Why are so many young creators joining Substack?
I’ve always felt that newsletters are like the “Mister Collins” of marketing. They’re just not something you have strong feelings for. You do your best to avoid them, but they always end up demanding your attention – usually with some awkward declaration that catches you off-guard. (A proposal of marriage? 30% off footwear?)
So over the last few weeks, I’ve been surprised to find an increasing number of young creators urging me to subscribe to their Substack. A cursory search on Instagram and TikTok can find the platform touted by cooking, linguistics, feminism, lifestyle, self-help, psychology, style, and beauty creators, just to name a few.
You're probably familiar with Substack; the subscription newsletter platform has been around since 2017. But why is the platform touting itself as “a new economic engine for culture” – and why are young creators joining it seemingly en masse?
I have a few hunches.
In the creator economy, monetization is key.
Social platforms have never been particularly generous – recent reports suggest that only 2.5% of Youtube creators earn enough to reach the poverty line, and even juggernauts like Universal Music Group have pulled their catalog from TikTok over “unsatisfactory payment” policies. Creators have to explore alternate monetization opportunities, just to stay afloat.
Creators are seeking out ownable content hubs.
Substack contains the most popular features of websites, newsletters, blogs, and podcasts combined, all neatly packaged under their three-tier subscription strategy. When our biggest social media platforms seem increasingly uncertain – TikTok’s divest-or-ban bill was just fast-tracked through Congress – it’s understandable that many creators are actively searching for a secondary hub to call home online.
Shadowbanning is out; transparency is in.
With the rise of modern algorithms, creators can no longer guarantee their content is consistently being shown to their followers. In comparison, platforms like Substack provide analytics for subscriber counts, open rates, link clicks and more. For young creators used to navigating a world of hit-or-miss virality, this old-school transparency has got to be refreshing.
Ensuring authenticity is critical in a post-AI landscape.
From creator’s likenesses being used in fraudulent promotions, to AI-generated reporters staffing CNET, Buzzfeed and Sports Illustrated, what crosses our feed can no longer be taken at face value. It’s becoming increasingly critical to get our content direct from the source. In this emerging world, it seems likely that creators and readers alike will migrate to platforms like Substack – where their favorite creators can deliver content right to their inbox without any third-party barriers or risk of misinformation.
Do you have experiences with Substack? What do you think about it?
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Charlotte Sheppard is a branded storyteller and the Head of Ideation at Shareability. Opinions expressed are solely her own and do not express the views or opinions of her employer.