If Medium and a newsletter had a baby, you’d get Substack - a quirky publishing platform that’s shaking things up. Boasting more than 50 million active subscriptions, including 5 million paid subscriptions, Substack isn’t just regarded as a social media or newsletter platform - the organization calls itself a subscription network.
While it lags in user numbers and traffic compared to Medium and similar platforms, it’s still emerging as a strong contender in the digital publishing landscape. Several big names from various industries have made the move to Substack, such as Margaret Atwood, Paul Krugman, Patti Smith and Salman Rushdie, and it has also become a hotspot for smaller creators.
In an expanding freelance market, Substack has become a very attractive option for authors, bloggers and podcasters - it gives them the power to reach their audience directly, track engagement, and earn money straight from their newsletter subscribers. While there has been significant criticism levelled at its minimalist moderation policies, causing some writers to depart the platform, it is still growing in popularity.
It shares similarities with Medium but has several key differences, which I’ll explore in this article. While the team at Black Pug Studio doesn’t use Substack - and it’s not necessarily better than Medium - I enjoy using it because it lets me connect with other writers and voices within my preferred niche.
Finding your Niche
Unlike other social media platforms, Substack focuses on specific content niches, making it an attractive option for people tired of scrolling through social media slop. There’s space for anything, from politics and current affairs to gardening and art. The content I see and interact with, for example, centres on historical and literary topics, and you can easily adjust your preferences in the settings.
You can even create multiple publications focusing on different niches - publications are easily customizable. Substack also encourages creators to experiment with different content types and lengths, helping you discover what resonates most with your readers and find the focus of your niche.
Grow your Audience
Substack thrives on community - it includes a Notes feed (short-form content like X and Threads) for social interaction and increased visibility. The platform is designed to help you build a dedicated reader community, so supporting other creators you admire within your niche is essential. This means commenting, sharing, restacking, and replying to build connections.
The Recommendations feature has further amplified discovery for publications — writers can directly endorse each other in their articles, therefore accelerating their readership growth. Other collaborative methods for wider reach include guest-posting, cross-posting, mentions, and post/publication embeds.
Substack’s referral tools offer additional ways to expand your audience. Subscriber referrals reward readers for promoting your publication and can be configured across three tiers. The Gift Referrals program lets you gift subscriptions to family and friends, granting them temporary access to paid posts while helping you reach new readers. Gift subscriptions convert new readers to subscribers at a rate of between 5% and 10% at the end of the gift period.
Publishing Content
Just like Medium and other blogging platforms, you can share your content directly to the web, app, and email all at once. One thing that makes Substack stand out more is that you can also publish videos and podcasts alongside your written work. Posting regularly is a great way to connect with more readers and grow your community of subscribers and followers.
The types of content you can publish include:
- Posts: You have flexible options for publishing short-form pieces or in-depth essays
- Podcasts: Recording and publishing subscription-based podcasts on Substack is very simple, and it allows you to distribute to Apple and Spotify via RSS feeds.
- Video: Substack auto-generates transcripts using AI. Offer exclusive content to paid subscribers with free previews for others, and create shareable clips for social media.
- Chat Threads: Community threads connect you directly with your subscribers, so you can send updates and interact with them exclusively in real time.
- Notes: Users can like, restack, or share your Notes, which can include text, images or videos. The feed helps you attract new readers beyond your current audience.
- Live Video: Instantly notify subscribers when you go live, and you even have the option to paywall live videos.
Powerful SEO Tools
Just like Medium, Google indexes Substack articles, which means your content can be easily discovered through search engines thanks to Substack’s advanced SEO tools. While it automatically sets up great defaults for your SEO settings, you’re more than welcome to customize these fields yourself, including your SEO title, SEO description, post URL, and social preview image.
Want to boost your off-page SEO? Try embedding a Substack sign-up form on your personal website and sharing your publication link across your social media profiles. One thing I really love about Substack compared to Medium is the ‘Media Assets’ feature - it automatically creates beautiful, eye-catching images and sends them straight to your email after you publish a post.
You Own Your Data
One key difference from Medium is email list ownership - when you publish on Substack, you retain full ownership of your subscriber lists, intellectual property, and subscriber payments. You can easily import your content and subscriber list to Substack or export them to other platforms whenever you like - giving you complete control over your data.
Additionally, you have complete freedom to write, edit, and publish whatever you want, however you want, and you can even set up a custom domain for your Substack publication. This level of independence ensures you’re building your brand on your own terms.
Paid Subscription Tiers
Substack has some compelling paid subscription options for creators looking to monetize their work — whether that’s posts, videos, live streams, podcasts or community chats. This way, only your most dedicated readers have access to and can engage with your content. Here’s the thing: Medium pays you based on how long paying members engage with your articles and how many people upgrade through your referral link, but Substack works differently - you earn directly from your paid subscribers. The top 10 publishers on Substack are collectively making more than $25 million a year.
A great way to attract potential subscribers is to add a paywall to your article, giving readers a taste of your brand newsletter before they commit. You can even set up a paywall for your community chat, so only your most dedicated readers can chat with you in real time. Right now, payments are handled through Stripe, and Substack takes a 10% cut of any paid subscriptions.
The subscription options Substack currently offers creators are:
- Monthly pricing: Writers can set a $5 minimum, but are encouraged to choose higher prices.
- Annual pricing: Usually set at a discount to encourage readers to select this subscription plan.
- Founding member pricing: Allows readers to pay more than the listed price as an extra show of support - consider offering bonus perks like merch to show your appreciation.
After launching your paid newsletter, promote it on Substack and social media to reach your audience. Notify existing supporters first - they’re likely to become your strongest advocates. You might also want to check out ‘Substack Boost’, a neat opt-in feature that automatically shows discounts and special offers to engaged readers at just the right moment to help boost your revenue.
Quick FAQ
Is Substack free to use?
Yes, Substack is free to start and publish content. If you offer paid subscriptions, Substack takes a 10% fee plus Stripe processing fees.
How does Substack compare to Medium?
Both platforms support writers but differ significantly. Substack focuses on direct creator-audience relationships through email newsletters and paid subscriptions, with full ownership of the subscriber list. Medium functions as a social publishing platform with a broader reach and an engagement-based Partner Program. Substack also offers greater control over monetization and audience data.
Can I import my existing email list to Substack?
Yes, you can import your subscriber list from other platforms via CSV. You can also export your Substack list anytime to move to another platform.
How much should I charge for a paid subscription?
Substack’s minimum is $5/month, though most successful creators charge $5-$10 monthly or $50-$80 annually. Consider your niche, value, and audience budget. Pricing is adjustable as you grow.
Do I need a large audience before launching paid subscriptions?
Not necessarily. Many creators start paid subscriptions early. Focus on providing exceptional value first. Even a small group of dedicated supporters can generate meaningful revenue and help you refine your offering.
Can I use Substack alongside other platforms?
Yes. Many creators combine Substack with social media, personal websites, or Medium. Cross-post content, share excerpts, and embed sign-up forms to maximize reach.
What content performs best on Substack?
Successful content is niche-focused, consistent, and audience-specific. Long-form essays, analysis, interviews, and community-building resonate strongly. Find what your audience values and deliver regularly.
Final Thoughts
Substack is a versatile subscription network that empowers creators to build meaningful connections with their audience while maintaining full ownership of their content and subscriber relationships. Whether you’re a writer looking to share in-depth essays, a podcaster wanting to monetize your audio content, or someone who simply wants more control over their creative output, Substack offers the tools to make it happen.
While it might not have the huge audience that Medium or other big platforms do, Substack’s thoughtful, community-driven approach makes it a fantastic option for creators who care more about meaningful connections than sheer numbers. With the ability to earn through paid subscriptions, plus great SEO tools and direct access to your readers, Substack is definitely worth checking out - but at the end of the day, it’s all about personal preferences.
Ready to take your branding to the next level? Contact Black Pug Studio today for expert tips on brand success and digital strategy!
Substack: Why it’s a Popular Newsletter Tool for Building Communities was originally published in Creative by Black Pug Studio on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
