The future of blogging is found in paid subscriptions without the use of ads or affiliate links.
SubStack is a platform that was launched in 2017 and was made for content creators who want to upgrade their work. It allows creators to write and publish newsletters with ease and then charge subscribers for their content.
This ultimately elevates content creation for writers as they will not have to depend on maintaining a blog presence. Everything is located in one place that has more than 250,000 paying subscribers today.
SubStack allows content creators more control over their newsletters and how they are monetized. SubStack helps creators easily make a good income just from consistently writing. SubStack could be getting ready to overtake the blogging world with its ability to lay down a paywall without the use of ads or affiliate links.
Creating a SubStack account is easy as pie, and if you are willing to put in the work, it can become a great way to upgrade your writing career. Continue reading to see if SubStack is a good option for your career or side hustle.
The Benefits of Creating a SubStack
Creating newsletters or blogs is not a new source of income that has just been found. It has been around for a long time now, so how is using SubStack any different from using any other platform?
During COVID-19, SubStack saw the number of readers and writers double in the first three months, and it continues to rise. SubStack allows writers to put up a paywall, unlike other blogging or newsletter platforms creating a more reliable source of income.
SubStack allows creators to control how their work is published. The writer directly charges the subscriber, and the subscriber pays the writer to email them a newsletter. You control everything, even the email list of subscribers.
Most platforms run on the concept of ‘followers’ or ‘likes.’ While those are nice and help you build engagement, it doesn’t pay the bills. Having an email list of paid subscribers will guarantee you a consistent income flow.
While it is possible for a beginner to start a SubStack, it is recommended that you have an email list before signing up. Start with a blog on a regular blogging platform and gain as many emails as possible so you can eventually move over to SubStack prepared.
If you wish to skip this step, you can still gain subscribers. You will have to make sure your publication strategy is sound. The best way to get an idea of how to run a successful SubStack is to study the successful SubStack newsletters out there. Let’s go over some of the most successful writers on SubStack right now.
Meet The Writers
While writers on SubStack can grow a significant income, it can only be done with patience and consistency. Writers of any level can monetize their writing, but quality and consistency do play a prominent role in making the big bucks. There are a few writers on SubStack who are doing well on the platform. Let’s take a look at some of them.
- The Dispatch provides newsletters about policy, culture, and other topics through newsletters, articles, and podcasts. The Dispatch follows conservative principles, and they report their findings without concern about whether the facts are inconvenient to another party or politician. The majority of their content is only offered to paid subscribers now so that readers can avoid scrolling through ads and get straight to the content. This newsletter earns more than $10,000 a month.
- Lenny’s Newsletters creates newsletters about a product, business or career growth, people management, and much more that the readers ask for. The newsletter provides paid subscribers with a weekly post and non-subscribers with a monthly post. This newsletter charges 200,000+ subscribers $15 a month.
- Proof sends out newsletters on culture, media, and political topics. The newsletter works on showcasing urgent issues in media and politics that are receiving little to no exposure. They do provide articles to free and paid subscribers. They charge their 10,000+ subscribers $5 a month.
- Letters from an American by Heather Cox Richardson provides newsletters focused on American politics. Heather Cox Richardson is a professor of American History and created the newsletter to help people understand how America’s history can help us in the present. The newsletter explores what America’s history means and what it means to be an American. She charges her subscribers $5 a month.
- PETITION creates curated financial newsletters. This newsletter focuses on distressed investing, restructuring, and bankruptcy. They provide their readers with discussions on disruption through the viewpoint of the disrupted. The newsletter readers are mainly made of investors, lawyers, investment bankers, consultants, C-suiters, and board-of-director-types. It also caters to readers that wish to keep up with rapid change and disruption. The newsletter sends out occasional free content but centers around paid subscriptions. They provide many benefits to their paid subscribers that includes Wednesday and Sunday briefings, access to their archives, access to community features, and the first look at any new initiatives. They charge their thousands of subscribers $49 a month and offer special discounts to student subscribers.
Substack is a great way to get your writing out there and monetized, but it isn’t always easy to get started. Remember to stay consistent and patient, and one day you may end up on the list above.
Many of these writers began where you are today and had to work their way up. Going through these newsletters can provide you inspiration for your SubStack, or they can provide you with some knowledge you didn’t know you needed.
While exploring other writers’ content for inspiration is acceptable, remember not to copy word for word what they do. Plagiarism doesn’t just exist in school. Before you can reach the top five list, you need to create your SubStack first.
Creating Your SubStack
Creating a SubStack is the easy part. The hard part is how you will be running your SubStack. I am going to give you a rundown of what you will need to get your SubStack up and going, from setting goals to gaining an extensive paid subscribers list.
When creating a SubStack, you need to understand your topic and what kind of readers you will be reaching. Will your topic gain the type of engagement from your readers that you need?
Writing on SubStack isn’t the only thing that attracts paid subscribers. The design of your SubStack site, posts, and social media will also be a factor in your readers’ engagement. Visual communication is just as important as the writing for your publication’s value.
Christopher Curtis, the creator of The Rover newsletter, has shown that once he started posting videos of himself, he began to obtain more subscribers. He stated that it provided a more interactive experience for his subscribers and that he was able to start looking at them as partners.
Getting Paid
One thing people believe when they first begin a SubStack is that they will immediately get thousands of paid subscribers, but that is only true if you bring an email list with you. The best way to work your way up to that level is to start by building a free subscriber list.
Five to ten percent of free subscribers will turn into paid subscribers over time. If the conversion rate is lower than five percent, then it is recommended that you try a new strategy.
Many of the successful writers on SubStack had to work months to get to the level of income they are at now. With consistent quality writing, subscribers will begin to crave to read your next piece, and they will willingly pay $5-$49 a month!
The goal is to get readers on your mailing list so that you can eventually convert them to paying subscribers. The success of a great SubStack publisher will always be about the mailing list. You gain more subscribers on a mailing list by being consistent and posting good quality works.
The SubStack platform is beneficial for both writers and readers. Readers get access to high-quality content without having to wade through ads, and writers earn a fair income for their work. Substack is also beneficial for creating relationships with your readers, which can increase your engagement and reach.
With Substack, you can start your newsletter or blog and reach a potential audience of millions of people. Once you have gained a decent mailing list, you can begin to convert your free subscribers into paid subscribers. Once you start doing this, you can monetize your work by charging subscribers for access to your premium content. And best of all, Substack makes it easy to get started.
After reading this, you should know the benefits of creating a SubStack account, how successful you can be on SubStack, and how easy it is to get paid on SubStack. One thing to take away from this blog is to remember that consistency and high-quality work are crucial to success. People will not subscribe to your content if you sporadically post low-quality work. For more content centered around content creation be sure to follow PLR Hustle’s Instagram and blog.
