefits.” — Digital Marketing Agency Owner

The Hybrid Strategy: Best of Both Worlds?

Why not both? Publish on your own blog first (where you own the SEO benefits), then syndicate to Medium with a canonical link back to your site. This way, you get exposure without sacrificing long-term growth. It’s like having your cake and eating it, too — without worrying about who’s washing the dishes.

How BloggingMachine.io Makes It Effortless

Let’s be real: consistently creating SEO-optimized, engaging content is hard. That’s where we come in. At BloggingMachine.io, our AI agent handles everything — from keyword research to content creation — so you can focus on running your business (or, you know, finally taking that lunch break).

Effortless SEO: Our AI generates articles that are optimized for search engines and readers alike.
Consistent Quality: No more writer’s block or inconsistent posting schedules.
Scalable Growth: Increase organic traffic without hiring an in-house team or burning out your current one.

Ready to scale your content and own your SEO destiny? Check us out.

FAQ: Medium vs Own Blog SEO

Q: Will publishing on Medium hurt my own blog’s SEO? A: Not if you use canonical tags when syndicating content. This tells Google which version is the “original,” so you don’t get penalized for duplicate content.

Q: Can I build an email list on Medium? A: Not directly. Medium doesn’t let you collect email addresses, so you’ll need to direct readers to your own site for sign-ups.

Q: Which is better for monetization? A: Your own blog offers more flexibility and control over monetization strategies. Medium’s Partner Program can be a nice bonus, but it’s less predictable.

Q: How fast will my content rank on Google? A: Medium posts can rank quickly due to high domain authority, but your own blog’s ranking speed improves as your site authority grows.

Q: Should I use both platforms? A: Absolutely! Publish on your own blog first, then syndicate to Medium with proper canonical tags for maximum reach and SEO benefit.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to “medium vs own blog seo,” the answer isn’t one-size-fits-all. Medium is great for quick exposure and tapping into a built-in audience. Your own blog is unbeatable for long-term SEO, brand building, and content ownership. For most businesses, a hybrid approach — supported by effortless, AI-powered content creation from BloggingMachine.io — delivers the best results.

So, whether you’re team “instant exposure” or team “slow and steady,” remember: the best blog is the one you actually publish. And if you can automate the hard parts? Even better.

Medium vs Own Blog SEO: Where Should You Publish?