Earlier this week I saw someone on Reddit ask: “Can someone explain what Substack actually is?”
I’m sure this poster isn’t the only person who is a little bit confused. After all, Substack is a combination of many things. It’s blogs, newsletters, podcasts, social media, and group chats all rolled into one.
It means Substack can be whatever you want it to be as a reader or a creator (or both).
Want to share blog posts or podcasts, do live videos, create a community, build a following or grow an email list? You can.
Create short form content, long form content, written, audio or visual. You can do it all.
Connect with others or simply enjoy other people’s content. Up to you.
Write essays as a hobby or monetise your content. You can do both.
And while it’s great that so much is possible, I think being everything to everyone is also a downside. The platform can be a bit confusing (as the Reddit post above proves) and even a bit overwhelming.
If you come to the platform to read content from a creator you like, and then you’re suddenly bombarded with messages to download the app, subscribe to recommended publications, join the chat, pledge your support, and upgrade to a paid subscription, it can all feel a bit pushy.
If you just want somewhere to share your writing and you're constantly feeling pressured to recommend other writers, share notes, grow your list, start a referral program, and enable pledges, it can all feel a bit frustrating.
And if you’ve joined the platform because you’ve been told you can easily build a paid subscription, you might be a little disheartened when you realise it’s not easy to get subscribers (even free ones) unless you already have an established audience elsewhere or you’re willing to put in a lot of work.
If you want the best from Substack, you have to decide what you want from it (as a reader/viewer and/or a creator). If you try and do it all, it’s very easy to lose sight of why you joined in the first place.
We all know what a time drain social media can be, and Substack can be equally as draining if we let it.
Talking of social media…
I’ve lost track of the number of people I’ve spoken to who find using social media for marketing an absolute chore.
Usually, it’s because they don’t know what to post, they’re constantly trying to come up with new content (instead of recycling stuff they already have), and they get disheartened when a post about biscuits gets more engagement than a post they’ve put loads of work into.
Luckily, I have a simple strategy for attracting, nurturing and converting clients on social media, and I’ll be sharing it in my next lunch and learn on September 25th. Plus, I’ll be sharing ideas for recycling and repurposing content from other platforms so you don’t have to constantly come up with new stuff.
You can join this event for £15, or upgrade your subscription and get access to all my events for only £20 per month.
Writing tip
When you’re proofreading long-form content, try reading it on a different device. If you wrote it on your laptop, send it to your phone and vice versa. Seeing it in a different context can help you spot errors more easily.
Upcoming events
Every month, I host two live online events: a co-working session and a lunch and learn with Q&A. You can book any of these events on a pay-as-you-go basis for just £15 per session. Alternatively, join my membership and get access to both monthly events for £20 per month or £200 per year.
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