Terms

Jul 15, 2023
Substack vs. Medium - a compasion of publishing platforms

Photo made by Lucas George Wendt on Unsplash

Publishing platforms and newsletters give authors the possibility of monetizing their writing in a responsible method. Instead of making affiliate programs, or filling their websites with advertisements, writers are able to focus only on their passions -- writing.

It is a mutually beneficial exchange for both members and creators. Writers get paid to create content, and readers have the chance to browse the articles they like, with a completely free of ads. Whatever your profession, whether you're journalist, writer or an aspiring writer the following comparisons will aid you in making an informed choice on which platforms will best suit your requirements.

Substack

Substack's main focus is giving writers the tools they need to succeed by providing writers with the necessary tools to reach their objectives. Substack offers numerous choices that satisfy the requirements of content creators who are independent. From opportunities for monetization to audience control, Substack gives writers the ability to take charge of their creative journey and build a sustainable career.

Pricing and Features

The site is advertised as "a place for writers that is totally independent." Substack offers writers the possibility to launch a paid newsletter company, establish a communities, and earn money through subscriptions. It claims that there is no tech expertise is needed and aims to "take full responsibility for the work with the exception of the difficult part (the writing part of course)." They claim to provide "true freedom" in which the writer retains copyright rights to all the content they publish.

How it works is fairly simple. Writers are able to import written content from other platforms like Mailchimp, WordPress, Tinyletter, Medium, Tumblr, along with some customized sites, or build a new site completely by scratch in only several minutes. After the site is set up and operating, the writer determines which content is free and others are placed under Substack's Substack paywall. Substack will take 10% of revenue when a creator starts making money, however it is fully free. Substack's Substack team believes it's feasible to "start with your Substack at breakfast and begin earning cash by lunchtime." This is the way to do it.

Dashboard/Posts

The Dashboard page shows any previous posts you may have previously published, along with some general statistics for the most recent blog post. This includes all views as well as the number of emails received, as well as the open rate.

There are also a number of buttons users can use to begin creating your next post. They let you make a fresh blog post, a new podcast episode, or a new thread. On this page, you will be able to have access to Stats, Subscribers and Settings.

Substack vs. Medium - Substack posts homepage

In Substack newsletters, articles are known as "posts" because they're published on the writer's Substack profile page. Once an account is set up, Substack automatically creates a first draft of the article. This auto-message invites subscribers to join Substack's newsletter for paid subscribers and then share the news on social platforms. It is possible to edit or erase the pre-populated article or begin writing your own blog posts.

Substack's articles are posted on the home page

The process begins by creating the titles, subtitles and author. Then, you can ask guests writers to write -- after which you can use a text editor gives an option to insert text copy, images of headings buttons and the bold and italic text quotations along with bullet notes.

If you press the Settings button, you'll have an opportunity to alter the page's visibility. You can create a post that is either public or private and select the option to allow or deny comments be posted. You can edit your blog's date of publication, along with the URL and hidden "draft URL" If you wish to share your post with your loved ones or relatives (even after it's published). You can send a sample email, or change the preview for social media sites to ensure you have the perfect images before you send it out to your followers.

Once you've scheduled and posted the article, go on your Posts page to view how many readers have read each post.

Subscribers

The dashboard for subscribers displays the total number of subscriber and paid customers. It also displays the gross annualized revenues, as well as subscription numbers in the 30-day or 90-day interval, as well as all day long. This dashboard lists your subscribers' email addresses for every subscriber along with their type of subscription are on (free or paid) the date when they signed up, and how much revenue they earn per user.

Substack vs. Medium - Substack add subscribers

For more subscribers, you can join them with their email address or export your existing list of subscribers from MailChimp, TinyLetter, Patreon or similar platforms into an CSV file. Then, upload it. Substack's uploader tool Substack upload tool can import every email address it can find, so only upload those that have signed up to your email list.

Stats

In the Stats page is where you can learn about the volume of traffic that was directing towards your website, as well as the quantity of emails you've sent out within 30 or 90 days time period, or from the time of the first issue the newsletter.

The Traffic tab displays the month's most recent web users, and the source. The source could be the post itself, your substack profile page or social media channels such as Twitter.

Substack vs. Medium - Substack stats

The Email tabs give you specific details about each blog post including the title the date it was published, as well as audience (public as well as private), as well as information about delivery statistics like openings, opens rate, the cost of paid or free subscriptions that follow 1 day as well as the engagement (likes and comments).

Settings

You can edit your publication name and description. You can also edit discoverability options (such tags) and personalize your About page, where you can describe the benefits from reading the journal as well as being subscribers.

Substack vs. Medium - Substack settings

Additionally, you have numerous options for changing your voice as well as the visual branding of your publication. This includes your cover photo, logo and your banner to send an emails as well as a the welcome email (which is emailed to users immediately after they subscribe). You can edit the options for sending emails, such as your names of the sender, when you want to get emails with replies to blog post and also an email address to be used for RSS feeds, such as [email protectedemail protected]. There is also the option to un-join and join the social media platforms as well as Stripe to process payments.

Integrity and compatibility

One of the main advantages of Substack's service is the possibility to import content from a variety of different platforms. It saves time as you do not have to manually copy and paste information on every platform you use. Substack allows you to import content from your favorite platforms like Mailchimp, WordPress, TinyLetter, Tumblr web RSS feed Podcast RSS feed, Stripe and more.

But, the majority of Substack's work is monitoring and data, therefore you can add an Facebook Pixel ID. Twitter Pixel ID Parse.ly Pixel ID Google Analytics Pixel ID, Google Tag Manager ID Google Site Verification, and Facebook Site Verification.

These pixels allow for monitoring your readership/engagement levels and some create an integration with advertising platforms. With Facebook, for instance when you add the Facebook Pixel ID (found on the Facebook Business Page) to your Substack, Facebook can track the audience for ads that are relevant to them.

Medium

Medium, on the other hand it is a content-creation and publishing platform, which hosts a range of articles by a variety of writers. It serves as a community-driven search engine, where writers are able to reach out to a wide audience as well as connect with readers and online publications using the same style of writing. Medium has a user-friendly interface, a variety of social functions and a unified distribution platform.

Features and pricing

Medium.com provides a variety of features and tools to the content creators and readers. Medium.com has evolved into an ideal platform for people and companies to publish their ideas and stories with the world's largest community.

It's easy to write and format content using an incredibly user-friendly editor. Medium is an editor that offers crucial formatting options such as headings, lists along with images, and embedding multimedia media. After you've written your article, you may publish it in order to make it accessible to all or restrict it to specific audiences.

Unlimited access is $5 USD/month when paid per month, or $50USD for a year is to be paid in the advance.

Dashboard/Home

As with other social media platforms, Medium offers an extensive network of readers and followers who are constantly seeking out new information. By using the algorithm of the platform and curation mechanism, which includes an editor's preference' newsletter, the content is able to gain exposure and reach an extensive audience. It will allow authors and authors connect with their people who are reading their work, develop an following and enhance their standing on their particular specializations.

Substack vs. Medium - Medium home page

Medium has a large audience which gives authors an opportunity to reach many more people, and also receive recognition in exchange for their writing. Its vast reach guarantees that your content has the chance of being discovered by readers who share an interest in the subject.

The curated section on Medium helps bring your article's content before people who will be interested in your content, improving the likelihood of engagement and exposure. Through these discovery tools you can benefit from Medium's distribution network and maximize the exposure of your articles.

Post editor

Medium offers a broad range of tools to create documents that include sophisticated editing tools, as well as embedded media support, which includes videos and images, as well as the possibility of incorporating custom codes. Medium allows writers to design visually pleasing content that includes rich media, making it suitable for digital creators who like aesthetic writing.

Substack vs. Medium - Medium's post editor

Thanks to Medium's flex editors, post editors are able to alter the style and appearance of their content to be aligned with the image of their company. Media integration is a feature supported by the platform, allowing for the seamless addition of images audio, video, as well as interactive elements. If you're looking to display your photography skills or present facts through graphs and illustrations Medium can help you create captivating media.

Network effect

Medium helps create a sense of community by offering features like comments as well as guidelines and highlights which allow writers to interact with audience. Engaging tools help facilitate an engaging discussion, and also help to in creating a space for authors to engage with their audiences.

Substack vs. Medium - Medium's network effect

The Medium network effect has a major role to play in amplifying the reach of writers' articles. If readers engage with the posts via claps, comments and sharing, the algorithm of Medium will monitor the interactions and present the article for a wider readership. This effect of the network permits authors to connect with a larger readership than their existing followers and attract new users who have an interest in their niche.

Earn money through Medium's Partner Program?

Medium utilizes a distinctive model for monetization. This is known as Medium Partner Program. Medium Partner Program. Writers can join this program and earn money according to the amount of engagement their work receives, including claps (Medium's equivalent to likes) and time spent reading. (While there is a possibility of earning in Medium, earnings is more uncertain compared with Substack's subscription model.)

Substack vs. Medium - Medium Partner Program

Medium's Partner Program encourages writers to produce engaging and entertaining pieces that resonate among people who read them. By rewarding articles based on comments and engagement from readers, Medium promotes the development of content with high-quality that entertains and engages viewers. This model provides an opportunity for you to earn a profit in addition to maintaining the accessibility and cost-free 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 allows independent writers to be able to use the possibility of monetization and audience control. an intuitive and specific experience for writing. However, Medium offers a vast readership, options for locating, and a sense of belonging.

If you are able to provide useful and original information to your readers You can earn income and pursue your creative side. Each option serves a distinct purpose, however it is your responsibility to choose which one is the best for you and your audience. Happy writing!

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