How Can I Publish an Article for Free? (Step-by-Step Guide)

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Publishing your article online doesn’t have to cost anything, even for beginners. Whether you’re a writer, a professional, a student, or a business owner, there are free platforms that not only let you post articles but also get paid, and share your ideas with the world, build a following, connect with readers and much more. Here’s how you can do it – from start to finish:

Step 1: Choose the Right Platform

Pick a platform that fits your topic, audience, and goals. Here are some popular free platforms:

1. Medium

  • Best for stories, tutorials, opinions
  • Built-in readers, good SEO, clean and minimalist layout, profile.
medium.com

2. LinkedIn Articles

  • Best for career content, business updates, thought leadership
  • For professional audience, great for networking, appears in Google search, both short and long-form allowed.
  • Once published, very difficult to track and find. Very difficult to promote on other social media platforms.

3. Substack

  • Best for newsletters, niche writing, personal essays. Who open’s newsletters now a days.
  • Email-based audience, easy to build loyal subscribers, free to start
substack

4. Blogger (by Google)

  • Best for personal blogs, diary-style content
  • Key features – fully free, supports custom domains, good SEO (Google-owned)
blogger

5. Thoxt

  • Best for all genres: news, blogs, op-eds, visual stories, short videos
  • Key features, fully free, video + article support, social features like hashtags, feeds, follows, and stats, multilingual support, easy copy-paste your images into the article, profile to showcase writing portfolio, built-in SEO and insight tools.
  • They have recently started content monetization for writers, just like youtube is for youtubers.
thoxt

6. WordPress.com

  • Best for creating your own full-fledged blog or website.
  • Key features – open-source platform
  • Publishing tool is very clunky by present standards

Tip: If your content includes visuals, short videos, or interactive features, choose a platform like Thoxt or Medium. If it’s B2B or professional content, go for LinkedIn Articles.

Step 2: Write or Upload Your Article

Here’s how to write a good article for online readers:

  1. Choose a topic – Make sure it’s relevant, useful, or interesting.
  2. Write a clear (and catchy) title – Include keywords people search for (e.g. “How to Start a Small Blog if You’re a Student”).
  3. Structure it
    • Intro – Briefly explain what the article is about.
    • Body – Add sections with H2 and H3 headings, bullet points, and short paragraphs.
    • Conclusion – End with a summary or call-to-action.
  4. Add visuals – Use relevant images, charts, or embed short videos (optional on some platforms).
  5. Proofread – Check for grammar, typos, remove duplicate or repetitive sentences and clarity.

Tools like Grammarly or HemingwayApp can help clean up your writing.

Step 3: Format and Publish on the Platform

Each platform has an editor where you can paste your article or write directly:

  • Add headings (H2, H3) for structure
  • Insert images, links, or videos
  • Choose tags or hashtags to improve discoverability
  • Hit the Publish button

Examples:

  • On Medium, click “Write a Story” > add content > “Publish”.
  • On Thoxt, click “Publish” on desktop. Or click (+) button on mobile then choose “Publish an Article” for long-form content or “Post a Thot” for short-form, also upload video intro or preview, to get more engagement or visibility for yourself as writer. (also, it’s the best way to get noticed!)
  • On LinkedIn, go to “Write an Article” on your profile.

Step 4: Make It SEO-Friendly

If you want your article to show up on Google:

  • Use keywords in the title and first paragraph (e.g. freelancing tips for students)
  • Add alt text to images
  • Link to other trusted articles or websites
  • Add internal links to your other posts (if allowed)
  • Use meta descriptions (some platforms support this)

Step 5: Share and Promote It

Just publishing is not enough. Share your article to get more readers:

  • Post on your social media accounts (Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram)
  • Share in relevant groups or forums
  • Email it to friends, colleagues, or subscribers
  • Engage with people who comment or share it

Platforms like Medium, Thoxt or Substack also help grow an audience through feeds and followers, like social media.

How to Publish an Article for Free – Step-by-Step

Step 1 – Pick a Platform

Choose a free platform like Medium, Thoxt, LinkedIn, Substack, etc., based on your audience and goals.

Step 2 – Write Your Article

Use a clear structure, title, intro, body, conclusion, and include keywords to help with SEO.

Step 3 – Format It

Add headings, links, bullet points, and images or videos (if the platform allows it) to make your article more engaging and readable.

Step 4 – Publish with Tags or Hashtags

Before hitting publish, add relevant tags/hashtags to boost visibility and help the right readers find your post.

Step 5 – Share It

Promote your article on social media, email, or forums to get more views, comments, and followers. Keep writing and sharing, both short and long form content to build a following over time. All the best!

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