Substack seems to be very confused. They don’t know what they want to become. It was all about writers and readers and now we don’t know what they have become. They want to be a SuperApp for all media but we know how that has worked out in the past. Rather questionable decisions by the founders. Don’t be everything. Be one thing first. The idea that Substack wants to grow the platform and make it sustainable and lucrative for writers & creators of all kinds where podcasters join the platform, bring their audiences in, and recommend/cross-promote with writers, does not helps everyone grow because Substack always focuses on the big accounts and these big accounts don't help smaller accounts in any way.
Substack WAS "one thing first"... the reason they've added tech for Pods and video is because so many authors requested it.
If you don't want a podcast or video show, don't use it.
And BTW... three big accounts did help me. I think it's because I spent about two years commenting on their posts and interacting with the authors and their subscribers. I gained many subscriptions and follows from those sites. And also on Notes. Lots of interaction.
One final thought: Writing, and Audio and Video are all the same thing: Every video must be written (to be good) and ditto with podcasts unless it's a live interview or something - even then, it still needs writing to make it professional.
Adding new tech here is for our benefit. It spreads our words and ideas across platforms, which can only help everyone.
My guess is that the big wigs on the platform have podcasts and video shows and they asked for these features. This is part of my concern about how Substack caters to the big people on the platform.
They’d be better off trying to diversify the number of people who are succeeding on the platform. So they aren’t so dependent on the people with large followings.
They say that it’s because the larger the community, the more exposure and growth existing writers and readers will get. But that also dilutes the platform and confuse users. It’s a gamble. It also puts pressure on writers and FOMO on not starting a podcast.
THANK YOU Diamond-Michael! And I love the video option.
I'm thrilled Substack is expanding. Everyone else here is dissing a great idea for what? Why can't a media company serve writers, podcasters, and video shows all at once? Isn't the point to be a contemporary media site that enables us to get our work out into the public sphere? Standard publishing is going down the drain as more and more busy people (no time to read on their one commutes etc) are demanding podcasts... And folks like me (more visual) love watching good videos, especially from smaller content providers.
What happened to Substack being a platform that first and foremost celebrates writers and readers? I love podcasts and videos, but I hope this does not dilute Substack’s core mission. Which makes me wonder, what is Substack’s core mission anyway?
The dilution is not to accept other expressions like podcasts and shows. The dilution is to cooperate with Spotify and other big players and not to stick to the Substack core - paid by users, no ads.
It is complete nonsense to synch your paid content to Spotify which they introduced with this post. It ads value to Spotify and they might receive good money for it but the creator gets Cents from Spotify. Also Spotify censors. So it is a complete stupid move against their own values. But maybe for good cash ...
@Jasmine Sun... You are so much more diplomatic and patient than I am... And I love Substack and now almost everyone I know has either subscribed to something, or are writing something on here.
Nicky.. they can only promote what they are aware of. How can you come to their attention? By interaction. Two large Substacks saw me daily (covid) commenting and interacting for at least TWO YEARS… And when Notes arrived I posted, liked, and replied and restacked and encouraged others (but only when sincerely impressed)
Also, after a couple YEARS of that, I selected those two biggies (who encouraged readers to send them emails prior to DMs here). I contacted them and BRIEFLY asked if they’d take a look at my first post. They knew me (only virtually) by then, and both said yes. They promoted it.
Yes, it's always frustrating when we are laboriously working toward our desired goals, and it's always a bad idea to compare ourselves with others.
I just followed you so that I can like and comment on your Notes.
I don't know how long you've been on Substack, and I don't know what kinds of comments you make on other peoples Posts. But I looked at some of your posts and seems to me you should do pretty well here. Have you considered working with @Sarah Fay and @Substack Writers At Work? Sometimes having someone help you navigate toward your goals is worth a lot.
I wish you growth and success, Louis. And encourage you to stay positive.
One other thing Louis... remember what you're trying to do is create authentic, respectful relationships. That is the key. Or has been the key for me. Don't give up. There's nowhere else like Substack...
That’s only true if you’re actively pushing the smaller creators when you have the opportunity. Which you don’t. You pretend that people you promote are small but they really aren’t.
A tenured professor isn’t an organic success to Substack. Someone who has angel investors prior to coming to Substack isn’t an organic success to Substack. But you promote them as if they are.
I’m looking forward to continuing recording my written posts which I started this week. Into my microphone, under a sheet. (as recommended by Sarah Fay!) ⭐️
This is all great! Perhaps I missed it, but curious if there is a plan or a way to do streaming LIVE video podcasts? That would be an excellent premium offer for paid subs.
I’m happy for the people who are succeeding in this lane. However, if they are surging in terms of popularity, it stands to reason that non-podcasts and video shows are not succeeding nearly as much.
A platform for writers doesn’t seem to be that interested in writers.
I read every essay I post and offer audio as an option, sometimes I also talk off the cuff. It takes minutes compared to writing the essay and my readers seem to love having a “podcast” option -even if it’s just me reading to my phone in my living room. Highly recommend doing this, authors!
I think the syncing to Spotify is a good idea. I actually love the discoverability options that Substack offers, but my concerns with Substack as a podcast platform are metrics. Currently Substack metrics aren't IAB certified AND, you can't plug in other measuring tools easily. Right now you have to reach out to Substack to do it, and it takes a long time, and the only one offered right now is Chartable.
Overall, I am glad content creators are finding some success monetarily, but I am looking for ways to build within and outside of Substack as a podcaster, and right now that doesn't seem possible.
Keep going like this 👏, and many of those who are not satisfied with unfair distribution of platforms like Youtube, will come here and cultivate a loyal audience to whom they can connect.
Thank you, Substack team! My publication includes written 'adventure story' posts and also short films in video posts of the adventure. The films do not have speaking or narration, so it has been difficult to share some of the content. I am very excited about the new ability to share clips of these!
Great idea! For now I'm writing here but I've been dreaming of a fiction podcast for a while. I'm just a one-person operation for now but who knows, maybe some opportunities arise on the platform. Are there any notable fiction podcasts on Substack?
My Substack is personal writing but I'm a founder and director for an audio drama production company. We anticipate moving our fiction shows here. Let's connect.
I switched from YouTube to Substack for good and I've never felt better as a video creator in a private audience that can directly sponsor my content. The way I feel so comfortable here, I don't know if I'll ever stop creating content here.
To me, Substack is a place where people who are serious about what they create can do so in a like-minded community without needing to worry about the pitfalls that exist in other platforms (like clickbait, for instance. Or having to generalise in order to appeal to the masses. Or being swamped with ads. The list goes on). As long as Substack can stay "pure", for want of a better word, then in my opinion the more people that can host their work here, the better. All we'll end up with is more actually good content.
I present 10 minute farm and travel sounds with video 5 days a week. A tiny daily video show that portrays ordinary life. Unfiltered, unedited just calm. No judgements, just sounds. Using the SubStack tools these short videos are easy to load into SubStack and publish to the list. Super easy. The ease of publication supports the simplicity of this medium and allows me to publish often. I call my videos TKG TAKE TEN and they document ordinary sounds from ordinary spaces for 10 minutes. Just the sounds. No music or voiceovers. SubStack has enabled this and now there are hundreds of people a day giving themselves ten minutes of calm. (Not that they are always calm - I am in Australia at the moment and the birds here are raucous!)
Until I read this I did feel like a fish out of water on SubStack. This is a strong writers forum. And going against the grain needs fortitude. Hopefully the tools continue to improve. Thank you so much!
I've been natively uploading the individual story clips here to Substack for months, email them directly to our current subscribers (ensuring they get every story right to their inbox, no algorithm concerns), as well as publish them to a podcast RSS feed.
Substack has been fantastic as a host and a place to grow. Excited for the future! Please subscribe if you're tired of the lies that corporate media is spinning and stories they're ignoring in the name of partisanship & profits.
Substack seems to be very confused. They don’t know what they want to become. It was all about writers and readers and now we don’t know what they have become. They want to be a SuperApp for all media but we know how that has worked out in the past. Rather questionable decisions by the founders. Don’t be everything. Be one thing first. The idea that Substack wants to grow the platform and make it sustainable and lucrative for writers & creators of all kinds where podcasters join the platform, bring their audiences in, and recommend/cross-promote with writers, does not helps everyone grow because Substack always focuses on the big accounts and these big accounts don't help smaller accounts in any way.
Substack WAS "one thing first"... the reason they've added tech for Pods and video is because so many authors requested it.
If you don't want a podcast or video show, don't use it.
And BTW... three big accounts did help me. I think it's because I spent about two years commenting on their posts and interacting with the authors and their subscribers. I gained many subscriptions and follows from those sites. And also on Notes. Lots of interaction.
One final thought: Writing, and Audio and Video are all the same thing: Every video must be written (to be good) and ditto with podcasts unless it's a live interview or something - even then, it still needs writing to make it professional.
Adding new tech here is for our benefit. It spreads our words and ideas across platforms, which can only help everyone.
Yes, if you try to be everything for everyone, you end up being nothing for no one.
Right.
My guess is that the big wigs on the platform have podcasts and video shows and they asked for these features. This is part of my concern about how Substack caters to the big people on the platform.
They’d be better off trying to diversify the number of people who are succeeding on the platform. So they aren’t so dependent on the people with large followings.
They say that it’s because the larger the community, the more exposure and growth existing writers and readers will get. But that also dilutes the platform and confuse users. It’s a gamble. It also puts pressure on writers and FOMO on not starting a podcast.
Yes, but if the larger audience all clusters around the bigger creators, you aren’t going to see them move outward to the smaller creators.
Exactly! And Substack only promotes the big accounts constantly
Right. We are lost too 🫠
😂
It is complete nonsense to "join forces" with Spotify.
I smell the consulting of PWC, KPMG, EY etc.
Beautiful.
But still nonsense to join forces with censorship platforms. Stick to your principles.
Agreed. They are already shadowbanning my posts.
Congrats.
Then I must look at your content.
They're only OFFERING to us! Don't like Spotify? Don't bloody use it!
Jeepers... why are you all so aggrieved? So negative. So complaining?
Because cooperating with Google, Spotify, Facebook, Instagram and so on is just one thing:
EVIL.
Merhaba sizleri desteklemekten gurur duyuyoruz
HA!
Are you kidding me. I love, love, love the podcast feature here at Substack. My cross-pollination impact through its use has been seismic.
https://greatbooksgreatminds.substack.com/podcast
THANK YOU Diamond-Michael! And I love the video option.
I'm thrilled Substack is expanding. Everyone else here is dissing a great idea for what? Why can't a media company serve writers, podcasters, and video shows all at once? Isn't the point to be a contemporary media site that enables us to get our work out into the public sphere? Standard publishing is going down the drain as more and more busy people (no time to read on their one commutes etc) are demanding podcasts... And folks like me (more visual) love watching good videos, especially from smaller content providers.
https://open.substack.com/pub/on/p/substack-podcast-spotify?r=539iu&utm_campaign=comment-list-share-cta&utm_medium=web&comments=true&commentId=53712299
I agree......getting too complex too quickly.
4/11/24
What happened to Substack being a platform that first and foremost celebrates writers and readers? I love podcasts and videos, but I hope this does not dilute Substack’s core mission. Which makes me wonder, what is Substack’s core mission anyway?
Exactly. Substack is confused. They don’t know what they want to become
For sure, they’re completely diluting their brand.
The dilution is not to accept other expressions like podcasts and shows. The dilution is to cooperate with Spotify and other big players and not to stick to the Substack core - paid by users, no ads.
Are they working with other platforms like Spotify? I haven’t heard that although I know you can send the podcasts to other platforms.
It is complete nonsense to synch your paid content to Spotify which they introduced with this post. It ads value to Spotify and they might receive good money for it but the creator gets Cents from Spotify. Also Spotify censors. So it is a complete stupid move against their own values. But maybe for good cash ...
Yes, the economic argument that it helps people just doesn’t hold up.
@Jasmine Sun... You are so much more diplomatic and patient than I am... And I love Substack and now almost everyone I know has either subscribed to something, or are writing something on here.
Thanks for your wisdom and vision.
But big podcasters don't promote other writers really do they? They promote other big podcasters. Why write if you can just do video or podcast?
Nicky.. they can only promote what they are aware of. How can you come to their attention? By interaction. Two large Substacks saw me daily (covid) commenting and interacting for at least TWO YEARS… And when Notes arrived I posted, liked, and replied and restacked and encouraged others (but only when sincerely impressed)
Also, after a couple YEARS of that, I selected those two biggies (who encouraged readers to send them emails prior to DMs here). I contacted them and BRIEFLY asked if they’d take a look at my first post. They knew me (only virtually) by then, and both said yes. They promoted it.
Yes, it's always frustrating when we are laboriously working toward our desired goals, and it's always a bad idea to compare ourselves with others.
I just followed you so that I can like and comment on your Notes.
I don't know how long you've been on Substack, and I don't know what kinds of comments you make on other peoples Posts. But I looked at some of your posts and seems to me you should do pretty well here. Have you considered working with @Sarah Fay and @Substack Writers At Work? Sometimes having someone help you navigate toward your goals is worth a lot.
I wish you growth and success, Louis. And encourage you to stay positive.
One other thing Louis... remember what you're trying to do is create authentic, respectful relationships. That is the key. Or has been the key for me. Don't give up. There's nowhere else like Substack...
That’s only true if you’re actively pushing the smaller creators when you have the opportunity. Which you don’t. You pretend that people you promote are small but they really aren’t.
A tenured professor isn’t an organic success to Substack. Someone who has angel investors prior to coming to Substack isn’t an organic success to Substack. But you promote them as if they are.
I’m looking forward to continuing recording my written posts which I started this week. Into my microphone, under a sheet. (as recommended by Sarah Fay!) ⭐️
Hi.Could help me how to get subscribers on substack.
Ha ha, that brings back memories. I used to set up a mini recording room under a golfing umbrella.
Pillows work too!
This is all great! Perhaps I missed it, but curious if there is a plan or a way to do streaming LIVE video podcasts? That would be an excellent premium offer for paid subs.
Keep up the good work.
Great idea!
I’m happy for the people who are succeeding in this lane. However, if they are surging in terms of popularity, it stands to reason that non-podcasts and video shows are not succeeding nearly as much.
A platform for writers doesn’t seem to be that interested in writers.
I read every essay I post and offer audio as an option, sometimes I also talk off the cuff. It takes minutes compared to writing the essay and my readers seem to love having a “podcast” option -even if it’s just me reading to my phone in my living room. Highly recommend doing this, authors!
I’m gonna be doing this . It just makes things more accessible!
I think the syncing to Spotify is a good idea. I actually love the discoverability options that Substack offers, but my concerns with Substack as a podcast platform are metrics. Currently Substack metrics aren't IAB certified AND, you can't plug in other measuring tools easily. Right now you have to reach out to Substack to do it, and it takes a long time, and the only one offered right now is Chartable.
Overall, I am glad content creators are finding some success monetarily, but I am looking for ways to build within and outside of Substack as a podcaster, and right now that doesn't seem possible.
loving these new features and iterations 🔁
Keep going like this 👏, and many of those who are not satisfied with unfair distribution of platforms like Youtube, will come here and cultivate a loyal audience to whom they can connect.
Very cool development! Congrats! 🎉
Thank you, Substack team! My publication includes written 'adventure story' posts and also short films in video posts of the adventure. The films do not have speaking or narration, so it has been difficult to share some of the content. I am very excited about the new ability to share clips of these!
Great idea! For now I'm writing here but I've been dreaming of a fiction podcast for a while. I'm just a one-person operation for now but who knows, maybe some opportunities arise on the platform. Are there any notable fiction podcasts on Substack?
My Substack is personal writing but I'm a founder and director for an audio drama production company. We anticipate moving our fiction shows here. Let's connect.
Yay, thanks. Happy to connect!
That’s amazing! I’d love to hear your company’s work.
I switched from YouTube to Substack for good and I've never felt better as a video creator in a private audience that can directly sponsor my content. The way I feel so comfortable here, I don't know if I'll ever stop creating content here.
To me, Substack is a place where people who are serious about what they create can do so in a like-minded community without needing to worry about the pitfalls that exist in other platforms (like clickbait, for instance. Or having to generalise in order to appeal to the masses. Or being swamped with ads. The list goes on). As long as Substack can stay "pure", for want of a better word, then in my opinion the more people that can host their work here, the better. All we'll end up with is more actually good content.
I present 10 minute farm and travel sounds with video 5 days a week. A tiny daily video show that portrays ordinary life. Unfiltered, unedited just calm. No judgements, just sounds. Using the SubStack tools these short videos are easy to load into SubStack and publish to the list. Super easy. The ease of publication supports the simplicity of this medium and allows me to publish often. I call my videos TKG TAKE TEN and they document ordinary sounds from ordinary spaces for 10 minutes. Just the sounds. No music or voiceovers. SubStack has enabled this and now there are hundreds of people a day giving themselves ten minutes of calm. (Not that they are always calm - I am in Australia at the moment and the birds here are raucous!)
Until I read this I did feel like a fish out of water on SubStack. This is a strong writers forum. And going against the grain needs fortitude. Hopefully the tools continue to improve. Thank you so much!
All great to see! I've been embracing media on Substack for years.
Our first episode of our new YouTube show (How Did We Miss That) was emailed to our 80 free Substack subscribers (at the time) on August 29, 2021.
https://www.indiemediatoday.com/p/indyleft-news-stories-you-probably
This past Sunday, I emailed out the show alert and embed for episode 108 to 1700+ free subscribers.
https://www.indiemediatoday.com/p/how-did-we-miss-that-ep-108
I've been natively uploading the individual story clips here to Substack for months, email them directly to our current subscribers (ensuring they get every story right to their inbox, no algorithm concerns), as well as publish them to a podcast RSS feed.
https://www.indiemediatoday.com/s/how-did-we-miss-that-clips-and-stories
Substack has been fantastic as a host and a place to grow. Excited for the future! Please subscribe if you're tired of the lies that corporate media is spinning and stories they're ignoring in the name of partisanship & profits.