Looking forward to trying this at some point. Be great to have simultaneous Android and iOS releases of features in future, so to avoid the community splitting each time.
I guess the first step is to have iOS, which I don't. It's a bit like being invited to a party, but no one answers when you knock on the door, because they're having so much fun inside they can't hear you. So you wait for the door to open, sitting on the floor. :p
More seriously, I am very curious about this chat feature. I will check it when it's available on Android, but quite frankly, I know I'll only consider using it if I can ever access it from my desktop one day.
Overall, I'm not excited about Chat because I tend to write, and not talk about it. However, I am a paid subscriber to David Lebovitz's "best-selling" newsletter and participated in his most recent (and only) chat. He was quite gracious in answering questions from his fans for the most part, and delighted me when he answered mine. However, there was little to actually chat about except to remark about and compliment his newsletter. For me, that Chat experience was no different than reading and contributing written comments. If anything, it was like dropping into a party as a stranger, and not knowing quite what to say to anyone. Awkward.
I’ve been on a few chats with very popular writers who kick off the “chat” but never return to interact. Same with some comment threads. Between the Layers engages well with her readers in comment threads. And Trees of the Field and Slowdown Homestead have held active chats.
Thank you for sharing! It's a great feature that we wanted to try as soon as it went live, but we're still not sure how to approach it. These examples would certainly help :)
I really want and need to try out Substack Chat. However, as an Android user, I'm still waiting for it. With everyone freaking out over twitter, now would have been the best time to release the feature to Android users to get some of their twitter fans that haven't signed up yet to get the Substack app and stay connected with their favorite writer. I would love to use the feature to live chat about wrestling as it happens. So many ideas...ugh.
I have to say it still feels a bit clunky as an app feature. It would be great if you could make it a bit more user-friendly. It should be doable without thinking about where to start, which button to push.
I haven't opened up the chat feature yet because I don't use iOS (and I didn't want to leave other non-iOS users out).
That said, I think chat could provide the foundation for a true digital community for subscribers. People seem to want both a public and a more private space for communicating about specific topics. I think we would get more open and honest dialogue in the chat.
If I do use the chat, I think it would only be for paid subscribers. Time is our most precious resource. If I am going to be available in a more immediate environment, I need to assign an appropriate value.
Sounds wonderful if you are the Favorite kid (iOS). I had to wait for the app and now waiting again.
@EmilyMiller of @EmilyPostNews started using Chat today. She was unaware that us Red-headed step-kids couldn't play in the new park.
Look, I understand marketshare. In US, it favors iOS; Android ≈45% vs iOS ≈53%, but the difference is decreasing. Worldwide figures strongly favors Android at 70% vs iOS at 27%. From a financial standpoint, I get it. But you might want to look at parallel development teams or waiting until both platforms are ready for release.
Any idea on timeframe? Please be specific and do not use generic phrases like "we are working on it" or "soon".
Do you have a product update on when this will be available on the Android App? Want to use this to engage my subscribers during the World Cup but I only use Android so I cannot.
Perhaps I have not noticed but can there be a button prompt feature to add the availability of a chat thread to a post? I am still building my community and when I share it for those without the app it would be nice to share a particular chat post. In Twitter it’s called a Tweet. The chat tab prompts people to the app first then the timeline. I want to share individual chat posts. Also when we click on the chat icon it would be nice our own chat threads are pinned on top so we don’t have to scroll looking for our thread to post a new chat. I hope I am clear... haven’t had my coffee yet! 🙃🙂
Right now Chat is only available in the iOS app. You can embed specific chat threads into a post to point your readers to the conversation happening there. It sounds like you are requesting a Chat option on web. We've heard this request and it's on our radar.
And you can expect an update soon that will make it easier to find your own chat.
Hi Katie! Yes, the web browsers are universal. Sometimes community building requires us to reach them where they are before they decide to come to where we are. 😊
Substack should "solve" this. Its ecosystem is large and strong enough to make discoverability, search, keywords and hashtags better. No one reads on Instagram. I know people with over 100k followers who can't sell 10 copies of their book on there.
Discoverability of content would be a great start and that also points to scraping data for more personalized recommendations for community building - I.e. Ability to search for others who are in a Gen X tv/film/music/culture scene or similarly Female, 40-something Substackers. And then have a coffee hour (online) for these subgroups. Substack is all about the niche groups and audiences. We need to utilize this!
All great starts. I notice more and more Substack subscribers are simply from Substack and it's growing. I still can't believe anyone would recommend Social Media or emails at this point. They statistically don't work. Social Media is designed for its own content, not for users to click "away" from them. Also, much of everything is video.
You're correct, it is. My comment was a jest at the fact most of us have yet to acquire readers/subscribers to begin with. We couldn't use the chat feature even if we tried.
<insert Android version comment/>
Looking forward to trying this at some point. Be great to have simultaneous Android and iOS releases of features in future, so to avoid the community splitting each time.
The chats about FTX have been mind blowing. Love how Substack has become the HQ for unraveling the mess. Here's an angle about how a VC can lose $200 million without getting fired: https://yuribezmenov.substack.com/p/how-to-lose-214-million-in-one-year
I'll think about it when chat is available on all platforms.
I guess the first step is to have iOS, which I don't. It's a bit like being invited to a party, but no one answers when you knock on the door, because they're having so much fun inside they can't hear you. So you wait for the door to open, sitting on the floor. :p
More seriously, I am very curious about this chat feature. I will check it when it's available on Android, but quite frankly, I know I'll only consider using it if I can ever access it from my desktop one day.
We will have it ready very soon !
Awesome!
It’s not that much fun
Overall, I'm not excited about Chat because I tend to write, and not talk about it. However, I am a paid subscriber to David Lebovitz's "best-selling" newsletter and participated in his most recent (and only) chat. He was quite gracious in answering questions from his fans for the most part, and delighted me when he answered mine. However, there was little to actually chat about except to remark about and compliment his newsletter. For me, that Chat experience was no different than reading and contributing written comments. If anything, it was like dropping into a party as a stranger, and not knowing quite what to say to anyone. Awkward.
I’ve been on a few chats with very popular writers who kick off the “chat” but never return to interact. Same with some comment threads. Between the Layers engages well with her readers in comment threads. And Trees of the Field and Slowdown Homestead have held active chats.
Thank you for sharing! It's a great feature that we wanted to try as soon as it went live, but we're still not sure how to approach it. These examples would certainly help :)
I really want and need to try out Substack Chat. However, as an Android user, I'm still waiting for it. With everyone freaking out over twitter, now would have been the best time to release the feature to Android users to get some of their twitter fans that haven't signed up yet to get the Substack app and stay connected with their favorite writer. I would love to use the feature to live chat about wrestling as it happens. So many ideas...ugh.
Soon! Android is in the works and will be available in the next few weeks
I have to say it still feels a bit clunky as an app feature. It would be great if you could make it a bit more user-friendly. It should be doable without thinking about where to start, which button to push.
I haven't opened up the chat feature yet because I don't use iOS (and I didn't want to leave other non-iOS users out).
That said, I think chat could provide the foundation for a true digital community for subscribers. People seem to want both a public and a more private space for communicating about specific topics. I think we would get more open and honest dialogue in the chat.
If I do use the chat, I think it would only be for paid subscribers. Time is our most precious resource. If I am going to be available in a more immediate environment, I need to assign an appropriate value.
Sounds wonderful if you are the Favorite kid (iOS). I had to wait for the app and now waiting again.
@EmilyMiller of @EmilyPostNews started using Chat today. She was unaware that us Red-headed step-kids couldn't play in the new park.
Look, I understand marketshare. In US, it favors iOS; Android ≈45% vs iOS ≈53%, but the difference is decreasing. Worldwide figures strongly favors Android at 70% vs iOS at 27%. From a financial standpoint, I get it. But you might want to look at parallel development teams or waiting until both platforms are ready for release.
Any idea on timeframe? Please be specific and do not use generic phrases like "we are working on it" or "soon".
Semper Fi
Do you have a product update on when this will be available on the Android App? Want to use this to engage my subscribers during the World Cup but I only use Android so I cannot.
Very soon! A few weeks
Any update on Android implementation?
Soon, we promise!
Perhaps I have not noticed but can there be a button prompt feature to add the availability of a chat thread to a post? I am still building my community and when I share it for those without the app it would be nice to share a particular chat post. In Twitter it’s called a Tweet. The chat tab prompts people to the app first then the timeline. I want to share individual chat posts. Also when we click on the chat icon it would be nice our own chat threads are pinned on top so we don’t have to scroll looking for our thread to post a new chat. I hope I am clear... haven’t had my coffee yet! 🙃🙂
Great feedback Susy!
Right now Chat is only available in the iOS app. You can embed specific chat threads into a post to point your readers to the conversation happening there. It sounds like you are requesting a Chat option on web. We've heard this request and it's on our radar.
And you can expect an update soon that will make it easier to find your own chat.
Also, how do we embed that thread in a post? On the web browser which is where I write. Thank you!
Hi Katie! Yes, the web browsers are universal. Sometimes community building requires us to reach them where they are before they decide to come to where we are. 😊
Yeah, but actually acquiring readers and subscribers...
All these featured posts by Substack are about the top 1% here😫
You need another platform - an email list or an Instagram following - to share your substack posts there with a link. Email works best.
My Instagram does very little for me. Email - meh. But I share out posts in stories on Instagram and Twitter.
Substack should "solve" this. Its ecosystem is large and strong enough to make discoverability, search, keywords and hashtags better. No one reads on Instagram. I know people with over 100k followers who can't sell 10 copies of their book on there.
Discoverability of content would be a great start and that also points to scraping data for more personalized recommendations for community building - I.e. Ability to search for others who are in a Gen X tv/film/music/culture scene or similarly Female, 40-something Substackers. And then have a coffee hour (online) for these subgroups. Substack is all about the niche groups and audiences. We need to utilize this!
All great starts. I notice more and more Substack subscribers are simply from Substack and it's growing. I still can't believe anyone would recommend Social Media or emails at this point. They statistically don't work. Social Media is designed for its own content, not for users to click "away" from them. Also, much of everything is video.
How are you acquiring new readers thru Chat? Can you share tips? I thought chat was for the existing subscribers or can anyone see it?
You're correct, it is. My comment was a jest at the fact most of us have yet to acquire readers/subscribers to begin with. We couldn't use the chat feature even if we tried.
Gotcha. Thanks.
I don’t have luck with chat. As my uncle says, “Estoy salado”.