Is Substack Worth It? A Full Review of Substack for Blogging

blog_related_media

blog_topic

blog_related_activities

blog_niche

blog_related_tips

unique_blog_element

For anyone exploring business blogging, the landscape can be overwhelming. You might wonder if Substack is the right platform for running newsletters and blogs. That’s why we’re here to help. We’ll guide you through the pros and cons of this popular platform so you can decide if it’s the best fit for you.

With that in mind, we’ll explore how Feather’s notion to blog can help you decide if Substack is worth it for blogging and newsletters.

What Is Substack?

Substack is an online platform where creators can publish newsletters and build a subscription-based audience. It connects creators and consumers, blending elements of a blog and an email newsletter. Authors can share personal writing or news and send digital newsletters directly to readers. Substack also supports podcasts and group chat broadcasts, offering several formats for creators.

Monetizing Content: How Substack Supports Creators

Substack offers tools to:

Create newsletters

Manage subscriptions

Monetize content

Writers can provide free or paid content, with Substack taking a percentage of subscription revenue. This setup empowers creators to profit from and maintain control over their work. Substack has paid creators over $300 million in subscriptions.

Substack's Growth: A Platform on the Rise

Since its launch in 2017, Substack has grown steadily. It has over 17,000 writers and 2 million paid subscribers as of 2023. Hundreds of notable figures use Substack, including:

Journalists

Thought leaders

Writers

They cover topics like the arts, politics, fashion, and sports. Notable users include:

Patti Smith

Seymour Hersh

Chuck Palahniuk

George Saunders

Substack's Offerings: What's Available for Creators

Substack is primarily text-based but supports four main formats: text-based posts, podcasts, discussion threads, and videos. This variety allows creators to express themselves differently and reach their audience effectively, providing the tools necessary for creators to thrive.

SEO Best Practices for Blogs

How to Create a Business Blog

Types of Blogs

How Much Does It Cost to Start a Blog

Blog Hosting

Most Profitable Blog Niches

Substack vs WordPress

Who Uses Substack?

Substack is a playground for anyone passionate about writing:

Bloggers

Journalists

Storytellers

Imagine 27 categories, from tech to comics, each with creative content. Sure, marketers might steer clear, but it’s a goldmine for content-driven businesses. It’s not just scribbles; podcasts and videos also find a home here. Substack's got your back for those looking to centralize their creations without the hassle of hosting.

Who Thrives on Substack?

Substack shines for specific groups. First, you're in luck if your budget is tighter than a drum. Substack doesn’t charge upfront; they take a slice of your earnings. Next, niche writers, rejoice! Whether you’re obsessed with vintage typewriters or obscure jazz records, there’s an audience waiting for your unique insights.

New writers often find Substack a brilliant launching pad because it’s easy to publish and can even help you start earning.

Effortless Email Marketing and Blogging with Feather

Run your blog and newsletter with Feather today. Create a new account and send emails from Notion, or go from Notion to blog in minutes!

What Are the Features and Benefits of Substack

Using a free Substack newsletter is like picking up a megaphone for the first time. It’s the perfect spot to:

Grow your brand

Develop your voice

Make a name for yourself

You don’t need a huge following to get going. Instead, create valuable content for your small audience and offer it for free. Pairing your newsletter with a website is a smart move. It lets you direct readers to your site with a simple CTA, potentially turning them into customers.

Make Money on the Front End with Paid Newsletters

Free newsletters can make you a profit on the back end, but you can use paid newsletters to earn cash on the front end. This is an appealing option for creators ready to monetize their newsletters. Substack’s integrated payment system makes this easy, taking a 10 percent fee from your paid subscriptions to cover operating costs.

Substack lets you record and share podcasts, which can then be transferred to streaming sites and apps like:

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Stitcher

You can record podcasts directly through the platform or import them from another source. This allows you to create content in whatever way works best for you and your audience.

Use Video to Engage Your Audience

Posting videos on Substack is a valuable tool for creators looking to engage their audience in new ways. Like podcasts, videos can be recorded directly on Substack or imported from elsewhere. Videos that live on Substack will have automatically generated transcripts and shareable audio and clips. They can also be used as exclusive content for paying subscribers, which can help you earn more money.

Encourage Interaction with Notes

Substack Notes are short-form posts (similar to those on X) that allow Substack users to share:

Text

Links

Images

Comments

Notes are displayed in a feed and appear to subscribers and followers of your Substack. They encourage interaction, and Substack users can post, like, or comment on them.

Substack Newsletters Are Easy to Use

Substack makes creating and distributing a newsletter as easy as possible. Users can focus on content creation while Substack handles the delivery and subscription management. This simplifies the process, allowing users to spend more time on what matters most: creating high-quality content.

Substack Helps You Build a Community

Readers who subscribe to your Substack are more engaged, offering you a dedicated audience for your work. This helps you build a community around your content, which can be a valuable asset for creators looking to grow their brand and reach.

What Is the Downside of Substack?

Fees and Financial Flexibility

While Substack is easy to use and helps you reach your audience, it has costs you can't ignore. Substack takes a 10% cut of your earnings, but that’s not all. Stripe, their payment processor, charges 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction.

For a $5 subscription, you’re losing about 6% to Stripe. And taxes will also take a bite. As you make more money, these fees add up. If you’re pulling in $1,000 a month, that’s $1,200 a year just to Substack. At that point, you might find a better deal elsewhere.

Limited Email Customization

Substack’s email customization is limited. You can’t personalize emails or set up advanced email sequences; everyone on your list gets the same message simultaneously. If you want more control, the limitations can be a pain.

Minimal Design Options

Substack offers little flexibility in terms of design. You can choose accent colors, fonts, and layouts, but there’s little room for creativity. If you value design and want to tweak your newsletter’s look, you might find Substack’s options lacking.

Poor SEO Performance

Substack isn’t great for SEO. It doesn’t offer canonical URLs, which makes it hard for search engines to find your content. If ranking on Google is part of your plan, this is a big drawback. Posting the same content on Substack and your blog can hurt your SEO rankings.

Traffic Is All on You

While Substack makes publishing easy, getting people to your page is your job. You’ll need to invest time and maybe money to promote your work. Social media, your website, and other platforms will need your attention. If you’re serious about growing your business, consider pairing Substack with a more flexible website.

Recent Controversies

Substack recently faced criticism for allowing a controversial newsletter on its platform. This raised questions about Substack’s content moderation policies. If you’re considering joining Substack, these controversies might make you consider other options.

Do Substack Writers Make Money? Monetization On Substack

You’re ready to monetize your writing on Substack, but where do you start? The simplest way is through paid subscriptions. You can offer free content to draw in readers, then entice them with exclusive material for a fee. You set the price, typically monthly or annual. Founding member rates allow early supporters to pay more and feel part of your journey. These subscriptions give you a chance to convert casual readers into devoted followers.

Balancing Free and Paid Content: The Art of Engagement

Finding the right mix of free and paid content can be tricky. You want to hook readers with valuable insights while keeping something special for subscribers. Free content should be engaging, but paid content needs to deliver more depth or exclusivity. Post regularly to maintain interest and use free content to promote your paid offerings. Previewing a premium article or a teaser email can nudge readers toward subscribing.

Founding Members: Building a Community from Day One

Building an audience is key for a beginner on Substack. Founding member subscriptions can help. These higher-priced options let early supporters contribute more. In return, offer them perks like exclusive content or direct interaction. This approach helps establish a community and makes your supporters feel valued. Plus, it generates early income and encourages others to join.

One-Time Payments: Flexibility and Freedom

One-time payments offer flexibility for both you and your audience. Charge readers for special editions or courses without requiring ongoing subscriptions. This approach lets you experiment with different formats and topics. It also gives readers a taste of your work without a long-term commitment. Use one-time payments strategically to attract new readers and boost revenue.

Understanding Fees: What You Need to Know

Substack takes a 10% cut of your earnings, and Stripe, the payment processor, adds another 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction. This means you keep about 87% of what you earn before taxes. While these fees are standard for online platforms, they can add up. Consider them when setting your subscription prices and planning your content strategy.

Challenges for New Writers: Building an Audience

New writers may struggle to monetize on Substack without an existing audience. Building a readership takes time and effort, and it's harder to attract subscribers without a following. Use free content and social media to promote your newsletter and connect with potential readers. Engage with your audience and be patient as you grow your subscriber base.

Is Substack Worth It for Blogging?

Substack is like a one-stop shop for writers who want to connect with their audience without all the tech headaches. It’s simple. You can start publishing newsletters or blogs almost immediately. Want to make some cash? Substack’s got built-in tools for subscriptions, including paid options. This setup gives you a chance to earn directly from your writing without any upfront costs. It’s a breeze compared to setting up a full-blown website.

Navigating Costs as a Reader

As a reader, subscribing to multiple newsletters can add up quickly. Substack isn’t like a magazine where you pay once for a whole bundle. Instead, you subscribe to each writer separately. If you’re into a lot of different newsletters, this can get pricey. Writers should keep this in mind. You’ll need to offer something special to make readers want to pay.

Creating Without the Hassle

Substack allows you to focus on writing, not on managing a website or juggling tech stuff. The platform offers a straightforward way to monetize your content. If you’re looking to build a dedicated audience and maybe make some money, it’s a solid choice.

Blogging for Ecommerce

Best Blogging Platform

Wix vs Squarespace

Substack vs Medium

Webflow vs WordPress

Best Free Blogging Platform

Best Blog Sites

Framer vs Webflow

Wix vs WordPress

1. Feather: Transform Your Notion Workspace into a Blogging Powerhouse

Feather is an SEO-friendly blog and email newsletter service that allows you to publish blog content and newsletters through Notion, without any coding or design skills required. Companies can:

Write blog content in Notion and automatically publish it to their Feather blog

Set up a subfolder blog for better SEO

Manage everything from CRM to blog with Notion

Feather also offers options like custom CSS, email collection, and newsletter sending directly from Notion. Run your blog and newsletter with Feather today! Create a new account and send emails from Notion, or go from notion to blog in minutes!

2. ConvertKit: Empower Your Creative Journey

ConvertKit is a straightforward email marketing platform tailored for content creators like:

Writers

Online coaches

Podcasters

It provides features for audience:

Growth

Monetization

Landing and sales pages

Creator and sponsor networks

Paid newsletters

The platform is user-friendly but lacks a drag-and-drop email builder, which limits design options like Substack. ConvertKit offers a free plan for up to 1K subscribers, but paid plans are pricey and start at $25 a month for a Creator account with 1K subscribers.

3. Mailchimp: All-in-One Marketing Solution

Mailchimp is a popular email marketing platform that caters to businesses of all sizes and industries. It offers a vast array of solutions and services, including:

Email marketing

Social media marketing

A website builder

This makes it an excellent platform for business growth. However, this abundance of features can be overwhelming for beginners.

Mailchimp’s pricing is flexible but expensive, with a free plan with limited functionality. Paid plans start at $13 per month, and the pricing model can be confusing for content creators who don’t have time for details.

4. Mailerlite: Feature-Rich and Budget-Friendly

Mailerlite is a comprehensive marketing automation tool that covers a content creator's needs. It offers:

AI-powered drag-and-drop email builder

Landing pages

Websites

Blogs and more

The platform is available as both a web and iOS app, with a separate iPad app for offline events.

Most of Mailerlite’s cool features are locked behind a paywall. The free plan only includes basic tools for:

Designing and sending emails

Growing your list

Creating automated sequences

Building websites and landing pages

Paid plans start at $9 per month for 1,000 contacts.

5. Buttondown: Simple, Efficient, Affordable

Buttondown is a minimalist software solution for running email newsletters. It’s popular with businesses and content creators who need a simple, affordable tool that does one thing well. The platform offers essential tools for running a successful newsletter, including:

Scheduling

Automation

Analytics

Buttondown allows flexible paid subscriptions via a native integration with Stripe, but lacks in-built discoverability features. The free plan only allows for up to 100 subscribers, and paid plans start at $9 per month.

6. beehiiv: Grow and Monetize Your Audience

beehiiv is a relatively new newsletter management software that’s quickly gained traction among:

Writers

Bloggers

Entrepreneurs

The platform offers features like:

Paid email newsletters

Discoverability

Analytics

A/B testing

Custom newsletter builder

Ad network

Most of the advanced features require a paid plan, which starts at $42 per month on an annual plan. The free plan allows for up to 2,500 subscribers, but is more of a “trial version” if monetization is your main focus.

7. Patreon: Build a Community of Supporters

Patreon is a popular membership platform that offers versatile monetization options to content creators of all kinds. Unlike Substack, it’s popular with not only writers and podcasters but also:

Musicians

Artists

Video creators

Game developers

Members can support creators by monthly subscription payments or by purchasing their products.

Patreon’s pricing is similar to Substack’s, with a commission deducted from all payments received by creators. However, the platform offers multiple subscription tiers, which can help attract more supporters and bring in more revenue.

8. WordPress: The Ultimate Content Management System

WordPress is the leading open source CMS that powers over 40% of all websites. It offers:

Diverse functionality

Remarkable affordability

Relative ease of use

This allows you to run and manage a blog, newsletter, and e-commerce store. WordPress’s functionality is lacking in the newsletter department. WordPress.org is free to use as open-source software, but managing a website requires experience. WordPress.com is more user-friendly, with free accounts and paid plans starting at $4 per month, but the platform takes 4-10% commissions from users’ revenue.

9. Ghost: All-in-One Platform for Creators

Ghost is an open source CMS software tool for blogs and newsletters that’s a popular alternative to both WordPress and Substack. It allows creators to have everything they need in one place, including running a blog and newsletter and managing paid subscriptions via integration with Stripe.

Ghost can be used for free if you have the skills to manage your account, or you can opt for the paid GhostPro option. Pricing plans start at $9 per month for an audience of up to 500 members.

10. Medium: Reach a Wider Audience

Medium is an online publishing platform that’s well-known among:

Writers

Journalists

Bloggers for its simplicity

Ease of use

Good Google rankings

It’s a good platform for growing an audience, but not the best for monetization, as payouts are calculated based on reader engagement and newsletter subscriptions are only good for promoting content.

Go From Notion to Blog With Ease Today With Feather

Feather is a game changer for content creators seeking simplicity and efficiency. It lets you publish SEO-friendly blogs and send newsletters straight from Notion, no coding required. Imagine crafting content on Notion and having it live on your Feather blog instantly. It’s as straightforward as a drag-and-drop, freeing up time for what you do best: creating.

Boost SEO with Subfolder Blogs

Subfolder blogs are a secret weapon for SEO. Feather sets you up with a domain.com/blog instead of blog.domain.com. Why? Search engines favor subfolders, giving you a boost in rankings. This is crucial for businesses focused on visibility and reach. No extra effort needed, just better results.

Elevate Your CRM and Blog Management

Feather isn’t just a content tool; it’s a management powerhouse. With Feather, you can handle your CRM and website blog management through Notion. This integration offers a streamlined experience similar to HubSpot without the hefty price tag. Manage everything in one place and keep your team in sync.

Customize Your Design with Ease

While Feather keeps things simple, it doesn’t skimp on customization. You can tweak your blog’s design with custom CSS to match your brand’s look and feel. This flexibility allows you to maintain a cohesive brand image without getting lost in complex code.

Build Your Email List

Collecting emails is crucial for nurturing your audience. Feather makes it easy to gather subscribers and engage them directly from Notion. This seamless process ensures you never miss a beat in your communication strategy.

Collaborate Effortlessly with Your Team

Feather’s integration with Notion makes collaboration easy. You can work with your team during the publishing process without jumping through hoops. This streamlined workflow promotes creativity and encourages collaboration, leading to better content.

Engage Your Audience with Newsletters

Newsletters are a powerful way to connect with your audience, and Feather simplifies this process. Craft and send newsletters directly from Notion, keeping your subscribers informed and engaged. This seamless integration means less hassle and more focus on crafting compelling messages.

Run your blog and newsletter with Feather today! Create a new account and send emails from Notion, or go from notion to blog in minutes!