Substack - Smart Marketing Move Or One To Avoid?
Should you be using Substack as a marketing platform? Here’s my hot take…
Heard everyone going on about Substack? Already had 5 emails this week inviting you to subscribe to a friend’s Medium feed?
And you’re wondering (or the FOMO has got you panicking into thinking) - SHIT do I need to be on Substack too?
We’ve seen it before with so many different new channels tat pop-up. Some of them flop, some of them fly.
So how do you know when to adopt a new marketing platform. AND is Substack or Medium ‘The One’?
Here’s what I think…
First, what is Substack, and Medium?
Substack and Medium are platforms where you can share your writing AND, here’s the clincher - charge a subscription for people to get access to said writing.
Neat, huh?
Yeah… IF you’re a writer/ content creator/ or someone who is writing with the intention to get paid for said writing.
BUT.
If you’re writing content for MARKETING purposes (creating a way to attract, warm up and convert your audience into paying customers/ clients) - it DOESN’T make ANY sense to be creating content and then putting it on Substack or Medium.
Here’s why I DON’T think Substack, or Medium is a good place to be spending your time
You know you have a blog right? It might be looking a little dusty right now but that blog, on your website, is your home on the internet. The place where everyone comes to find out more about you, become raving fans and BUY from you.
But people can discover me on Substack/ Medium, and I can build an audience there - I hear you cry!!
Erm…. If you put your content on your blog (blog posts, podcast show notes, video content, Images etc). People can discover you through something all the more powerful - SEARCH.
When you’re creating and sharing content on your blog. People can find you by searching for stuff that’s connected to your content on Google, YouTube, Pinterest, Podcast apps etc.
Here’s the BIG, juicy, fire in my belly takeaway about Substack and Medium…
I really don’t want you to get sucked into, (or FOMO-D into) creating content for yet another platform that you’re NOT IN CONTROL OF! And end up neglecting your home on the internet - your website.
Let that sink in.
If you’ve ever felt frustrated by *ahem* certain other platforms that love to fiddle with the algorithm, make you pay to achieve the reach you once had organically, introduce more and more types of content you feel pressured into creating to get seen. You miiiight want to take a long hard look at Substack or Medium before you commit.
Because let’s be honest. Like social media platforms, as much as Substack and Medium looovvve to talk about how passionate they are about helping you share your content with your adoring fans…
They’re also passionate about making money - from your subscriptions (and they can change how much of a % they’re taking at any time - you know the Substack and Medium pricing is going to change right?), and maybe in the future, from ads.
What’s the alternative to Substack & Medium?
Your website is the home that you OWN. The home where you can pick the curtain fabric and rip up the carpets to reveal Victorian floorboards - the dream right?
Substack & Medium are the home you rent. The home where you have to live with magnolia walls, sporadic price increases, nightmare landlords and knowing it could be taken away from you at any moment.
If you want to:
Get discovered by your people
Develop a writing habit
Create marketing content you love creating
Nurture your audience & sell
Please, for the love of god, do it on your blog and nurture your home on the internet - the one you’re in complete control of.
That will mean people can find you through SEARCH and from your website, filter through to your products and services - where they can BUY from you.
That actually is pretty neat - AMMI RIGHT?
Those are my quite opinionated opinions on Substack & Medium. (soz, I got *passionate* there).
Who knows, maybe in the future I’ll change my mind. But for now, here’s one last plea for you freedom-seeking, business-building queen:
Don’t let FOMO mean you end up neglecting your cosy home on the internet, to get sucked into creating content for another platform that gets you jumping through hoops (or paying) for visibility.
OK, TED talk complete ;)
Wanna back-pocket this post for the next time you have a FOMO Substack wobble? Pin it for later:
