Transcription
When it comes to social media platforms that are really having a moment this year, Substack is at the top of everyone's list and is what everyone's really talking about. But what is Substack? How does it actually fit into your content and marketing plan? And if you're interested in adding it in and literally starting from zero, where do you even start? How do you even use it? I have been consuming content on Substack for an entire year before I started posting from zero subscribers on my own Substack. As someone who's been a content creator for the past 8 years and also is a video content strategist, content marketing I am a total nerd for. So, let's dive right on into it.
So, what is Substack? Substack indeed is a social media platform because there is an email and a newsletter element involved. I think a lot of people think it's not social media, especially people on Substack. Like people on Substack love to say like, "Oh, I'm social media for Emily. Girl, this is social media." And it's comprised of two main types of content, notes and posts. I like to describe Substack as a blog, a newsletter, and a social media platform came together and had a baby with a little bit of like Tumblr vibes. If you were a Tumblr kid, I know I was, there's definitely that like curation, inspiring, thoughtful, written nature to the platform.
So, in terms of a note, it is very similar to like a thread or a tweet or even like a carousel post. It's short, sweet, and to the point. It can be text only or it can comprise of multiple images. This is one of the main things you see on your feed in addition to posts which essentially are like articles, newsletters, blog posts where it's long form written content. What's really cool about Substack is this can look totally different depending on your niche and industry. This could be recipes, this could be how-tos, this could be essays and reflections and roundups and curations. This could be hot takes or deep dives into research. You really can take the format of a post any direction. There's no right or wrong way. And that's what I kind of love about consuming on Substack is there's literally something for everybody. And there also is an audio component that you can actually put in your post. So you can narrate your post or essentially have it operate as its own podcast episode. There's also a chat which is really great for kind of like the paid tiers and features which we'll talk about in a little bit. And there's also live. So you can go live on there and people that are following or subscribed to you can go to your live stream.
What makes Substack super unique is that when people subscribe they are exchanging their email to subscribe to your content. That's why a lot of people compare it to like email marketing or a newsletter but it definitely is different which we'll break down in this video. So content is delivered not only in your inbox directly to anyone that's subscribed, but people can also discover and find and access content on the app. So whether it's literally accessing content to where you're actually subscribed or if you're being recommended content on your main feed, I'm not saying that Substack won't work for big brands, but it really is the place for like human-to-human connection. And so if you are thinking of using Substack, this is where founders, CEOs, creators, personal brands are really going to thrive. It's been really interesting seeing a lot of celebrities actually create content on Substack and they're not creating content as their brand, even though they totally could. An example of this is the founder of Summer Fridays. She literally has a Substack dedicated to her routines, her travels, like fun personal brand stuff. And while Summer Fridays the brand totally could have like a skin care self-care substack, that's not really the vibe that's on the platform right now. You're going to see a lot more success as a personal brand, not as a brand. So essentially, as an author on Substack, you have your own page and then your like publication or your newsletter has its own created page as well, but they're synced and tied together.
I want to do like a surface level pro and con of the Substack app because I feel like there's a lot to break down and as a newer platform to the social media landscape, things are constantly changing and so I wanted to share like an overview, but just know that there's a lot of depth to this. Some pros is that it is delivered via email. So, it's nice because while there is an algorithm on the platform that's recommending content and there is a tab you can go in to find content from places that you are actually subscribed to, you're also getting your Substack directly into your inbox. While I tend to consume the most on the app, there's also people consuming on desktop or people only consuming in the inbox. So, I think you get that like delivery element of like, you know, people are getting your content in their inbox. In addition to an algorithm, there's also a really unique discovery element on Substack. Not only can publications recommend each other, it's really easy to share posts that you like, that you're inspired by, whether it's restacking a part of the post, or sharing the entire post. I just feel like it's a lot easier to share and recommend content that you're liking. And I just find that the more and more you consume on the app, if you're maybe new to it, the better it gets at creating content. I initially started as a consumer on StubStack by essentially just subscribing to people that I already followed on Instagram and YouTube. And the more and more I followed content I already liked, the platform has gotten really great at recommending new articles and things that I might be interested in based on content that I've already consumed and subscribed to. In my 2026 predictions, I shared that long-form content is so in from a creator and a consumer perspective. And I just feel like Substack does this so well. You can create a post that's a 5-minute read, and people are going to spend time thoughtfully reading on it, reflecting, engaging with it, and you're allowed to go a lot deeper with your content. When I'm thinking of a Substack post, similar to I'm thinking of a YouTube video, I'm not thinking of like, how can I fit this into 90 seconds? I want it to be as concise as possible, but I'm thinking of how can I really go deep with what I'm sharing here. And I think since the dopamine era is just really on its way out, thank God. I just feel like people are really wanting that content that delivers a ton of value. And it doesn't have to be teaching or how-tos, but really in how they're feeling connected to the person that's creating it.
And what's really interesting is there are paid tiers on Substack. And I know there are paid elements on kind of all the social media platforms to an extent, but it's a really big part of Substack. Like I pay for a lot of Substack subscriptions, way more than I do on other platforms. And in this way, it's kind of a competitor to platforms like Patreon where essentially you can have different tiers, whether it's founder level annual payments or monthly payments. It's usually a pretty low amount. Like I would say like under $10 is like the typical. And I'd say like 5 to 7 is like the range you typically see. And if you are a paid subscriber, not just a free subscriber, you're going to get specific perks. And of course, this can be a really amazing revenue stream if you're a creator and you're thinking of ways that you can have reoccurring revenue annually and monthly, but it also just means it can kind of become its own offer. I know I've been thinking of doing a membership forever and I'm not quite convinced that I'm there yet, but I feel like I could totally see my Substack taking place of a membership because I can have chat Q&A's, I can do lives, I can have exclusive content, I can have like literal guides and workbooks and resources. And it's almost a really great way to like prequalify and warm up people that would be interested in spending more with you in your other offers.
In terms of cons, I feel like the platform is just still new and so people are concerned on what direction it's heading in terms of having control of your content, your community, how the platform is going to continue to cater to what consumers want and not towards what actually benefits the platform. And I definitely know people do not want it to become the next short form consumption platform for video, which I totally understand. And so I think it's just like hard to say where it's going. And so like with any new platform, you don't want to put all your eggs in one basket. Maybe you're really excited about Substack. Maybe you want to create more in Substack. That's great. This is going to help you get there. But you want to make sure that you're not going all in on something that still has a lot of uncertainty.
So now we have the like golden question of where does this fit into your current content ecosystem or if you're a business owner, your current marketing strategy. I will always start any new platform breakdown with the caveat that if you are not consistently seeing results on the platforms you're already on, then you do not need to add in Substack. But if you're at a place where you have the capacity and bandwidth to add in this next platform, this is really where it fits in. There's kind of three different routes you can go. We have exclusive content, it being a thread through your content ecosystem, or it being your main platform.
So, in terms of exclusive content, this means the types of posts you're creating on Substack are entirely different from your other platforms. This could be maybe you talk about a specific niche on your main platforms, but you want to talk about something different. Maybe you want to get a little more personal. Maybe you want to share more lifestyle things. Maybe you want it to be for more thoughtful writing and essays. Essentially, the goal is that when people are going to your Substack, it looks and feels different than the other experiences they might be having for your content. and it's making it very easy for them to decide on if they want to be there in addition to your other platforms, not deciding either or. The key here is that it really should be exclusive. I think there's definitely a place for repurposing on Substack, but you really want to make sure that's not the main type of content you're creating if you're going to go this route.
The next, and probably the most popular route I see a lot of creators taking is it being like a thread and a through line through your entire content ecosystem. So really the goal is that your Substack, your YouTube, your Instagram, your email marketing, they are all going to like support each other with the goals for each platform, but also your bigger goals for the content you create. Some of my favorite creators on Substack that do this is Lazy Millionaire. I feel like on Instagram you get a certain type of content, but really on Substack she goes a lot deeper and she has a lot of really thoughtful like workbooks and guides that you get like a bite-sized version of on her Instagram. Then we have Liz Moody, which is my favorite podcast to listen to. And I love that essentially she does a podcast teaser for every episode that she drops. So you kind of get like one takeaway from the episode. And it's kind of a great option if you're like, I don't know if I want to listen to the entire episode or I haven't been able to listen yet, but I want to get a little bit of nugget or I want to see if it's for me. And what's really nice with the paid tier is you get like all of the takeaways. So, it can kind of be like a digested version of the podcast episode, but obviously a really great way to promote her podcast. Gut Feelings and On the Rocks were kind of like the first Substacks I ever subscribed to, and they're really seeing such big success. They're in the food realm, which I feel like is such a great niche on the platform, and they kind of do the same structure. So, essentially, they have a dedicated reels on their page where they're sharing a roundup, they're sharing a recipe, or they're sharing a reoccurring series, like what I'm making this week. But then when it comes to their substacks, that's where you go to get the actual episode. So, kind of in traditional food blogging terms, essentially it's replacing the need for like an actual blog. Not only do they have paid tiered elements where you get exclusive content, maybe even live Q&As and chats, but they also share some personal connection on there. Maybe it's musings or thoughts or what they're loving or roundups or like a Friday morning report. And I've even seen both of them share affiliate links, but also have paid brand partnerships on Substack. So hopefully this gives you a few ideas based on different approaches and strategies. But as you can see, their substack is informing their other content and their other content is informing their substack. Everything kind of works to support each other. So you're getting a deeper experience with the creators and brands you already love.
Then we have another row which is totally something you can work your way up to and that is it being your main platform. Substack is like any social media platform. There's subscribers, there is a feed, there is algorithms, there's even this paid tier. And this means it can operate as any other social media platform in your marketing to support your goals. So maybe it's the writing element, maybe it's just the more peaceful vibes, maybe you really feel like you're gravitating towards that platform and spending a lot of time there. It can absolutely be your main platform. One of my favorite publications to follow on Substack is Mine Holiday and I've even worked with Bella to help with booking travel. So it definitely works for supporting your business even if you're a service provider. While I love travel content on Instagram, I feel like it can be very overwhelming, very like viral, gimmicky, bucket listy, and I love how she literally takes the exact opposite approach with her content on Substack. And on a marketing level, it's honestly genius that the type of people that are going to want her to book travel for them, they're going to probably be consuming in the Substack way and not the like viral travel on Instagram reels kind of way. Not only does she have a thriving paid tier for her content, but she has a total mix of content. and she has 72-hour guides. She has like full-on guides, curations, tips for packing, tips for travel. Like, it really is like her all-encompassing platform. And I feel like it's a great example of like it doesn't have to be the secondary or the addition. It can be the main act.
So, depending on your goals, these are the four ways I can see Substack supporting you. If you're kind of convinced and interested, it can drive revenue for you. Whether you're talking about your services, whether you're linking to your products or offers, like I mentioned, even sponsorships, affiliate sharing, brand partnerships, and of course, it can be its own revenue source of its own. I feel like the paid element can feel really like shiny and snazzy, but no, you have to treat it like any other offer to really make it scale and grow to a place where it can contribute a decent amount to your business.
Then we have the discovery element. And this is really the benefit of widening your content ecosystem. Instead of relying on one platform or one place to really bring in new visibility and reach for yourself, you're able to spread this out to increase the amount of people you can add into your community. So, it can be great for growing your email list or even growing your other social channels. And I feel like this is such a great thought leadership platform because you're able to really go deep with how you're creating content and even lean into a format like writing, long form writing that can lead to incredible opportunities like features or even a book deal. I feel like all the authors are on Substack, which totally makes sense because it's literally created off the idea that long form writing is not a secondary thing, but it is something that people still care about. So, if writing a book has ever been on your vision board, trust me, you need to be on Substack because this is a great way to build a community that will show social proof that they will buy or purchase a book. And it's also a great way to just improve your writing and do it consistently.
So, that is the entire rundown on using Substack in your content strategy. If you're wondering what's next here, I actually on my Substack, very meta, I know, created an entire guide on essentially how I'm starting from zero on Substack. So, you can steal my exact strategy. I'm sharing how I first started as a consumer, how I set up my page, how I started posting weekly, and how I plan to optimize this even further into 2026. So, if you're interested in that, I've linked my Substack more than content in the pin comment and in the description.
I'm curious, are you on Substack? Are you creating? Are you consuming? Are you excited about the platform? Are you interested in being on it? And do you have any follow-up questions or things you maybe want us to cover in a future video or even a future Substack post? Definitely let me know in the comments. And I hope you found this video helpful. And if you want to listen to all of my predictions and trends for the year, watch this video.