Substack vs. Your Website: Where to Publish Your Writing

Today, I'm talking about something I get asked about a lot: Substack.

When many business owners are starting out online, they want to get their writing out there — blogs, newsletters, and social media. This is great! Get out there!

And a common question is, "Where should I put my writing?"

These creative business owners turn to platforms like Substack because that's where people are already hanging out and it's free and easy to start.

I totally caught the Substack bug, too in 2023. I jumped in, gave it a solid year, and then made the move back to my own website.

In this episode, I'm diving into my whole experience. I'll share why I initially thought Substack was a great idea, what I loved about it, and why I ultimately decided it wasn't the right long-term fit for me.

Substack is awesome if you're just starting out and haven't built a website yet. It's free, super easy to use, and you can set it up to resemble a website, complete with an about page, a podcast, audio embeds, and even a newsletter. It can save you from needing separate email marketing software initially, which is a huge plus. You can just get writing and publishing. Something I'm all for because getting started often leads to overthinking and landing in the land of inaction and doing nothing. A place that won't grow your business.

💫 6 Key Takeaways:

• If you stopped blogging on your website in favor of Substack, make sure you check your data to see your views and measure growth.
• If you offer services or digital products on your website, your website is also the best place to host your blog.
• Substack is a decent free option for new writers or those without a website to start publishing, offering features like blogging, podcasting, and newsletter capabilities.
• While Substack gives you a simple way to build an email list and potentially monetize, it lacks advanced email marketing features (like segmentation) that most platforms offer.
• Substack may be a good platform for you if you write about topics that get censored on social media.
• Substack is a third-party platform, and I'll always prefer having my writing on a site that I control.

🔗 Links:

• The Intuitive Writing School Blog
• Masterclass: 5 Ways to Enjoy a Relaxed Summer of Writing

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:18 Exploring the Pros and Cons of Substack

02:51 My 1-Year Experience with Substack

05:37 Challenges and Limitations with Substack

09:46 Returning to My Blog

15:30 Invitation to my free masterclass: 5 Ways to Enjoy a Relaxed Summer of Writing