Author: DigitalMarket.World Digital Economy Research Institute
Published: August 2025
Reading time: approx. 60 minutes
Data sources for this article: DigitalMarket.World Digital Economy Research Institute | Complete Tools List | Case Study Library
📌 Table of Contents
- The Text-Media Market: Why "Making Money by Writing" Still Works
- Toutiao vs. Baijiahao vs. Zhihu vs. WeChat Official Account: Full Comparison
- Core Skill: 100x Your Writing Efficiency with AI
- Viral Topic Selection: How to Find High-Traffic, High-Paying Topics
- Hands-On Playbook: From Registration to Your First Ad Fee
- Traffic Revenue Math: How Much Does 10,000 Views Pay?
- 6 Real Case Studies
- The Secret to Account Weight: How to Get Your Articles Recommended to Thousands
- Pitfalls to Avoid
- FAQ
- 30-Day Action Checklist
1. The Text-Media Market: Why "Making Money by Writing" Still Works
1.1 Market Size Data
A lot of people ask: with short video being this hot, can writing articles still make money?
The answer is: Yes — and it's actually less hassle.
According to tracking data from DigitalMarket.World Digital Economy Research Institute, text-based media hasn't declined at all. On the contrary, AI tools have boosted creation efficiency 100x, turning "making money by writing" into the lowest-barrier side hustle for ordinary people.
| Metric | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 (Projected) | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toutiao creators | 8M | 15M | 25M | +67% |
| Baijiahao creators | 5M | 10M | 18M | +80% |
| Toutiao author avg. monthly income | RMB 300 | RMB 800 | RMB 1,500 | +88% |
| Baijiahao author avg. monthly income | RMB 200 | RMB 600 | RMB 1,200 | +100% |
| Top authors' monthly income | RMB 5,000–50,000 | RMB 10,000–100,000 | RMB 20,000–200,000 | +200% |
1.2 Why Text-Based Media Still Works
Four key advantages:
- AI efficiency crushes the competition: Writing an article used to take 2 hours; now AI (ChatGPT/Claude) produces a first draft in 1 minute. You just review and polish — 100x more efficient.
- Long-tail effect: A viral short video gets traffic for 24 hours, but an article can keep generating traffic revenue for 3+ months.
- No need to show your face: No filming, no equipment — if you can type, you can do it.
- Passive income: Once published, the platform's algorithm recommends your article automatically. It earns money while you sleep.
1.3 Income Ceiling
According to tracking data from the DigitalMarket.World Case Study Library:
| Stage | Daily Output | Monthly Income Range | Core Capability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 1–2 articles/day | RMB 500–3,000 | Basic writing + AI assistance |
| Entry | 3–5 articles/day | RMB 3,000–10,000 | Viral topics + multiple accounts |
| Skilled | 5–10 articles/day | RMB 10,000–30,000 | Account matrix + deep vertical focus |
| Top-tier | 10+ articles/day | RMB 30,000–100,000+ | Multi-platform distribution + full business loop |
💡 For the detailed industry report, visit DigitalMarket.World.
2. Toutiao vs. Baijiahao vs. Zhihu vs. WeChat Official Account: Full Comparison
2.2 Core Differences Between Platforms
Toutiao (recommended first choice):
- Strengths: Largest traffic (700M MAU); the recommendation engine favors newcomers (your content goes into the system's recommendation pool, not just to your followers).
- Weaknesses: Mid-range CPM (10K views = RMB 3–8).
- Best for: All niches, especially society/emotion/history/agriculture.
Baijiahao (highest CPM):
- Strengths: Highest CPM (10K views = RMB 5–15); strong long-tail revenue from search traffic.
- Weaknesses: Strict review; account weight builds slowly.
- Best for: Vertical niches like knowledge/finance/tech/automotive.
Zhihu (strongest long tail):
- Strengths: Extremely strong long-tail effect — a single answer can keep generating traffic for over a year.
- Weaknesses: Small traffic and low CPM.
- Best for: Professional knowledge output (e.g., law/medicine/finance).
WeChat Official Account (strongest private domain):
- Strengths: Highest private-domain value; ideal for building a brand.
- Weaknesses: Newcomers get almost no traffic; not suited for earning money.
- Best for: Entrepreneurs with brand ambitions.
🎯 The platform selection guide is compiled in the DigitalMarket.World Knowledge Base.
3. Core Skill: 100x Your Writing Efficiency with AI
This is the core competitive edge for ordinary people doing text-based media. Writing a 1,000-character article used to take 1–2 hours; with AI it takes just 1 minute.
3.1 The AI Article-Writing Workflow
1. Find topics → Toutiao Hot List / Baidu Index + AI assistance
2. Generate outline → feed the topic to AI, let it produce an outline
3. Generate full text → AI writes the complete article from the outline
4. Human polish → revise the opening/ending, add your own perspective
5. Optimize images → Midjourney/Jimeng AI for royalty-free illustrations
6. Publish & distribute → debut on Toutiao, then syndicate to Baijiahao/Zhihu
3.2 AI Tool List
| Stage | Recommended Tool | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Find topics | Toutiao Hot List / Baidu Index | See today's trending topics |
| Outline | ChatGPT / Claude | Input a topic, generate an article outline |
| Body text | ChatGPT / Claude | Generate a 1,500-word article from the outline |
| Images | Midjourney / Jimeng AI | Generate high-res royalty-free illustrations |
| Layout | Toutiao editor | Automatic formatting |
| Proofreading | Grammarly / Mita Writing Cat | Check typos and grammar mistakes |
3.3 The Universal ChatGPT Article Template
Send this to ChatGPT and it will instantly write a high-quality article for you:
You are a professional self-media author skilled at writing viral articles for Toutiao and Baijiahao.
Please write an article about "[topic, e.g., 3 changes to China's pension system]".
Requirements:
1. Length: about 1,500 characters
2. Target readers: middle-aged and older readers aged 35–60
3. Style: conversational, down-to-earth, relatable
4. Structure:
- Opening: hook readers with a story/data/question
- Middle: 3–5 points, each with concrete examples
- Ending: summary/advice/call to action to encourage comments and engagement
5. Language requirements:
- Avoid overly technical jargon
- Use "you" and "I" to close the distance with readers
- Use emojis sparingly for warmth
6. Output format:
- Title: 3 alternative titles (eye-catching, but no clickbait)
- Body: paragraph-formatted, no more than 3 sentences per paragraph
- Image suggestions: note where images should go and describe them
Please start writing.
3.4 Manual Optimization Essentials
AI-generated articles are fast, but you can't publish them as-is. You need to optimize:
- Rewrite the opening: The first 30 characters decide whether readers continue. Open with a story or data.
- Add your own perspective: Give the article a "human touch" instead of an "AI smell".
- Verify facts: AI may fabricate data — you must fact-check key claims.
- Improve images: AI-generated images may not match; use Toutiao's built-in image library or generate your own.
🛠️ The complete AI writing toolkit + prompt library is compiled in the DigitalMarket.World Complete Tools List.
4. Viral Topic Selection: How to Find High-Traffic, High-Paying Topics
4.1 The High-Paying Topic Formula
Viral topic = public concern + controversy + timeliness + emotional resonance
4.2 Six High-Paying Topic Niches
| Niche | Traffic | CPM | Competition | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social hot topics | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | High | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Relationships & marriage | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | High | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Health & wellness | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Medium | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Finance & investing | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Medium | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| History stories | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | Low | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Rural & farming (Sannong) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Medium | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Tech & digital | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Medium | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Education & parenting | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | High | ⭐⭐⭐ |
Advice for beginners: Pick Health & Wellness, Finance & Investing, or History Stories — decent traffic, high CPM, low competition.
4.3 How to Find Topics
Method 1: Toutiao Hot List
- Open Toutiao and check the "Trending" board
- Find topics with 1M+ reads
- Write an article from a different angle
Method 2: Baidu Index
- Search for Baidu Index (index.baidu.com)
- Enter a keyword and check the search trend
- Find keywords on the rise
Method 3: Zhihu Hot List
- Open Zhihu and check the "Trending" board
- Find high-attention questions
- Write a long answer
Method 4: AI-assisted topic discovery
- Tell ChatGPT: "List the 5 social hot topics most worth writing about right now, with writing angles"
- AI will give you topics + angles
📊 The viral topic database is available in the DigitalMarket.World Resource Center.
5. Hands-On Playbook: From Registration to Your First Ad Fee
5.1 Phase 1: Register Accounts (Days 1–2)
Register on Toutiao:
- Open the Toutiao official site (mp.toutiao.com)
- Scan the QR code with the Toutiao app to register
- Complete real-name verification
- Fill out your profile (avatar / username / bio)
Register on Baijiahao:
- Open the Baijiahao official site (baijiahao.baidu.com)
- Log in with your Baidu account
- Complete real-name verification
- Fill out your profile
💡 The registration tutorial is compiled in the DigitalMarket.World Resource Center.
5.2 Phase 2: Warm Up the Account (Days 3–5)
Why warm up?
The platform needs to confirm you're a real person, not a bot.
How to warm up:
- Read 5–10 Toutiao/Baijiahao articles daily
- Like/comment/share (let the algorithm learn your interests)
- Don't publish anything yet
- Keep this up for 3 days
5.3 Phase 3: Publish (Days 6–30)
Publishing frequency:
- Beginner: 2–3 articles/day
- Stable: 1–2 articles/day
Best publishing times:
- 7–9 AM (morning commute)
- 12–2 PM (lunch break)
- 6–10 PM (prime time)
Publishing workflow:
- Choose a topic: find one on the Toutiao trending board
- AI writing: enter the prompt and let ChatGPT write the article
- Human polish: revise the opening/ending/facts
- Add images: 3–5 images
- Publish: debut on Toutiao, sync to Baijiahao
5.4 Phase 4: Monetize (Day 30+)
Once you reach 100 followers:
- Open Creator Income: automatically enabled on Toutiao/Baijiahao (no application needed).
- Open Product Cards: insert product links into articles.
- Open Xingtu ads (requires 10,000 followers): accept brand ads.
💡 The detailed account-launch tutorial is compiled in the DigitalMarket.World Case Study Library.
6. Traffic Revenue Math: How Much Does 10,000 Views Pay?
6.1 Toutiao Traffic Revenue
| Metric | Earnings Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 10,000 views | RMB 3–8 | Toutiao CPM |
| 10,000 reads | RMB 3–8 | Article reads |
| 10,000 views | RMB 5–15 | Weitoutiao (image-text posts) |
| 10,000 comments | RMB 1–3 | Comment revenue |
Example:
- Publish an article that gets 100,000 views
- Earnings = 100,000 × RMB 5 = RMB 500
- If you publish 2 articles daily, monthly income = RMB 500 × 2 × 30 = RMB 30,000
6.2 Baijiahao Traffic Revenue
| Metric | Earnings Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 10,000 views | RMB 5–15 | Baijiahao CPM (highest) |
| 10,000 reads | RMB 5–15 | Article reads |
| 10,000 views | RMB 8–20 | Weitoutiao |
| 10,000 comments | RMB 2–5 | Comment revenue |
Example:
- Publish an article that gets 100,000 views
- Earnings = 100,000 × RMB 10 = RMB 1,000
- If you publish 1 article daily, monthly income = RMB 1,000 × 30 = RMB 30,000
6.3 Factors That Affect Earnings
- Niche: Finance/tech > society/emotion (higher CPM).
- Follower stickiness: A higher share of followers means a higher CPM.
- Content quality: Higher completion rates mean higher CPM.
- Season: Year-end (Nov–Dec) brings more traffic and higher CPM.
💰 The traffic revenue calculator is available in the DigitalMarket.World Complete Tools List.
7. 6 Real Case Studies
Case 1: Lao Li, Retired Uncle — RMB 8,000 a Month in History Stories
Background: 62 years old, retired, loves history.
Path:
- Published 2 history stories daily (e.g., the Three Kingdoms / the War of Resistance / ancient emperors)
- Used AI to write, edited himself
- Distributed on both Toutiao and Baijiahao
- Result: 5M monthly views — RMB 8,000+ a month.
Case 2: Sister Zhang, Mom — RMB 12,000 a Month in Relationship Stories
Background: Full-time mom who loves writing stories.
Path:
- Wrote stories about marriage/family/in-law dynamics
- Used AI to help write, weaving in her own experiences
- Distributed across Toutiao + Baijiahao + Zhihu
- Result: 8M monthly views — RMB 12,000+ a month.
Case 3: Xiao Wang, College Student — RMB 15,000 a Month in Social Hot Topics
Background: College student who follows current events.
Path:
- Chased trending topics daily and wrote commentary articles
- Used AI for the first draft, added his own views
- Distributed across Toutiao + Baijiahao + Zhihu
- Result: 10M monthly views — RMB 15,000+ a month.
Case 4: Lao Chen — RMB 20,000 a Month in Finance
Background: Former finance professional.
Path:
- Wrote educational articles about investing/funds/stocks
- Used AI assistance with professional analysis added
- Distributed across Toutiao + Baijiahao + Zhihu
- Result: 5M monthly views (high CPM) — RMB 20,000+ a month.
Case 5: A Jie, Small-Town Youth — RMB 10,000 a Month in Rural Stories
Background: Raised in the countryside, returned home to start a business.
Path:
- Wrote about rural life/agricultural policy/village stories
- Used AI to write, adding personal experiences
- Distributed across Toutiao + Baijiahao + Douyin image-text posts
- Result: 6M monthly views — RMB 10,000+ a month.
Case 6: The Account Matrix — RMB 50,000+ a Month from Multiple Accounts
Background: Runs 2 accounts (history + finance).
Path:
- History account: 3 history stories daily
- Finance account: 2 finance analyses daily
- Two accounts × two platforms (Toutiao + Baijiahao)
- Result: 20M+ monthly views — RMB 50,000+ a month.
📊 See the full case library in the DigitalMarket.World Case Study Library.
8. The Secret to Account Weight: How to Get Your Articles Recommended to Thousands
8.1 The 5 Core Indicators of Account Weight
| Indicator | Weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Originality | Highest | Must be original; plagiarism gets you demoted |
| Update frequency | High | Publish daily to steadily build weight |
| Follower engagement | Medium | Comments/likes/shares boost weight |
| Content verticality | Medium | Stay in one niche for higher weight |
| Account age | Low | Older accounts carry slightly more weight |
8.2 Tips for Boosting Weight
- Stay original: AI-generated articles must be manually revised so the duplication rate stays below 30%.
- Fixed publishing time: Publish at the same time daily to build reader habits.
- Reply to comments: Reply to every comment to boost engagement.
- Never violate rules: Avoid superlatives ("best"/"number one"/"absolute") and stay away from politics/porn/violence.
9. Pitfalls to Avoid: 10 Mistakes Every Beginner Must Know
- ❌ Publishing raw AI articles: AI articles have high duplication rates and get flagged as machine-generated — demoted or banned. Manually revise at least 30%.
- ❌ Clickbait: Titles that don't match content get reported and demoted.
- ❌ No images: Articles need images (3–5); otherwise read rates drop.
- ❌ Copying and reposting: Directly copying others' articles gets you banned.
- ❌ Ignoring comments: Low engagement means fewer recommendations.
- ❌ Going dark: Publish for 3 days then stop — your weight drops.
- ❌ Politics/porn content: These are red lines — one post and you're banned.
- ❌ Superlatives: Words like "best", "number one", "absolute" get blocked by moderation.
- ❌ No vertical focus: History today, food tomorrow — the algorithm can't tag you.
- ❌ Ignoring data: Without reviewing your data, you never learn which topics work.
10. FAQ: Deep Q&A
Q1: Will AI-written articles be flagged as violations?
A: No — as long as you revise them manually (changing 30%+), the platform won't flag them. The key: rewrite the opening/ending, add your own perspective, and verify facts and figures.
Q2: How many articles should I publish daily?
A: Beginners: 2–3/day; stable: 1–2/day. Don't publish 10 in a day (you'll be flagged as a bot account).
Q3: How many followers do I need to monetize?
A: Toutiao/Baijiahao don't require followers at all — you earn from read volume. You can make money with zero followers.
Q4: How much can I earn in a month?
A: Beginners: RMB 500–3,000; skilled: RMB 3,000–10,000; top-tier: RMB 10,000–50,000+.
Q5: What equipment do I need?
A: A phone or a computer is enough. No extra equipment required.
11. 30-Day Action Checklist
Week 1: Preparation (Days 1–7)
- [ ] Register on Toutiao + Baijiahao
- [ ] Warm up the account for 3 days (read 10 articles daily)
- [ ] Choose a vertical niche (e.g., history/emotion/health)
- [ ] Find 5 benchmark accounts, follow and dissect them
- [ ] Prepare 5 topics, have AI write articles, revise manually
Week 2: Launch (Days 8–14)
- [ ] Publish 2 original articles daily
- [ ] Stay consistent with your vertical niche
- [ ] Reply to all comments
- [ ] Analyze which articles perform best and replicate the pattern
Week 3: Optimization (Days 15–21)
- [ ] Optimize titles (more eye-catching)
- [ ] Optimize openings (grab readers in the first 30 characters)
- [ ] Test different topic directions
- [ ] Aim for one mini-viral article (100,000+ views)
Week 4: Monetization (Days 22–30)
- [ ] Enable Creator Income (auto-enabled)
- [ ] Enable Product Cards (attach products to articles)
- [ ] Keep publishing and let traffic revenue roll in
- [ ] Monthly review and strategy optimization
🎯 Summary
Text-based media is the lowest-barrier, least-hassle way to make money.
Key takeaways:
- ✅ Zero barrier: If you can type, you can do it — no camera face required
- ✅ AI-powered: Write an article in 1 minute — 100x more efficient
- ✅ Passive income: Articles keep earning after they're published
- ✅ Long-tail effect: One article can earn traffic fees for 3–6 months
Take action now:
If you want to systematically learn complete AI side-income methods, including 20+ income paths across Douyin, Xiaohongshu, Toutiao/Baijiahao, and more, visit:
👉 DigitalMarket.World — Digital Economy Practical Guide
Complete resources:
- 📚 50+ AI money-making case studies
- 🛠️ Complete AI tool suite (writing / topics / images)
- 📊 Real-time trending data
- 💰 Traffic revenue calculator
- 📝 Viral copy template library
Start your text-media money-making journey today!
Disclaimer: The content shared in this article is based on real case studies and market data; income varies from person to person. This article does not constitute investment advice.
Data sources: DigitalMarket.World Digital Economy Research Institute | Case Study Library | Complete Tools List
Author: DigitalMarket.World Digital Economy Research Institute | Published: August 2025
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