What Is Substack?
Substack is a platform that allows writers, journalists, and content creators to publish and monetize newsletters. It combines blogging and email marketing, enabling you to send posts directly to subscribers’ inboxes while also hosting them on a simple website.
Key Features:
- Email Newsletters – Readers subscribe to receive your content via email.
- Subscription Model – You can offer free or paid subscriptions, earning revenue from your audience.
- Built-in Community – Readers can comment, engage, and share your content easily.
- SEO-Friendly Hosting – Each post is available on a web page, so it can be found via search engines.
- Simple Monetization – Substack handles payment processing if you want to charge for content.
Who Uses It?
- Independent journalists
- Bloggers
- Niche experts
- Businesses & thought leaders
Is there value in adding the same content to a Substack that you have on your own website?
Yes, but it depends on your goals. Here’s a breakdown of the pros and cons:
Pros:
✅ Expanded Reach – Substack has built-in discovery and recommendation features, which can help you find new readers who wouldn’t visit your website.
✅ Email Distribution – Substack is primarily an email platform, so it ensures your content reaches your subscribers directly instead of relying on them to visit your site.
✅ SEO Benefits (Possibly) – If done right (e.g., by modifying the content slightly), it could drive traffic to your website through backlinks.
✅ Audience Engagement – Substack makes it easy for readers to interact through comments and discussions.
Cons:
❌ Duplicate Content & SEO Issues – Search engines might view identical content on both platforms as duplicate content, potentially affecting your website’s rankings.
❌ Splitting Your Audience – Some readers may engage on Substack instead of your website, which could reduce your site traffic.
❌ Lack of Full Control – Your website is fully yours, while Substack is a third-party platform with its own rules and limitations.
Best Approach:
- Modify the content slightly before posting on Substack to avoid SEO penalties.
- Link back to your website within the Substack posts to drive traffic.
- Use Substack for exclusive content (e.g., deeper insights, early access, or behind-the-scenes content) to make it more valuable.