Newsletter are the new blogs

But it's email, so it's more intimate

Jun 06, 2020

It’s you, the open road, and a newsletter, riding into the future

Recently, I compiled some information about creating newsletters using Substack for a friend, and I thought I’d share that here, in case any of you are thinking about starting your own newsletter. The simple version is that Substack is writer-friendly, easy af to use, and I like it. To be clear, I haven’t been doing a newsletter that long or using Substack that long, so please take everything here with a grain of salt.

Substack

I did some basic research on which newsletter platform to use and decided on Substack. The other main competitor is Mailchimp. Substack seemed and is super easy to use. While Substack is more focused on being a platform for writers, Mailchimp may be better suited for businesses. Substack has no monthly / annual fee.

Your Name Here

Make sure you pick a name for your newsletter that no one else has, that makes for a good URL, and that you probably won't want to change. You can change the URL of your newsletter once without breaking all the links, but only once. I had to change mine because I didn't realize someone else was already using the name I had.

Where It Goes

Your newsletter gets published on the web—on your Substack page—and emailed to all your email signups and / or paying subscribers. Substack advises that you do your newsletter for at least 90 days—or it may be 60—for free before you switch to the paying subscriber model. You may see a 10% conversion rate—or not. If you go paid (you can stay free), you can make some newsletters free and some subscribers only.

Ease of Use

I can't explain how easy Substack to use other than to say a parrot could probably figure out how to do it. It's just slap your words in there, add some visuals, and click a few buttons. Then you're done. The styling ability isn't great. You can insert images and videos, but there are no image captions, and you can't center a line. WTF.

Support

Substack has a podcast (see below) and a Writer Workshop live video series. In the Workshop series, a popular / established Substack newsletter writer talks about stuff like how to get your first 1,000 email signups or how to switch to the paid model. You can ask questions in the text sidebar. So far, these have been really helpful.

Twitter

Here’s a Twitter thread I wrote: “Fuck yeah, Substack.”

$

The minimum you can charge your subscribers—if you go paid—is $5 a month. Substack takes 10% (no monthly / annual fee). Stripe takes 2.9% + .30 cents per transaction.

Podcast

Substack has a podcast: Listen.

Fellowships

Substack offers fellowships: Check it out.

Blog

Substack has a blog: Read it.

The Top Substackers

These are the popular kids on Substack.

Analytics

Here are the magic numbers behind the curtain.

The Atlantic

Not sure if you want to start a newsletter? Want to know more about the revenue prospects? Read: “Is Anyone Going to Get Rich off of Email Newsletters?”

Advertising

Here’s one way that popular Mailchimp newsletter writer Ann Friedman makes money: She sells classified advertising spots in her newsletter for $75 a pop.

In any case, that’s how I Substack. I like it. It’s the new, new thing.

I’m an author, editor, and a consultant. Book a $100, 1-hour consulation today.

Valleywood