As a content writer, I’ll be the first one to put my hands up and say that blog content is not what it used to be. The days of Cory Doctorow and “Buy Me a Coffee” have long since passed. Written Content fell by the wayside as video and quick status updates began to dominate our ever-shorter attention spans. Yet, as the long Twitter threads and in-depth LinkedIn deep dives prove, our desire for long-form literature online continues to grow.
Just below the surface of social media, Substack is growing. Slowly, but surely, the email-based newsletter subscription platform, for independent creators, is cementing itself as a new home for content simply not found on the big giants of the modern internet. But, what is Substack? Will it survive in the longterm? How can you and your business capitalise? Learn more right here with the help of our digital marketing experts here at Wildfire Marketing.
What is Substack?
Substack is a platform, upon which creators can supply you with a newsletter or podcast covering whatever niche you choose – directly to your email inbox for a monthly fee. Quite frankly, when we first heard about this in late 2020, we were a little bewildered. Older internet users may recall RSS, the open platform to aggregate free content from free websites into their own feeds. Whilst it’s popularity has waned, surely this still serves as a better solution? When you dig into the Substack platform, however, it becomes clear exactly why these newsletters are worth a minimum of $5/month each to over 100,000 users.
Why are People using Substack?
Cancel Culture and Tech Monopolies have pushed many voices down in recent years. These range from the unpopular to the simply unprofitable and unmarketable. From Conservative Outlets to small-time cocktail enthusiasts, you’ll find them all on Substack. The money goes directly to the creators, minus a 10% cut, and features a lax moderation policy one would expect from the co-founder of the anonymity-focussed messaging app Kik. These factors combined have created a platform to create profit for (and from) the creators ostracised from or unable to find a foothold on the internet at large.
Simply put, there is no other place to read long-form content featuring stories and recipes of Jewish Cooking than “The Jewish Table” from Leah Koenig. You’ll only find The Jewish Table on Substack, and that’s worth something to the communities often unseen on the social giants of today.
How can You Use Substack?
This question took a lot of thought on our part. Substack is a truly unique platform, and its application in the business world is still being tested. If you’re one person with something to say, perhaps on that lockdown hobby you’ve mastered on furlough, and you know how to write – get on Substack. Their fellowship program has produced writers making hundreds of thousands of dollars. If you’re a business, ask yourself one question. Does my blog content have something interesting to say? Journalists and publications will immediately answer yes, but there are a few businesses that may see more success than they think on the platform. One of the most popular blogs on the platform covers news in the chemistry world, and financial advisors are charging up to $50 a month for quality advice.
If you have content on your site, try Substack out. Content can easily be imported from any site. You may become the underground voice of a generation, earning a nice monthly income too!
Wildfire Marketing hopes this guide has shown you the exciting potential of Substack for yourself and/or your business. as the number one SEO Agency in Leeds with countless combined years of experience in Digital Marketing, we follow the world of marketing closely to provide you with the opportunities your business needs to grow. Contact us today, and ignite your Digital Marketing.