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Transcript
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SPEAKER 1
Hello everyone. My name is Randa. I work at Substack on the partnerships team and I work with all kinds of writers and creators in lifestyle and culture. And I started at Substack about a year ago after being a Substack writer for three years.
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I had a ton of fun doing this personal ads dating Substack called Hot Singles that you can see on the right there. I was running that for a couple of years as a dating newsletter and community, and it just led to so many new connections and opportunities.
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And I really experienced firsthand the power of Substack and the platform, which made me really excited to work here. And now I run another Substack called Good Hang with my friend Harry. So I've continued to enjoy the fruits of the Substack team's labor. So this is of course a masterclass for video creators.

Masterclass: Getting started for video creators and monetizing your Substack

Hosted by Randa Sakallah, Substack writer partnerships

This masterclass is for video creators, but I cover all the important parts of starting a Substack, whether you’re a writer, podcaster, video creator, or some combination thereof. I talk about general best practices, with special attention to our video tools and marketing your Substack to your off-platform audience. Anyone looking to monetize their work on Substack could benefit from this knowledge, even if you don’t identify as a video creator or have tons of social media followers. 

I’ve been on the Substack partnerships team for about a year now, and I joined as an employee after being a writer on the platform. Through writing on Substack, I was able to meet collaborators and friends, grow creatively, and land work aligned with my interests. I love that my job now enables me to share the magic of Substack with others, and although I am primarily a writer, it’s exciting to me that we’ve expanded to video. Substack is an economic engine that can support any creative person, regardless of the format with which they choose to share their work.

If you’re just getting started on Substack, I’d recommend claiming your URL and watching the video above in full. If you’re looking to leverage video to grow your Substack, check out these three tips:

Launch with a video

When you launch your Substack, you should make a video about it. You can make that video your first post and also embed it on your About page. This video should explain who you are, what you’re doing on Substack, and what your free and paid subscribers will receive. You should also post a version of this wherever else you have a following (like

does here). Here are a few great examples:

Zeteo
Welcome to Zeteo
Mehdi Hasan’s brand new media company is here. Zeteo will deliver hard-hitting interview shows, engaging podcasts, provocative essays, and more to audiences across the world. We’re a new and completely independent media company that hopes to challenge the status quo by boldly seeking answers to the questions that really matter in today’s world…
Listen now
The Curl Diaries
Welcome to The Curl Diaries
Listen now
Night Out
where should i go out tonight?
As a woman in her late 20’s…32, I’m sleepier than ever. But as a former Jersey Girl, the need to go out is deep within me (next to the belly button ring). While I have the energy, how dare I stay home on a Saturday night binging Grey’s Anatomy when I live in…
Listen now

Post teaser videos to your social media accounts

Substack is your home base for paid subscriptions, and we have features like Notes and Recommendations to help you grow from within the Substack network. If you happen to have a following elsewhere, you should leverage it for growth.

does a great job of this by posting recipe videos to Instagram and TikTok, giving her followers a preview of the weekly meal plans she paywalls on Substack. posts previews of his paywalled music mini-documentaries to his social media accounts as well. You can use our video clipping feature to export short clips for use wherever your audience hangs out.

Learn more:

Share videos on-the-fly to Substack Chat

Now you can post more conversational or on-the-go videos to Chat for your subscribers. Unlike Instagram or TikTok where you have to cater to the algorithm, chats are sent directly to your subscribers like a text message in the Substack app. You could solicit questions for an AMA and then post a video to respond, for example. Maybe you’re out and about and want to share a video of your environment with your subscribers. Take

’s Substack, : members of her community will sometimes share videos of their gardens in her chat space.

Get more from Substack Writers in the Substack app
Available for iOS and Android

If you start a Substack using these tips, I’d love to hear about it. Tag me on Notes

when you share your first post. I’m excited to see what you create.

Discussion about this video

Thanks for the mention, Randa. My subscribers love posting a video on the chat - it works really well for the gardening community!

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This is so cool and inspiring.

Thank you Jo!

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Is there any plan to be able to post books on Substack?

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Im using Substack as a video first platform. Great video. Looking forward to moving my community here.

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Unleash your inner champion in Retro Bowl 25, where you can strategize, compete, and ultimately claim your place among the greats of football history!

https://retrobowl25.io/

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This Substack Masterclass offers valuable insights for video creators looking to grow their audiences and produce engaging content. Alongside mastering these strategies, having the right tools can be a game-changer. For example, platforms like https://winkapkgeek.com/ offer modified versions of popular video editing apps, which can help creators streamline their production process without the need for premium subscriptions. This can be particularly beneficial for creators on a budget who still want to enhance their content. Definitely worth checking out for video creators looking for more flexibility in their tools!

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You’ve captured a very nuanced thought, which is both insightful and engaging. https://405.osttopstfreeware.com

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Hi Randa!

Thank you for your content. I am a journalist, an established YouTuber and video creator and I am looking to starting a video platform on breastfeeding content (I have lactation consultants and genuinely useful information about breastfeeding). There is no way to actually contact a human on substack! Lol. Can you please tell me if breastfeeding nudity is allowed? Thank you so much :)

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Focusing on best practices and especially video tools is something I really need. I want to learn how to effectively market Substack and reach my audience off the platform, so this guide could make a huge difference. https://spacewaves.io

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The paywall anywhere in a video is such a cool option. Definitely using this feature. Big thanks for this presentation!

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Thanks for the info. Very helpful

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Super helpful! Thank you. I love lots of notes for getting our substack further along now. - Adriana

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Thanks Randa Helpful overview - just what I needed as I scope out the landscape here on the platform.

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Awesome! I am a video person, so this sounds great! I will watch the video tomorrow with my breakfast.

Q. Is there going to be live streaming coming anytime soon?

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Yessss Randa!!

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