YES. Algorithmic recommendations turned facebook into a sinkhole, and I'm glad that Substack is taking a stand against that kind of promotion. An endorsement from a real human that a reader actually trusts is so much more valuable than an algorithmically-generated "you might also like."
Love this and definitly going to explore it with our publication. Reminds me of how you can select and recommend channels on YouTube on your own channel page. Always loved that feature because it added a sense of community.
I am looking for direction. The only article I have done was "Pray for Healing Mercy." I did church services and room visits in nursing homes for 20 years and I am concerned about people who are permanently disabled because they had the virus. I am owner of Serendipity Music Studio and I have 81 videos on You Tube. I am interested in finding more viewers for inspirational piano music and hymns using texts from the Bible. I am President and Founder of Arizonans for Non-Smokers' Rights and the Coalition for Smoke-Free Air. I am an unpaid volunteer lobbyist on the hazards of exposure to Second-hand tobacco smoke and E-cigarette vapor and the illegal sale of tobacco and e-cigarettes to children. children. I lobby at city, county and federal levels of government. Disability discrimination includes not being allowed to testify at public hearings. Thank you for the opportunity to share.
I really like this, and I'm careful to only recommend Substacks I enjoy and/or admire, because to make recommendations on the basis of mutual backscratching hurts everyone's credibility.
Awesome! Those stories, by the way, haven't been forgotten by historians, and we think very differently about history than the public has been taught to. That's one of my themes: How this stuff you've never heard of is actually the most important history, because it helps make sense of now. Thrilled to know when folks like you pick up on that!
Keen to hear how folks are finding the recommendations feature so far, when subscribing to others and using to share publications you love—how are you getting on?
The search is lightning quick, for more popular Newsletters, if they recommended a "little guy" it could be life altering. I want to hear and witness those Cinderella moments. The feature is brilliant, my only wish-list is more metrics and data besides free sends.
Great idea, can be truly helpful, but it seems to me that it might be less effective (or close to not effective at all) for those who don't have a large influx of new readers every week. If the recommended writers only get a notification about the recommendation when someone subscribes through it, the feature might not get any traction at all (in terms of new readers for the writers who recommend).
I would gladly volunteer as a tribute. I joined Substack today and I have zero followers with one posted article. If you like, I can be your guinea pig to see how effective this new feature is and if it can give the almighty algorithm a run for its money.
My audience is tiny: people with a positive, deeply wonky interest in China's development and policies. Most of my subscribers now come from Substack via articles I've written and they've distributed. Hats off to Substack.
Seriously? Wow that's a great feeling. I guess we all crave data, creativity and community to converge in an awesome way that Substack for the most part provides.
I agree -- especially for the online version. I envision a horizontal line of newsletter recommendations at the bottom of a post, just above the footer, similar to how media outlets do it.
I like the feature, but once you recommend a publication, and then want to "unrecommend it", does the author then get a notification of this sort emailed to them as well?
I don't believe they do, although maybe I disabled it. You can mostly tell when someone you recommend stops recommending you in the recommendation tab. Now the difference between notes and chat is going to get a bit confusing.
Big fan of this feature. I’m already using it and, I’m pleased to say, have already reaped the benefits too. I belong to a fairly niche, gardening-focused corner of the Substack world - being able to recommend other writers in this sphere, and vice versa, helps us to club together and turn our niche into… something more.
It will be interesting to see how this enables established writers to give a signal boost to some of the up-and-coming writers. I know there's been some concerns about how it's hard for new writers with small audiences to get the same numbers that well-known names can command; this might enable some of those established writers to spread the love. Fun times ahead!
By looking in the mirror! But seriously, I regularly search the substack main page for newsletters on a certain topic (usually art-related in my case). There are quite a lot of small newsletters that only have a few posts up.
Yeah I know the feeling haha! My issue with the search is it doesn't seem to go down much. There must be dozens (hundreds?) of little guys not even listed.
As a newer, smaller writer here I'm all about features that help us to get discovered by more readers who are interested in what we have to say. I'm definitely keen to try it out and see if it has any noticeable effect on my viewership and that of others. Thanks, Substack!
I started on Medium in late 2021 and after six months I made the switch to Substack. I'm still working with my own email list and haven't built much momentum yet, but I love this platform. It feels like something I own and gives me a very entrepreneurial vibe. I'm starting off free but already planning a paid strategy and brainstorming different types of content I can create and promote. It feels very empowering, especially since promotion is organic and not computer driven.
This is a great new feature. However, I notice that it only cross-promotes to new subscribers. Also, it would seem to hit the new subscriber with a bunch of recommendations at once, when s/he may still be wondering about the decision to subscribe to a new and perhaps unfamiliar writer's Substack.
I have been using an alternative, admittedly more labor-intensive approach, creating a new post on my Substack to share a particular post from a writer I follow. (I am sure other writers do this too.) This puts the recommended writer's work into all my subscribers' inboxes, without requiring them to make a decision to subscribe to the recommended writer before they've read their work. What's missing is an easy way for the other writer to learn that I've recommended them.
Ahh it'll be nice to have control over what we recommend. Unlike Medium where they push content that we have zero control over in an ugly sidebar on our own pages.
Interesting. The fact that's it's not algorithmic is quite attractive to me. Well played Substack.
YES. Algorithmic recommendations turned facebook into a sinkhole, and I'm glad that Substack is taking a stand against that kind of promotion. An endorsement from a real human that a reader actually trusts is so much more valuable than an algorithmically-generated "you might also like."
Love this and definitly going to explore it with our publication. Reminds me of how you can select and recommend channels on YouTube on your own channel page. Always loved that feature because it added a sense of community.
I am looking for direction. The only article I have done was "Pray for Healing Mercy." I did church services and room visits in nursing homes for 20 years and I am concerned about people who are permanently disabled because they had the virus. I am owner of Serendipity Music Studio and I have 81 videos on You Tube. I am interested in finding more viewers for inspirational piano music and hymns using texts from the Bible. I am President and Founder of Arizonans for Non-Smokers' Rights and the Coalition for Smoke-Free Air. I am an unpaid volunteer lobbyist on the hazards of exposure to Second-hand tobacco smoke and E-cigarette vapor and the illegal sale of tobacco and e-cigarettes to children. children. I lobby at city, county and federal levels of government. Disability discrimination includes not being allowed to testify at public hearings. Thank you for the opportunity to share.
Hi Betty, I'm just another Substack user, but I offered some suggestions on your page.
This also will become a sinkhole. Or very cluttered with so much nonsense. As in : notes, which means short and to the point.
Agree.
I really like this, and I'm careful to only recommend Substacks I enjoy and/or admire, because to make recommendations on the basis of mutual backscratching hurts everyone's credibility.
I just read your post about the Cherokee Nation, wow! I write about those type of cultural cross intersections we all find ourselves in
Glad you enjoyed it, Ric!
I love the small forgotten stories that when discovered make sense of something I had wondered about. Can't wait to dig through some more.
Awesome! Those stories, by the way, haven't been forgotten by historians, and we think very differently about history than the public has been taught to. That's one of my themes: How this stuff you've never heard of is actually the most important history, because it helps make sense of now. Thrilled to know when folks like you pick up on that!
well put, thanks for illustrating that point
my latest post was a list of my favorite history docs right now. https://riclexel.substack.com/p/1st-take2nd-look-7?s=w
a current favorite is The History of Africa with Zeinab Badawi - she is a remarkable host
well put, thanks for illustrating that point
my latest post was a list of my favorite history docs right now. https://riclexel.substack.com/p/1st-take2nd-look-7?s=w
a current favorite is The History of Africa with Zeinab Badawi - she is a remarkable host
Wish I had more time to read your posts, but I have also loved what I've read so far. Thanks.
Keen to hear how folks are finding the recommendations feature so far, when subscribing to others and using to share publications you love—how are you getting on?
The search is lightning quick, for more popular Newsletters, if they recommended a "little guy" it could be life altering. I want to hear and witness those Cinderella moments. The feature is brilliant, my only wish-list is more metrics and data besides free sends.
How refreshing, reminds me of the good old Myspace days. Done!
Great idea, can be truly helpful, but it seems to me that it might be less effective (or close to not effective at all) for those who don't have a large influx of new readers every week. If the recommended writers only get a notification about the recommendation when someone subscribes through it, the feature might not get any traction at all (in terms of new readers for the writers who recommend).
I would gladly volunteer as a tribute. I joined Substack today and I have zero followers with one posted article. If you like, I can be your guinea pig to see how effective this new feature is and if it can give the almighty algorithm a run for its money.
I'm right there with you. ^^
That’s pretty much my story
A web notification for a shared lead that converts into a paid sub would really be nice. Both from the sender and receiver sides.
I like the idea
My audience is tiny: people with a positive, deeply wonky interest in China's development and policies. Most of my subscribers now come from Substack via articles I've written and they've distributed. Hats off to Substack.
Seriously? Wow that's a great feeling. I guess we all crave data, creativity and community to converge in an awesome way that Substack for the most part provides.
I'd really love to be able to embed a recommended newsletter inside a newsletter I send myself. Is there any way to do that?
I agree -- especially for the online version. I envision a horizontal line of newsletter recommendations at the bottom of a post, just above the footer, similar to how media outlets do it.
very cool!
I like the feature, but once you recommend a publication, and then want to "unrecommend it", does the author then get a notification of this sort emailed to them as well?
I don't believe they do, although maybe I disabled it. You can mostly tell when someone you recommend stops recommending you in the recommendation tab. Now the difference between notes and chat is going to get a bit confusing.
I personally think this notification is vital. Writers should know when someone stops recommending them.
I was thinking the opposite- but yes that would be good too (:
Big fan of this feature. I’m already using it and, I’m pleased to say, have already reaped the benefits too. I belong to a fairly niche, gardening-focused corner of the Substack world - being able to recommend other writers in this sphere, and vice versa, helps us to club together and turn our niche into… something more.
Yes! This is so good to hear <3
It will be interesting to see how this enables established writers to give a signal boost to some of the up-and-coming writers. I know there's been some concerns about how it's hard for new writers with small audiences to get the same numbers that well-known names can command; this might enable some of those established writers to spread the love. Fun times ahead!
Question, how do you find less established writers Will?
By looking in the mirror! But seriously, I regularly search the substack main page for newsletters on a certain topic (usually art-related in my case). There are quite a lot of small newsletters that only have a few posts up.
Yeah I know the feeling haha! My issue with the search is it doesn't seem to go down much. There must be dozens (hundreds?) of little guys not even listed.
Very true, especially for those of us who are not Twitter users!
Substack strikes again with another accelerant for fueling collaborative network effects among writers and readers. Totally badass. Love this!
This really takes me back to when every blog had a sidebar of links...
That's what I'm wondering. Do these show up on our profile?
Not currently, but we're working on this :)
They do not show up on your publication homepage or reader profile. If you would like them to show up on your publication homepage, you can set up recommended links: https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/360059181172-How-do-I-add-a-recommended-link-
I really like the human "person to person" aspect of this, I'll give it a go too :)
Yes! And keen to hear how you get on!
This is what I love about substack. you always give the option to choose who I can recommend in my profile.
As a newer, smaller writer here I'm all about features that help us to get discovered by more readers who are interested in what we have to say. I'm definitely keen to try it out and see if it has any noticeable effect on my viewership and that of others. Thanks, Substack!
Substack is quickly becoming the place to be for writers. Glad to see updates and new features coming thick and fast!
I started on Medium in late 2021 and after six months I made the switch to Substack. I'm still working with my own email list and haven't built much momentum yet, but I love this platform. It feels like something I own and gives me a very entrepreneurial vibe. I'm starting off free but already planning a paid strategy and brainstorming different types of content I can create and promote. It feels very empowering, especially since promotion is organic and not computer driven.
It's a wonderful feature -- thank you for building it!
This is a great new feature. However, I notice that it only cross-promotes to new subscribers. Also, it would seem to hit the new subscriber with a bunch of recommendations at once, when s/he may still be wondering about the decision to subscribe to a new and perhaps unfamiliar writer's Substack.
I have been using an alternative, admittedly more labor-intensive approach, creating a new post on my Substack to share a particular post from a writer I follow. (I am sure other writers do this too.) This puts the recommended writer's work into all my subscribers' inboxes, without requiring them to make a decision to subscribe to the recommended writer before they've read their work. What's missing is an easy way for the other writer to learn that I've recommended them.
Good idea, we also love when writers share their favorite recent reads and publications in a post!
Jasmine, perhaps the existing "embed post" function could be modified to also notify the writer whose post has been embedded.
I like that idea! Will pass it on :)
What is the expected conversion rate of new subscribers subscribing to additional newsletters at the same time? What kind of baseline can we expect.
This is a very interesting development. I'll definitely use it to recommend some authors I like :)
Super Excellente!! Thank you!!
Ahh it'll be nice to have control over what we recommend. Unlike Medium where they push content that we have zero control over in an ugly sidebar on our own pages.
^This^