How TikTok creators are bringing their followers to Substack
Own your audience and earn money with subscriptions
For TikTok creators like Violet Witchel, ANNA X SITAR, Ryan Nordheimer, Tini Younger, and more, the Substack app provides a space for their audiences to come together for livestreams, group chats, podcasts, videos, and written posts, all powered by direct subscriptions. Substack makes it easy for TikTok creators to preserve their audience, go deeper, and build a loyal community.
Substack also gives video creators, podcasters, and writers the ultimate power: true independence through audience ownership. On Substack, creators own their creative work and mailing list, guaranteeing that they can always connect directly with their community—even if they decide to leave the platform.
If you are a TikTok creator who’s new to Substack, here’s everything you need to know.
How to get started
1. Download the Substack app
When you download the Substack app via the App Store or Google Play, you will be prompted to create a profile and claim a handle. We recommend using the name and handle that most people know you by on social media to make it easy to find you. Make sure to connect your external social accounts when prompted, as this will help your followers find you.
2. Connect to Stripe
Substack allows you to monetize your creative work. You can decide both on a post-by-post basis and within individual posts exactly what to keep free and what to put behind a paywall.
You can also choose to keep everything free, with paid subscriptions functioning like donations to support your work. If you have behind-the-scenes or exclusive content like recipes, reviews, or day-in-the-life videos, you might experiment with free previews of your paid posts.
3. Post
Substack supports all kinds of posts, including live video, written posts, and long-form video and audio. Your first post can be simple: a short explanation of what’s coming soon or an example of the content you plan to post going forward, like a recipe, a review, or an episode of your video series. Be sure to include a subscribe button early in the post.
faith fresh teased her Substack with a coming-soon post:
Nara Smith of Paper Pantry introduced herself and gets behind the scenes using a flexible paywall:
We recommend introducing yourself on Notes, Substack’s short form discovery feed that connects you with potential subscribers across the platform, as soon as you start your Substack. On the Notes feed, you can post short-form text, images or videos, like the message ANNA X SITAR posted when she joined:
Substack has other community features that can help you go deeper with your audience. You can host chats with your subscribers in a community discussion space where you make the guest list and the rules. It’s like having a group chat or Reddit thread connected to your Substack.
Live video allows creators to broadcast in real time to free subscribers, paid subscribers, or the wider Substack network. For example, HRH and Leo Skepi go live on Substack to share exclusive insights with their paid audiences, offering them a direct and unique experience they won’t find anywhere else.
4. Tell your TikTok followers
Tell your followers that they can find and support you on Substack. When sharing details about your Substack on TikTok, say exactly why you’ve started a Substack and make it clear what they can get on Substack that they can’t anywhere else.
Aaron Parnas uses a greenscreen to preview some of the features that people will find on his Substack. He pinned the video to his TikTok so that everyone who visits his profile knows where to find him.
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Laila Mirza reminds her followers that they can find her recipes on her Substack, including details on what free and paid subscribers can expect.
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The Cosmic Man shares why he enjoys Substack compared with other platforms, citing its low-stress environment and adding that it’s now the only platform he uses.
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Add your Substack to your link in bio or Linktree so TikTok followers, old and new, can quickly subscribe. Consider updating the text in your bio explaining what’s on your Substack, like cat lantigua of awake book club did.
