Can you please clarify exactly how claps from paying members are related to payouts of subscription revenues to writers?
I think many are under the impression that claps from paying members directly control the payouts of their subscription revenue to writers.
But that seems inconsistent with the actual terms of the Partner Program.
Some clarification may be helpful in making sure everyone is on the right (and same!) page. :)
Please clarify:
- How Medium, at this point in time, intends to use the claps of paying members in determining payments to writers;
- What a paying member should in fact expect the impact of her claps to be, in terms of directing her subscription revenue to specific writers; and
- What a writer or publisher should legally expect the impact of claps from paying members to be, in terms of generating revenue from their content on Medium.
I distinguish between intentions and expectations not to be difficult, but because the distinction really matters here.
Members will be making financial decisions (“I’m going to pay Medium $5 because I want to financially support specific writers I like”) based on their understanding of how their $5 is distributed to writers.
Writers and publishers will be making business decisions (“I’m going to invest resources into using Medium, because I can make money by writing content that paying members clap for”) based on their understanding of how their revenue on Medium will be determined.
It’s important that in making these decisions everyone knows both (1) what Medium intends and (2) exactly what they can expect and count on.
Thanks!
