Substack
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A new player in the content platform game. Read time: 4 mins Hi Reader, Lately, I’ve been thinking about Substack. It keeps popping up. On podcasts, in interviews, and in the bios of creators and writers I admire. I can't help but think: should I be over there too? Platforms come and go, but some become movements. Substack is trying to be one. That matters, because the tools we choose to publish with shape how we share, how we grow an audience, and what kind of business (or impact) we build. But most people jump into new platforms without clarity. The excitement of “everyone’s doing it” replaces any real thinking about ownership, control, or long-term value. That’s what I want to avoid, and what I want to help you avoid too. From the experts “Some people will say relationship platforms allow you to ‘own your audience’ but that’s not the right way to think about it. Your ‘audience’ is actually a collection of individuals – and you don’t own individuals. You own the right to communicate with them (for as long as they allow you to).” — Jay Clouse, Creator Science “It seems indisputable that the current landscape of social networks is unsettled. Facebook is running out of steam in the US; Instagram is in a transitional period; Twitter is collapsing; TikTok keeps getting banned on government devices. And green shoots are starting to pop up in the landscape.” — Casey Newton, Platformer newsletter “A broadcast channel that is not algorithmically sorted and fits in with [followers’] existing messaging behaviors and sits there in that very personal space is, for me, really powerful. And it’s proven to be the case.” — Matt Navarra, social media expert “Newsletters are definitely a thing of the future. It’s one of the few ways that founders can ‘own’ the audience — to have a direct line of communication with them. That can’t happen with a social media following.” — Ann Gynn (editor at The Tilt) “It all comes down to ownership, which you can’t do with most social media platforms… Especially with all the turmoil going on with social media platforms, creators are preparing for the worst.” — Alex Valaitis, quoted in Fast Company (June 2023) Substack everywhere A wave of respected writers have opened Substack newsletters, so it’s natural to wonder whether to follow them. This email still comes from Kit, and I’m staying put for now, but Substack is firmly on my radar. Why the buzz? Substack makes paid subscriptions effortless. It also bundles a short-form feed called Notes (like a built-in Twitter thread), so readers can stumble upon your longer pieces without ever leaving the platform. It's well known as a long-form writing platform, similar to Medium or any other CMS like WordPress. Nothing impressive, as you can do that on your own website (digital land you own) and send an email through a platform like Kit or Beehiiv. Within Substack though, they have a Notes feature. A feed of short-form content similar to LinkedIn or Threads to help discoverability. It's appealing to vintage Twitter users who are fed up with Elon's X, so smart timing from Substack. A clever feature. Many creators (myself included) use social media for discoverability, and then direct attention to our long-form platforms. The success rate is... low. It's very inefficient. These platforms have no interest and are very good at keeping users within their platforms. However, on Substack, the Notes feature is on the same platform. So there's no penalisation for sharing your long-form content. Substack does it for you. Where I stand Right now I’m trimming, not adding, fronts. A redesigned website and a weekly rhythm here already fill my plate. When an idea resonates, I pin it to the blog for permanence. I’ll still test Substack down the line; first-hand experience will help me coach clients on choosing their digital home. Cautions I can't ignore
Building your business on another's platform is still a no-no. Letting a middleman (Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, etc) get between you and your audience seems irresponsible. In the end, Substack is venture capital backed. Their number one priority is to look after their investors, so growth is important. Expect them to try and make it an "all-in-one creator platform" to please investors and probably annoy users. A quick self-check Ask yourself: Do I value control or convenience? Substack bundles newsletter, social feed, podcast, and payments in one tidy place. Kit and Beehiiv hand you richer data, automations, and full ownership of your list. Never choose MailChimp or MailerLite. Seriously. Escape the algorithm - related links Video: Why creators are flocking to Substack. Should you join them? by Growth in Reverse. A 40 minute video that looks into the benefits, red flags, and not-so-obvious consequences of going all in on the platform. TED Talk: Is this the future of media? Substack cofounder Hamish McKenzie explores how independent creators care more about trust than engagement metrics, and how audiences matter more than ads. If you got this far, you're part of 68% of subscribers, so thank you, Reader. Part of the work is understanding the landscape, even if you don’t build there. If you’ve been wondering whether to switch platforms, simplify your setup, or finally commit to writing more consistently, maybe this helped. If not, reply and tell me what you’re stuck on. These decisions are about how you want to show up online. And that’s always worth taking seriously. If a section has particularly interested you, click the link of the corresponding section. It helps me prepare future newsletters. If this email was forwarded to you, please consider subscribing. See you in two weeks. Peace, Has
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