This masterclass is for video creators, but I cover all the important parts of starting a Substack, whether youโre 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 donโt identify as a video creator or have tons of social media followers.ย
Iโve 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, itโs exciting to me that weโve 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 youโre just getting started on Substack, Iโd recommend claiming your URL and watching the video above in full. If youโre 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 youโre 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 Jenn Lueke does here). Here are a few great examples:
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. Violet Witchel 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. Patrick Hicks 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 youโre out and about and want to share a video of your environment with your subscribers. Take Jo Thompsonโs Substack, The Gardening Mind by Jo Thompson: members of her community will sometimes share videos of their gardens in her chat space.
If you start a Substack using these tips, Iโd love to hear about it. Tag me on Notes randa when you share your first post. Iโm excited to see what you create.
