A much needed post after we’ve seen people’s whole newsletters get wiped out this week. Very scary considering I’m unable to export my subscribers due to a bug on their end.
I personally made my newsletter my website, a portfolio site without a community hub felt like a waste of $200, but can also see myself building a place for both in the future.
What Substack has going for it is adding a custom domain is a one time free and using it, unlike most hosting sites, is free. If they don’t grow with its users though, I can see more people building their own spaces from the ground up and using their newsletter to funnel people there instead.
I'm curious whether your subscriber list on Substack and on your own site are the same. Do you continuously merge them or keep them separate? I've already built my blog and newsletter on WordPress/MailChimp and created a publication on Substack, but for now, I just port my blogs from WordPress to Substack. I haven't touched bringing my subscribers here or vice versa yet.
This is super smart and you’ve given me a lot to think about. Definitely going to build my own land. What do you use for hosting?? I’ve been disappointed by Shopify and Squarespace and I’m unsure where I should go next if at all
Oh good glad this was helpful! I've used SiteGround as my web host for almost 10 years, they're fantastic. Right now I have my shop on Big Cartel (love it!) and a WordPress website. As soon as I learn WooCommerce I'll abandon Big Cartel. I haven't found an ecommerce platform that offers a robust blogging/portfolio option without paying someone to do a lot of customization. I'm comfortable doing most things in WordPress so for me it's easier to add ecommerce to my website than it would be to add my website to an ecommerce solution, if that makes sense? It all depends what you're trying to do.
That totally makes sense! I had wordpress a long time ago and abandoned it due to frustration. But I think I could spend more time creating and honing the website I want while I have a shopify storefront that's live. You've given me a lot to think about, thank you!
Yep, I agree wholeheartedly with this post! I came on substack for the ease of use and free traffic to build my audience. I fully recognize that this platform could change and so I am also working on a website to host my work. Thanks for sharing!
I had brought my audience over from a small list I had grown mostly through giveaways. I wanted to use substack because of how simple it is, the free traffic, and the fact that I can use substack mailing address for the footer of emails (I know weird reason, but I was paying for a PO Box just to satisfy CAN-SPAM regulations, and I felt the money could be used in better ways). I fully intend to backup my list tho so that I can switch if substack goes down a road I don’t want to go down.
Yes! Not needing to pay for a PO box was a factor in my decision making process too. Those costs add up and when you're building something new there are so many ways that money could be better spent when there's an alternative.
"...thought exercise of what your creative career might look like when socials and the internet are rendered functionally irrelevant because they’ve become overrun with bots and AI generated nonsense."
You can pay to get verified on X. What do you think about this?
Agreed. I’ve continued to double post here and in my own Wordpress site of 17 years. I like substack better than Mail Chimp and Buttondown, and Notes is a killer app.... but you never know things will go sideways. Plus it’s a good workflow to see the text in a different editor for one last polish before posting.
Wise words indeed. So are you saying build a website, publish your blogs on there but when you ask people to sign up they fill out webform and it signs them up to substack?
A much needed post after we’ve seen people’s whole newsletters get wiped out this week. Very scary considering I’m unable to export my subscribers due to a bug on their end.
I personally made my newsletter my website, a portfolio site without a community hub felt like a waste of $200, but can also see myself building a place for both in the future.
What Substack has going for it is adding a custom domain is a one time free and using it, unlike most hosting sites, is free. If they don’t grow with its users though, I can see more people building their own spaces from the ground up and using their newsletter to funnel people there instead.
Lots to think about for sure!
Oh no, people’s newsletters are getting wiped out!?! Sheesh!
They are! Apparently if you delete a podcast, it also takes your videos and potentially subscribers with it. A major oversight on Substack’s part!
UGH
This kind of stuff is why I have trust issues lol
I'm curious whether your subscriber list on Substack and on your own site are the same. Do you continuously merge them or keep them separate? I've already built my blog and newsletter on WordPress/MailChimp and created a publication on Substack, but for now, I just port my blogs from WordPress to Substack. I haven't touched bringing my subscribers here or vice versa yet.
This is super smart and you’ve given me a lot to think about. Definitely going to build my own land. What do you use for hosting?? I’ve been disappointed by Shopify and Squarespace and I’m unsure where I should go next if at all
Oh good glad this was helpful! I've used SiteGround as my web host for almost 10 years, they're fantastic. Right now I have my shop on Big Cartel (love it!) and a WordPress website. As soon as I learn WooCommerce I'll abandon Big Cartel. I haven't found an ecommerce platform that offers a robust blogging/portfolio option without paying someone to do a lot of customization. I'm comfortable doing most things in WordPress so for me it's easier to add ecommerce to my website than it would be to add my website to an ecommerce solution, if that makes sense? It all depends what you're trying to do.
That totally makes sense! I had wordpress a long time ago and abandoned it due to frustration. But I think I could spend more time creating and honing the website I want while I have a shopify storefront that's live. You've given me a lot to think about, thank you!
Yep, I agree wholeheartedly with this post! I came on substack for the ease of use and free traffic to build my audience. I fully recognize that this platform could change and so I am also working on a website to host my work. Thanks for sharing!
Oh nice! I feel a little less like the cheese standing alone over here! 🤣 How are your two platforms growing? Are they following the same trajectory?
I had brought my audience over from a small list I had grown mostly through giveaways. I wanted to use substack because of how simple it is, the free traffic, and the fact that I can use substack mailing address for the footer of emails (I know weird reason, but I was paying for a PO Box just to satisfy CAN-SPAM regulations, and I felt the money could be used in better ways). I fully intend to backup my list tho so that I can switch if substack goes down a road I don’t want to go down.
Yes! Not needing to pay for a PO box was a factor in my decision making process too. Those costs add up and when you're building something new there are so many ways that money could be better spent when there's an alternative.
"...thought exercise of what your creative career might look like when socials and the internet are rendered functionally irrelevant because they’ve become overrun with bots and AI generated nonsense."
You can pay to get verified on X. What do you think about this?
Agreed. I’ve continued to double post here and in my own Wordpress site of 17 years. I like substack better than Mail Chimp and Buttondown, and Notes is a killer app.... but you never know things will go sideways. Plus it’s a good workflow to see the text in a different editor for one last polish before posting.
Wise words indeed. So are you saying build a website, publish your blogs on there but when you ask people to sign up they fill out webform and it signs them up to substack?
Smart!