Terms
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Newsletters and publishing platforms give writers the possibility of monetizing their works in a sensible method. Instead of creating affiliate programs, or saturating the platforms with ads, they are able to do what they love -- writing.
This exchange benefits both between creators and members. Writers get paid to create content, and readers have the option to browse the articles they love, and all the while having an uninterrupted and ad-free experience. Whether you're a blogger, journalist or aspiring writer, this comparison will assist you in making an informed choice on which platforms best suits the needs of your.
Substack
Substack's principal goal is to empower writers by providing them with the tools they need to achieve their goals. The platform offers various features that cater to the requirements of freelance content creators. From audience monetization options to control, Substack allows writers to be in control of their artistic process and create a long-lasting career.
Prices and Features
The site is advertised as "a platform for writers to write independently," Substack offers writers the opportunity to launch the business of a newsletter that is paid for, build community, and earn income from subscriptions. It claims that there is no tech experience is required, and intend to "take all the responsibility, excluding the most difficult aspect (the creating in itself)." The company promises "true autonomy" where the writer keeps the copyright on all their writing.
How it works is fairly simple. Writers have the option of importing content they wrote on other platforms like Mailchimp, WordPress, Tinyletter, Medium, Tumblr, as well as some custom-built websites and set up a new site from scratch in only a few minutes. When the website is up and running, the creator decides what content is available for free, and those that are locked by substack's Substack paywall. Substack will take 10% of the revenue when a creator begins to monetize, however until that point, it's entirely free. The Substack team states that it is possible to "start the process of establishing your Substack at breakfast; start making money before lunch time." Here's how to do just that.
Dashboard/Posts
The Dashboard page displays any content you have already published, along with some basic statistics of your most recent article. These stats include: all views, the number of people who received emails, and the opening rate.
There's also several buttons you can use for you to begin creating your next work of art. Buttons include: Create a brand new blog post, new podcast episode, or a new thread. In this dashboard, you can also access Subscribers, Stats, and settings.
Within Substack newsletters, the posts are known as "posts' and each post is posted on the author's Substack page for profile. After an account has been activated, Substack automatically creates a first draft article. This auto-message invites users to join Substack's newsletter for paid subscribers and to share the announcement via social networks. You can edit or delete the initial pre-populated post or write the following post.
Substack's homepage for posts
The process begins by adding a title, subtitle, and author -- you can even invite guest authors to contribute -and then you can use a powerful text editor that gives you an opportunity to include paragraph copy, headings, images, buttons, codes for bold and italic fonts, quotes, and bullet points.
If you press the Settings button, you'll have the chance to edit the page's visibility. It is possible to make the post accessible or private, and select to allow comments or not. On this page you can also edit the article's date of publication, URL, and an unofficial "draft URL" in case you'd like to distribute the content to relatives or friends (even after it's been published). You can send a test email or modify the social media preview in order to make sure the image is perfect prior to sending it out to your subscribers.
When you've scheduled and posted the message, return to your Posts page to check how many readers have seen each one of your posts.
Subscribers
The subscribers dashboard shows you the entire number of paid and paid customers, as well as the gross annualized revenue, and number of subscribers over the past 30 days, 90 days, and all time. The dashboard shows the email addresses of each of your subscribers and the type of subscription they have (free or paid) the date when they signed up, and the amount of revenue they earn per user.
To add more subscribers You can include them using their email addresses or export the existing list of subscribers via MailChimp, TinyLetter, Patreon, and similar platforms to the CSV file and then transfer it. Substack's upload tool Substack upload tool can import any email address it locates and only allow those who have opted in to your list.
Stats
The Stats page, you'll be able to learn about the amount of traffic that came to your site, and the number of emails you've sent over a 30-day or 90-day period, or even since the launch of your newsletter.
The Traffic tab shows the current month's new website users, and the origin. It could come from the post itself, your substack profile page or other social media platforms such as Twitter.
The Email tabs provide you with detailed information on each post, including title, publication date, and audience (public or private) and delivery stats such as openings, opens rate, paid or free subscriptions following one day, as well as the engagement (likes as well as comments).
Settings
Here you can change the title and description of your publication. It is also possible to edit discoverability options (such as tags) as well as personalize your About page, which will describe the advantages of reading your magazine and signing up to become a subscriber.
There are a variety of ways to personalize the voice and visual brand of your magazine, which includes the cover image, your logo as well as your email banner and welcome email text (which will be sent out to subscribers immediately after they subscribe). It is possible to edit the email-sending options, such as the sender's name, whether you would like to receive emails with replies to your articles, and also the email addresses to RSS feeds like email protected]. Here you can also link and detach the social media platforms and Stripe for processing payments.
Integrity and compatibility
One of the most important features of Substack's services is the ability to import content from many different platforms. This saves you time since it's not necessary to manually duplicate your contents from every platform that you visit. Substack offers import capabilities for such platforms as mailchimp service, WordPress, TinyLetter, Tumblr web RSS feed, podcast RSS feed, Stripe and much more.
However, a lot of Substack's attention to integrations is tracking and data and you're able to include a Facebook Pixel ID, Twitter Pixel ID, Parse.ly Pixel ID, Google Analytics Pixel ID, Google Tag Manager ID Google Site Verification as well as Facebook Site Verification.
These pixels allow for monitoring your readership/engagement levels and some create an integration with advertising platforms. For example, if you include your Facebook Pixel ID (found on your Facebook Business Page) to your Substack, Facebook can track viewers for advertisements that match their interests.
Medium
Medium however it is a content-creation and publishing platform, which hosts a range of articles from different writers. Medium functions as a community-driven platform for discovery, where authors can reach a large public and connect with people who read online and have the same interests. Medium provides a straightforward interface, a variety of social features along with an integrated distribution system.
Features and pricing
Medium.com provides a variety of features and functions for readers and content creators. Medium.com has evolved into a preferred website for organizations and individuals to share ideas as well as stories and information with a global public.
The software allows you to easily write and format your content using an intuitive and simple editor. Medium offers a non-distracting editing environment that includes essential formatting choices like headings, lists, images, and embedding multimedia content. When you've completed your article, you are able to post it on Medium to open it to everyone or limit it to specific audiences.
Access to unlimited access is $5 USD/month if you pay monthly or $50USD/year when an entire year's cost is paid upfront.
Dashboard/Home
Like social media platforms, Medium offers an extensive network of readers and followers who actively seek out interesting information. With the help of algorithms and a curation mechanism, which includes an editor's choice' newsletter, articles have the potential to gain exposure and reach an extensive public. This exposure can help creators and writers connect with readers, build an audience, and expand their influence in their respective fields.
Medium has a large audience, providing authors with an opportunity to reach an even larger audience and get recognition for their work. Medium's vast reach guarantees that your posts have potential for being read by readers who share an interest in the subjects.
The platform's curate sections assist present your content to readers who are interested, increasing the chances of engagement and visibility. Through these discovery tools, you can tap into Medium's distribution system and increase the reach of your posts.
Post editor
Medium offers a broad array of content creation tools that include advanced formatting options and embedded media support for video and pictures, and the possibility of adding specific code snippets. The platform allows authors to write visually pleasing content with rich media components which makes it ideal to digital writers who want a more visually engaging approach.
Thanks to Medium's flex post editor, writers can customize the appearance and style of their articles to align with their personal brand. Media integration is supported by the platform that allows for seamless integration of images as well as videos and other interactive elements. It doesn't matter if you'd like to display your skills in photography or display data through visualizations, Medium allows you to create captivating material.
Network effect
Medium fosters a sense of community through features such as remarks, highlights and suggestions, which allow writers to interact with audience. The tools for engagement facilitate deep discussions and create a supportive setting for writers to interact with their audience.
The network effect of Medium plays a vital role in enhancing the reach of writers' content. If readers interact with the content through claps, comments, and shares, the algorithms of Medium analyze the conversations and display the articles in a more broader way to an readership. This network effect enables writers to gain exposure to a wider audience than their current followers as well as attract new followers who are interested in the subject matter they write about.
How to make money: Medium's Partner Program
Medium is based on a distinct model of monetization, that is known as"the Medium Partner Program. Writers can join this program to earn money based on how much engagement their content receives in the form of claps (Medium's equivalent of likes) as well as reading time. (While the potential for earnings is present on Medium, it's possible that the earnings is less certain when compared with Substack's subscription-based system.)
The medium Partner Program encourages authors to create stimulating and engaging articles that are a hit with the readers. By rewarding articles based on the reader's feedback and interactions, Medium promotes the development of high-quality content that captivates and has the ability to inspire its viewers. This model provides an opportunity to make money by maintaining a completely free and accessible publishing platform.
Conclusion: Medium vs Substack
Substack and Medium offer different things to cater to different creators -- the best way to choose the platform for you is to consider what you want to get out of your newsletter/publishing platform. Substack supports independent authors by providing monetization opportunities as well as audience control. an intuitive and targeted experience for writing. In contrast, Medium offers a vast reader base, discoverability features along with a deep sense of community.
By providing valuable and exclusive content to your subscribers and generating revenue, you will be able to and continue to pursue your creativity. Both options serve a different purpose, and it's up to you to determine which option is right for your readers and you. Happy writing!