Should You Use Substack for Your Creative Business?
Currently there seems to be a buzz around marketing without social media. People are frustrated with what’s happened with reach and they’re looking for other options. One of the platforms I keep hearing about is Substack and since I’m not thrilled with Instagram at the moment I thought it would be worth a look. Up until now I have only been a Substack consumer. There are several people I follow and I enjoy reading their content. But I kept wondering, as a visual creative, is this something I should try? Is it worth learning how to use it? The short answer: yes. Let me explain.
First, what is Substack?
It’s not a blog, it’s not social media, it’s not your website, it’s not an email provider… it’s kind of all of those things in one (or at least it can be). The best description I’ve heard is that it’s like a really good magazine without any ads.
So, as a creative who maybe doesn’t enjoy writing, why should you care? First and foremost, Substack offers you a platform to connect directly with your audience without any interference. You don’t have to worry about getting seen depending on the mood of the algorithm. It can be as visual as you want it to be. I’ve even seen people use it for their podcasts! You have full control over your content and it lasts much longer than an Instagram post or any other social media post.
Substack also provides a unique opportunity to monetize your creative work through paid subscriptions, enabling you to earn a living doing what you love. And it allows you to build a community; offering you the chance to collaborate, engage in meaningful discussions, and build a loyal following.
The center of my marketing ecosystem is my website (and online store). Everything else leads to that.
How does Substack fit into your art marketing?
That depends. But here’s how it fits into mine. Maybe that will help… The illustration that looks like a piece of toast with an egg in the middle is something I drew to understand how I want my marketing to work.
This website and my online store are the center of it all. Selling prints is how I make money so I want everything to ultimately point to that.
The blog contributes the most to my website getting found via SEO. It also contributes to email signups which are important to keep people engaged.
And the same goes for Pinterest. Pinterest is on my to-do list, I haven’t used it in a long time, but I know how it will fit with everything else.
Currently I write and send my newsletter via Mailchimp but doing so via Substack will help me get found more easily and more often. Plus, any newsletter posted and sent through there is visible and shareable. Readers can like/comment on a newsletter on Substack much more easily than via an email which helps to build community and connection with others.
Last is Instagram. Instagram will still be part of what I do because it helps with being seen, but I know using it doesn’t lead to direct sales. Plus anything posted there is only seen for a short period of time so I have to keep feeding it more than I care to.
Pros and cons of using Substack for creative businesses
Pros:
It’s fairly easy to use and you can transfer an email list that you have built elsewhere (that’s what I plan to do).
You have direct access to your audience because your content goes right to their email inbox.
You can make money with it. Substack offers a range of options to make money from your content or you can make it 100% free.
You can be found. Substack offers a built-in ecosystem that promotes the discovery of creators and their content, potentially attracting new readers and expanding your reach.
There’s data! For me and anyone else who likes to geek out over this, Substack provides creators with helpful analytics and insights, including subscriber growth, open rates, engagement metrics, and demographics.
Cons:
They take a cut. While Substack provides an excellent platform for monetization, it takes a 10% cut of subscription revenue. Personally, I would much rather they do this than cram a bunch of ads into everyone’s feed.
Customization is limited. As a creative this one is hard for me because it restricts my ability to create a unique visual identity. But on the plus side it will keep me from fussing over the look of it for hours!
It boils down to email. So if your audience has a different preferred method of communication, email will limit your reach. Since I’m already writing a monthly email it’s not an issue for me.
You’re going to have to depend on Substack as a platform. Many of us can relate to the downsides of that (Facebook and Instagram… I’m looking at you). Depending on any platform is always a risk but the way I see it when things start to change and I don’t like it anymore I will relocate.
In August I plan to move my newsletter to Substack (too many other things happening in my life to do it sooner). Once I move I’ll share my experiences in case you want to look into it as well. Are you currently using it? Do you plan to? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!