65 Comments
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Jenovia 🕸️'s avatar

Thank you for these new features! Being able to create chats for paid subscribers/founding members will def make me feel inclined to use the chat feature more. Had some weird replies when I first used it and never went back.

Michael Bishop's avatar

I really like that pic and the name. It reminds me of a pharmaceutical advertisement. Don’t take that with I’ll will either because I have none

BowTiedCrocodile's avatar

Going to give paid chat a whirl, awesome new feature!

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May 1, 2024
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RAISINI's avatar
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May 1, 2024
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May 1, 2024Edited
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Chris Best's avatar

Reminder of the rules here in the comment section of our company blog: you are free to criticize us, but please keep it civil.

James Binks's avatar

I haven't used this feature, but as I hit 100 subscribers I wonder if I have enough 'mass' now to make this worthwhile. Does anyone have any tips on starting out and welcoming your subscribers with a first thread on the Chat feature?

Michael Bishop's avatar

Start by initiating a joke without a punchline, after that order some Chinese take out and then get an Uber to the museum

James Binks's avatar

Dishing out the secret recipe for success I see!

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May 1, 2024
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James Binks's avatar

Thanks! I'll read between your gentle lines that 100 probably isn't enough, understandably. But it's great to know how this feature works and I can unleash it when the time is ready!

Elle Griffin's avatar

Well this is exciting!

RAISINI's avatar

While all these new features are cool, the executive team should prioritize its resources on existing issues and bugs, most importantly the algorithm of NOTES. My own followers never see my Notes, it beats the purpose of engagement as NOTES was launched exactly for that purpose, for discovery and engagement.

As a crowd funded platform with limited resources, the focus must be on user experience and not on new features every week. We have seen it time and time again startups fail because the direction is focused on things that don’t matter. Hope this is taken as positive feedback.

Gym+Fritz's avatar

Want to see the real comments - skip the ones at the top “liked” by Substack.

RAISINI's avatar

Look at the hypocrisy of Substack. They continue to hide their failures by Liking the positive comments so the truth gets hidden 😂. Keep liking this comment to get it on Top.

RAISINI's avatar

When you expose the issues with NOTES and Substack features, the founder goes and posts this Note:

https://substack.com/@hamish/note/c-55277077?r=aegif&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action

JennyStokes's avatar

It's all about money and how many subscribers you have. Personally I don't give a fuck.

I am NOT here to make money/I just want the truth to get out.

I have been contacted on substack by writers offering me a course in writing for 2,500$

Fuck off.

JennyStokes's avatar

Agree.

Once upon a time substack was a place which was easy to use.

I am an older person and I am SUPPOSED to know what I am doing.

All I am hearing from substack is a non-stop 'chitter/chat/chitter/chat. One sentence and you are supposed to know what these morons are saying.

RAISINI's avatar

They are desperate to bring in investors as their funding is getting low. So they have to show they can bring in new features. That’s how fundraising works.

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May 1, 2024
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RAISINI's avatar

And Substack founders / team never acknowledge or respond to such criticism but instead Like only the positive comments.

Sound Healing Alchemy Books's avatar

Most excellent. Just enabled my chat paywall. Many thanks!

Nefahotep's avatar

All my post are free. They always will be. Paywalling a chat is just too pernicious, I don't think it's useful. Charging people money so they can comment, is like a back door for censorship, blocking potentially useful conversation. Not everyone is going to be interested in getting a "Stripe" account either. I will NEVER use Online Banking or Digital currency. My opinion may run counter to many here; it seems the majority of people who do come to Substack are doing so to escape the crap they experienced on other "Platforms."

Sorry if I seem a bit negative here.

Gym+Fritz's avatar

Where can I go to see how well Substack, itself is performing? Are there annual reports. I’m a big fan, but Substack needs to hear some honest criticism- perhaps a paywalled user’s forum.

JennyStokes's avatar

NOT negative at all. I feel the same.

IF you want your ideas 'out there' forget about money!

Either you are fighting to help or you are the usual US person who wants to make money?

Nefahotep's avatar

Ideas are at the center of anything meaningful and worth living for. Money often spawns conformity, dependence on the system. Money is not bad, just not my focus, community knowledge base, open discussion that's important.

Bruce Allen Oatway's avatar

You're not. The majority of ss writers feel the same. Adding chat is ridiculous and not why I signed up

Nefahotep's avatar

Yes, it seems to make things more complicated. I like having decent conversations with people who share similar concerns and have good ideas.

The more simple things are the easier it is.

Michael Bishop's avatar

Pound on the back door the front only rattles a bit

Aditya Sharma's avatar

The Chat Search feature is going to be really helpful! Thanks for this!

LTW's avatar

The possibility of having a discussion forum could be a good idea.

Bruce Allen Oatway's avatar

So the "comments" section isn't enough? I write. I don't "chat".

Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

Great feature. Thx Substack! Chat is the one place I’m timid fearing crickets if I open a convo. This gave me courage to try.

Cryptofada's avatar

This is one of the best thing to happen, an improvement on CHAT. My chat is to serve as my private “Telegram group” on substack and it is the major bonus to my payed subscribers.

@substack I would love to add that if it’s possible to have an analytics built for the chats and threads…it would be interesting to track most read, conversation etc my newsletter focuses on well researched opportunities and value investing of cryptocurrency https://cryptofada.substack.com/

Alyssa Polizzi's avatar

I've used chat intermittently, with some uncertainty of how it fits into my larger Substack ecosystem. These new settings are helpful in returning to the creative drawing board of how to use this feature, thanks team!

Lloyd Caraway's avatar

Pointy headed intellectuals wannabes

Claire Venus ✨'s avatar

We LOVE chat at Sparkle on Substack! It took a while to get going but 9 months in were flying and it’s such a supportive space. Come chat? 💬 we’re talking setting Substack goals for May today - open to all! ✨

Sarah Shotts (they/them)'s avatar

Thank you for the option to leave a chat!