Medium vs Self-Hosted Blog: Which Is Better for SEO?
4 min read
Medium offers convenience but limits your SEO control. A self-hosted blog gives you full ownership of your content and URLs.
Comparison
| Factor | Medium | Self-Hosted |
|---|---|---|
| Domain authority | Uses medium.com (their authority) | Builds your own domain authority |
| URL control | Limited (medium.com/@user/title-hash) | Full control |
| Content ownership | Medium can change ToS | You own everything |
| Monetization | Medium Partner Program | Ads, affiliates, anything |
| SEO customization | Minimal | Full (meta tags, schema, sitemap) |
| Setup effort | Zero | Moderate |
Recommendation
Self-host for serious SEO. Use Medium for distribution only (with canonical URLs pointing to your site).