4 important reasons why I don’t recommend Substack for authors
You might be hearing a lot about Substack for authors. Is this newsletter platform a good fit for your audience and book marketing goals?
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When a marketing-savvy author friend said recently that they were removing their content-rich, SEO-friendly blog from their site and relocating it to Substack, I nearly gasped. (And I’m not even a drama queen.)
This was part of their plan to use Substack as their email newsletter service.
“Why?” I asked.
“Because I want to monetize* my newsletter and Substack makes that easy to do,” they replied. (*Monetize: marketing buzzword for “earn money from.”)
I explained why I didn’t think this was in their best interest, but the author was locked in. Logic be damned.
I’ve since had this “Substack for authors” conversation with several book marketing coaching clients and, quite recently, in person with a group of local author friends over lunch.
Here’s what I’ve been telling them.
What’s Substack?
Substack is a newsletter platform. People who use Substack benefit from:
- Free use until they start charging for their newsletter. Then Substack takes 10% of subscription fees, while Stripe, its payment provider, takes another 2.9% plus 30 cents per payment and 0.5% for recurring payments.
- A newsletter network that makes it easy for Substack publishers to recommend each other’s newsletters.
- An online home for each newsletter publisher’s archive of back issues. Think of each of these issues as a blog post.
Why authors are attracted to Substack
Here’s what authors tell me about why they’re considering Substack or have already signed on with the service.
Everybody’s doing it.
Yes, some people with large followings are using Substack. I’ll bet a bunch of your author friends are, too.
But, let’s remember the words of my wise mother: “If everyone jumped off a bridge, would you jump, too?”
“Everybody’s doing it” is a shallow rationalization that doesn’t work in this situation any more than it does when it comes to combovers for balding men.
With book marketing, what works for one author doesn’t necessarily work for another. How well you execute makes a difference, too.
With book marketing, what works for one author doesn’t necessarily work for another. How well you execute makes a difference, too.Click to tweetIt’s easy to set up.
This is true. You can be up and running quickly.
That’s partly because Substack is so basic. It lacks important features offered by other more conventional email marketing service providers, including the ability to personalize messages by adding a subscriber’s first name to a salutation.
It’s free.
That’s attractive to many.
But several other email service providers, including mine, provide far more functionality at the free level. (I use ConvertKit, which is free for up to 1,000 subscribers.)
But that’s okay. If you’re just starting out, the simplest and least powerful service available might be a good fit for you.
I want to monetize my newsletter.
Yeah, well, good luck with that.
Most authors scramble to get unpaid subscribers.
Generating enough paid subscribers to make a difference is harder than you might think. Be sure you’ve got a marketing plan in place for it.
Substack makes it easy for other newsletter publishers to recommend mine.
That’s such a smart idea that my email service provider, ConvertKit, offers that feature now, too.
Readers can search for and find my newsletter from the Substack home page.
This is pretty cool…in theory.
I’ve found it hard to uncover lesser-known newsletters when all I’ve got is the topic, though.
I’ve played around with that function and discovered that you aren’t likely to be found unless someone is searching for your name or newsletter title. The most popular newsletters show up first in various categories. To find a less-popular one, you have to scroll … and scroll … and scroll.
Who has time for that?
Clearly, there are plenty of reasons to like Substack. But there are a few reasons not to like it, too.
4 reasons I’m not a fan of Substack for authors
Here’s why I discourage authors and others – especially bloggers – from using Substack for email marketing and blogging.
1. Placing your best content on someone else’s platform boosts that site’s SEO while undermining yours.
Let’s presume you’re giving your subscribers the information they need. They love it! They recommend your newsletter to others!
All – all – of the resulting traffic completely bypasses your website and goes to Substack.
Substack, not your website, benefits from all of the SEO (search engine optimization — what you do to your website so that it gets found by search engines) value generated by the newsletter content you create specifically to appeal to your target audience. That type of targeted content is precisely what you need for your site to show up near the top of online searches for your topic.
Why would you undermine your brand online to support another company’s business?
You’re redirecting traffic away from your site. Not. Smart.
2. Substack doesn’t offer enough automation.
As you learn more about the power of email marketing, you’ll want your email service provider to perform a range of pre-determined functions. You tell it what to do once, and the system automates it for you.
For example, one best practice in email marketing for businesses of all sizes involves sending a series of welcome email messages to new subscribers on a schedule that’s unique to when they subscribed. Each message shares new information that’s relevant to your subscriber.
Substack can send a single welcome message to a new subscriber, but that’s it.
This lack of automation isn’t a deal breaker initially. You might not want sophistication if you’re using email marketing for the first time. But as your success grows, you’ll want more power.
(For more on that, read “Book review: Newsletter Ninja: How to Become an Author Mailing List Expert.”)
3. Monetizing is a lot harder than it looks.
The hype around how Substack makes it easy to earn from paying subscribers is incredibly misleading.
We’re accustomed to subscribing to free newsletters that might offer value. But paying for a “premium” version of that content requires a big shift that most aren’t ready for yet. And it sure doesn’t happen instantly.
I need to get value from your content before deciding if I want to pay you for more of it. Determining if the value is there takes time.
In addition, maybe it’s just me, but I don’t like how many of these newsletters persistently beg for money.
As a user, I find the constant requests to pay for the newsletter or “premium” add-ons tacky and intrusive. How do you build relationships with your subscribers when you’re annoying them?
Here’s an example of what I see in Substack newsletters when the publisher decides to use theirs to earn money.
This is from a writer who added me to their subscriber list (I did not opt-in). I’ve blocked out the newsletter title and the introductory text so the sender can’t be identified; I’ve left the requests to pay for more issues where it appears in the beginning of the newsletter. It appears at the end, too.
Repeatedly asking for money is no classier than asking your dinner guests to pay for their meal as they’re leaving at the end of the evening.
4. You’re hosting all of your content on something you can’t control.
Admittedly, I might be a little paranoid about this.
But what if Substack crashes and you lose all of your archived content?
I feel like I have more control over that with my own little website, where I can constantly and consistently monitor all threats and keep them from taking my site down.
Should you sign up for Substack for authors?
I realize that these negatives might not outweigh what you see as positives. So, should you sign on with Substack, or should you spend time comparing it to alternatives?
I don’t recommend making an important business decision based on what “everyone else” is doing.
Instead, whether it relates to email marketing or the latest social network or whether you should host a podcast, I always recommend learning as much as possible about a tactic and its options before making a choice.
Instead of chasing the latest bright, shiny object, consider where you’d like to be with email marketing in one, three, and five years. Then explore enough solutions to understand which will do the most to get you there.
Want to experience ConvertKit, the email marketing tool designed for creators like us? Use my affiliate link to try it for free.
FAQs about Substack for Authors
1. What exactly is Substack?
Substack is a newsletter platform that allows users to create and distribute newsletters to subscribers. It offers features such as free usage until monetization, a network for newsletter recommendations, and an archive for back issues.
2. Why are authors attracted to Substack?
Authors are drawn to Substack for several reasons:
- It’s a popular choice among authors and peers.
- Setting up a newsletter on Substack is quick and easy.
- Substack offers a free plan, which is appealing for those starting out.
- Many authors wants to monetize their newsletters, and Substack provides tools for this.
- It facilitates cross-promotion among newsletter publishers and offers visibility through its homepage.
3. What are reasons for authors to avoid Substack?
There are several reasons why Substack might not be the best choice for authors:
- It redirects traffic away from your own website, potentially undermining your brand and SEO.
- Substack lacks advanced automation features that are common with other email marketing platforms. This limits how much your email marketing will contribute to your goals.
- The constant payment solicitations within Substack newsletters can come across as inappropriate.
- Hosting content solely on Substack means relinquishing control over your content and risking potential loss if the platform has issues.
4. How does Substack compare to other email marketing solutions?
While Substack has its merits, it’s essential for authors to weigh its pros and cons against other email marketing solutions.
Be sure to consider factors that include control over content, automation capabilities, and how well the platform is aligned with your long-term goals.
5. Should authors choose Substack based on its popularity alone?
No, popularity shouldn’t be the sole factor in choosing an email marketing platform.
Authors should assess their specific needs, long-term objectives, and the various service provider capabilities before making a decision.
It’s crucial to put informed decision-making over blindly following trends.
I know that many of you love Substack. Please tell us why in a comment!
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Thanks for this–you make interesting points. I am a fiction writing non-techie getting ready to launch a Substack. This idea is probably way more complicated than worth it but out of curiosity–Is there any merit to using Substack for blog posts and then including a link “for more content click here” that directs to my website? With the idea of this being you get the benefits of Substack but then also some traffic to your website (if people do actually click through)? My Substack will be interviews with authors so probably easy enough to split content into Substack and website.
That’s a great question, Kristen. If you include a link to more content on your site, it needs to be something related to that issue’s topic, and it needs to be helpful to your subscribers. A generic link to your books or about page, for example, won’t generate much traffic. But more information on that subject? Yes, a few might click through!
The downside of using Substack in your case is that you will, of course, encourage the authors you interview to share the link to your newsletter issue that features them. When they do, all that traffic will go to Substack, not your website. Plus, all that great content could contribute to your site’s SEO, but won’t.
Sorry to be a Debbie Downer on this topic, especially since I understand Substack’s appeal.
Sandy
Sandra I think you may be wrong although I agree that you should not join substack to monetize your newsletter.
1. you can repurpose your Substack content on to your website blog
2. everyone says you should have a welcome sequence etc but I find those very annoying when I get them and many people who use regular email services admit that they don’t set it up or have a lot of trouble with that and other automations.
3. It’s nice to use someone’s first name but it’s also kind of creepy when they don’t know you
4. You can archive all your substack content and subscribers by downloading it to your own computer.
5. You can have both! There is even an automated way to do that with Zapier.
6. I think you are talking to the naysayers. Maybe talk to some people who are successfully using Substack for their mailing lists and book launches.
7. One Substacker who I follow went off Substack for just the reasons you mention. In six months she was back on Substack because she missed the community.
Justs my “two cents”! By the way I did not find it easy to set up Substack and am still learning the fie points.
Thanks, Lora! All good points. A few thoughts…
1. You can repurpose to your own site, yes, but most won’t want to do that extra work. In addition, putting the newsletter content on your own site won’t help your SEO when Google sees duplicate content and decides to select the Substack version in search engine results. It will direct traffic to one of the two sources, not both — and will that be the big, powerful, well-trafficked and well-known Substack, or will it be an author’s website?
2. True. I didn’t want to figure any of that out myself, so I paid someone to do it.
3. It’s said that everyone’s favorite word is their name.
4. Is that archiving and downloading automatic? If not, again, many aren’t going to be aware of the option and even if they are, they aren’t going to go to the trouble. In my experience — and I realize this doesn’t necessarily apply to “everyone” — authors want to do as little as possible with newsletter creation and distribution. “Extra” steps aren’t going to happen.
5. You can have both what? I didn’t quite understand that. And again, Zapier is third-party software and setting it up properly is just as easy or difficult as setting up a welcome sequence. Not gonna happen for most.
6. I didn’t speak to any naysayers. I’ve been talking to authors about this for quite a while, and they’re all people who use and like Substack. I haven’t talked to anyone who said, “I ditched it, and here’s why.”
7. Community and email subscriber base growth are so different. If the community she missed helps her subscriber base grow steadily, I can see why that would draw her back. But if she’s working just as hard to attract subscribers, there are other places to find community. (But I do get the appeal of that.)
You haven’t convinced me that I’m wrong, but I enjoyed considering your valid observations!
Sandy
I’m so glad you wrote this post! I have benefited from blogging for over a decade and it’s helped me get thousands of organic visitors every month. I recently wondered what to do with my poetry which is so different from my other content. A coach recommended substack and I was tempted — ‘It’s so easy” and “everyone’s doing it” being the refrain as you said. Luckily, I have not put in the time to set it up. Now I am convinced that is NOT the platform for my poetry.
Lisa, you are definitely Exhibit A for why housing your content on your own site makes the most sense.
Are you thinking of sharing your poetry via email?
Sandy
Hi Sandy. Really appreciate your thoughts on Substack, as I haven’t spent much time investigating it (yet), but I’ve heard mostly positive things and have read one or two offerings (unpaid). You addressed several points I had rolling around in the back of my head. Plus, I appreciated the other commenters’ input. All good points to consider, and perhaps my favorite: “I always recommend learning as much as possible about a tactic and its options before making a choice.” For what will serve each person’s goal best. Thanks so much!
You’re welcome, Carolyn! I love the comments on this one, too. We all have so much to learn from each other!
Sandy
Does convertkit integrate with your website? Your main point was not to drive traffic away from your website.
It does, Lisa. All of my newsletter opt-in forms on my site and on dedicated email opt-in landing pages that are part of buildbookbuzz.com are connected to ConvertKit’s email marketing system/process.
But I’m not sure if that addresses what you’re asking about.
Sandy
I’ve had a newsletter for 7 years, relying on organic growth from CTAs in the back matter of my books, reader magnets, occasional newsletter swaps and optin forms on my website.
Thinking I could reach many more readers, I decided to duplicate my newsletter content on Substack for free and see if the platform’s recommendations feature led to at least the same rate of growth as my regular newsletter.
What I found is that unless you play the Substack game by “restacking” other newsletters, commenting and otherwise using Substack’s social media features, plus have a helpful “stack” that solves problems or teaches, your Substack newsletter is not going to get much traction. Yes, it’s easy to set up a Substack and send out content but that is just the start. My jury is out if this juice is worth the squeeze of learning another social media platform.
Carmen, this is SO interesting. Thanks! Juat a few hours ago, one of my Facebook group members posted that she likes the community/social media-ish component of Substack and uses that to generate subscribers. I replied that my readers have given me the clear impression that they don’t need another online community demanding engagement from them — they’re already overwhelmed by those they’re using now. You’ve just further validated that point.
For authors specifically, I’m wondering about the quality of those subscribers resulting from this near-gamification of subscriber acquisition. Are they the right people? Are they going to stick around? Are they going to engage with the writer/publisher? I don’t know.
Thanks for sharing your experience and insights. They’re really helpful.
Sandy
I agree, Sandra, Substack is appealing for its simplicity and having both blog + newsletter in one tool … and that’s exactly why I feel authors should be wary. It’s definitely better than not doing anything (!) but for serious authors who intend to build a viable income with their books, the extra flexibility from other tools (not to mention keeping your content on your own site for SEO) I believe are worth the “trouble”.
You’re quite right, ConvertKit is rolling out comparable features fast, and I believe them when they say their mission is to help creators earn a living.
And my preferred website platform, Squarespace, just introduced a way to monetize a blog, for the lucky minority who have an audience that is excited to pay for it. (As you say, that’s the exception, not the rule!). So yes, other providers are paying attention.
A note on SEO, most authors don’t realize that if they cross-publish something that’s already on another website, they need to set something called a “canonical link” so that Google doesn’t suspect plagiarism and penalize you. In most website tools, it’s not hard to do, but few people seem to know that it’s necessary.
Thanks for sharing that, Pauline. Your opinion carries a lot of weight with me. I knew I’d get pushback on this, and I have, so I appreciate that you took the time to validate my perspective. Regarding duplicate content, after reading a blog post by a writer who posts the same content on his site, LinkedIn, and Medium, I asked about the SEO impact of this. He said that Google would show the link for the first place it appeared. He didn’t mention a canonical link. It sounds like what he’s saying isn’t quite correct. What do you think?
Sandy
To be safe, I would always set the canonical link. It sounds scary (and I’ve no idea how it got the name!), but it should involve just a few click.
Here is info direct from Medium:
https://help.medium.com/hc/en-us/articles/360033930293-Set-a-canonical-link
and a nice introductory guide from my go-to source for SEO expertise:
https://loveatfirstsearch.com/canonical-links/
You’re the best, Pauline! Thanks!
Sandy
Hi Sandra, You’ve recommended so many good products, that this one stands out, but I understand the reason why.
My side of this is, that I’ve watched this prolific author’s Substack activities from the free side. I haven’t spent a dime, but have chosen to read monthly newsletters that I like. No money involved. But I haven’t joined Substack and that’s because I didn’t quite understand the process nor my gain in doing so. That’s because I’m still building my first 100 subscribers and doing so by Substack doesn’t make sense to me. So I’m in agreement with you and your focus on joining.
I just do want to add, on the other hand, that Russell Nohelty’s writing is fascinating, he’s very knowledgeable about the world of publishing, both online and print, and he gives away a ton of information with every newsletter. My beef with him, is that he sends more than just monthly. And, not a beef, but he’s not in my genre and his style is intellectual, making it less valuable at times. I just want to stand up for the guy, who’s paid a lot of dues in the world of business ups&downs and has good advice in certain areas.
I love Sandra Beckwith’s style and her invaluable contributions to authors like moi who have many questions that only you (and Russell and others too) can provide.
Many thanks Sandra and bless you and yours.
Thanks so much, Ruby! I appreciate that vote of confidence. I subscribe to a couple of Substack newsletters, too, and some are great while others are just navel-gazing. One thing I’ve noticed on most, though, is that they don’t take advantage of (1) paragraph breaks and (2) subheads. There are just gigantic blocks of text that are hard to read. That alone is enough to make me unsubscribe, even if the content is interesting.
Sandy
I nixed Substack from the get go. It didn’t meet my needs and like you said, it is someone else’s platform, not yours. And I have unsubscribed from everyone who has gone the pay route. I will not pay for content that is similar to everyone else’s. With the proliferation of courses, paid content, etc, I’m done. I will not spend money on someone I don’t know for one, and unless I know your history and if you aren’t an established teacher, I’ll nix your courses too.
My time is limited. I’m not going to do a substack that doesn’t do what I need it to do. I’d rather pay a bit extra for that website and then the domain name that someone can’t take from me unless I forget to pay for it.
Great feedback, Barbara — thanks! What I especially appreciate about your comment is how it shows that you’ve been thoughtful about the process. You’ve become educated about your options, and made the right decision for YOU and your goals. I have to admit I worry about the authors who told me they’re using Substack because “everyone else is.”
Thanks for weighing in!
Sandy