I'm curious about the tension between this idea that we "own our relationships" with our readers and the increased push for engagement *inside the app*. Now, I love the Substack app. I'm on it now. But if reader behavior engages in the app and not in email (and turns off or archives emails so as not see the same content twice) then you a…
I'm curious about the tension between this idea that we "own our relationships" with our readers and the increased push for engagement *inside the app*. Now, I love the Substack app. I'm on it now. But if reader behavior engages in the app and not in email (and turns off or archives emails so as not see the same content twice) then you are becoming the middle man you claim not to be. If the Notes feature utilizes an algorithm you will be imitating the very thing you are trying to replace. I hope you're having a lot of conversations about this internally. From the outside it feels like Chat and Notes were launched hastily to make a play for people leaving Twitter and you've lost the plot a bit.
I'm curious about the tension between this idea that we "own our relationships" with our readers and the increased push for engagement *inside the app*. Now, I love the Substack app. I'm on it now. But if reader behavior engages in the app and not in email (and turns off or archives emails so as not see the same content twice) then you are becoming the middle man you claim not to be. If the Notes feature utilizes an algorithm you will be imitating the very thing you are trying to replace. I hope you're having a lot of conversations about this internally. From the outside it feels like Chat and Notes were launched hastily to make a play for people leaving Twitter and you've lost the plot a bit.
Very well put objection to the app. I agree.