Terms
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Newsletters and publishing platforms give writers the opportunity to monetize their writing in a meaningful way. Instead of establishing affiliate programs or filling their websites with advertisements, they are able to focus on what they love -- writing.
This exchange benefits both for both members and creators. Writers are paid for their content, and readers get the chance to read the content they love, and all the with a completely and ad-free experience. If you're a blogger journalist, or even a aspiring writer the following comparisons will assist you in making an informed choice about the platform best meets the needs of your.
Substack
Substack's principal goal is on empowering writers and provide them with the necessary tools to succeed. Substack offers many features that cater to the requirements of freelance content creators. From opportunities for monetization to audience control, Substack allows writers to be in control of their artistic journey and build a sustainable career.
Features and pricing
It is marketed as "a platform for writers to write independently," Substack offers writers an opportunity to create the business of a newsletter that is paid for, build community, and earn income from subscriptions. They claim that zero tech experience is required, and strive to "take care of everything except the hard portion (the creation in itself)." They guarantee "true independence" in which the writer owns the copyright for all of their content.
The process is easy. Writers have the option of importing content they wrote on other platforms, such as Mailchimp, WordPress, Tinyletter, Medium, Tumblr, as well as some custom-built websites and build a new site from scratch in a couple of minutes. Once live, the creator chooses which posts are completely free and others are placed behind substack's Substack paywall. Substack charges 10% of the revenue when a creator starts monetizing, but until that point, it's entirely cost-free. The Substack team states that it is possible to "start with your Substack in the morning and begin making money before lunch time." This is how you can achieve that.
Dashboard/Posts
The Dashboard page lists any blog posts you may have previously posted, as well as high-level stats of the most recent blog posting. These stats include: the number of views total, email recipients, and open rate.
Here you'll also see several buttons you can use that allow you to create your new work of art. The buttons allow you to make a post new or podcast episode or create a brand new thread. In this dashboard, you can also access Subscribers, Stats, and Settings.
Within Substack newsletters, the posts are called 'posts' and each post is additionally published on the writer's Substack profile page. When an account becomes active, Substack automatically creates a initial draft of the post. It will prompt users to sign up for the newsletter's creator and share the launch via social networks. You can edit or delete this first pre-populated post, or write the following blog post.
Substack's homepage for posts
Editing or writing begins with the addition of titles, subtitles, and the author's name -- you can even invite writers to guest contribute- then a rich text editor which offers the possibility of adding paragraph copy, headings, images, buttons, code, bold and italic text quotations, as well as bullet points.
If you press the Settings button you're given the option of editing the page's visibility. You can make the page accessible or private, and select whether or not to let comments be posted. You are able to edit the post's publication date, URL, and secret "draft link" If you wish to share the article with your family or friends (even after it's been published). You can send a test email or modify the social media preview to ensure that the images are perfect prior to sending it out to your followers.
Once you have scheduled or published the post, can return to your Posts page, where you will see how many people have seen each one of your posts.
Subscribers
The dashboard for subscribers displays the number of your subscribers and paid subscribers, gross annualized revenue and number of subscribers over the past 30 days, 90 days, and throughout the day. You can see the email address of all your subscribers and the type of subscription they have (free or paid), date they joined, as well as the amount of revenue they earn per user.
For more subscribers to join You can include them using the email address they provide or you can export the existing list of subscribers from MailChimp, TinyLetter, Patreon as well as similar platforms to an CSV file and then upload it. The Substack uploader will load any email address it locates therefore, only upload the ones that have signed up to your mailing list.
Stats
On the Stats page, you'll be able to learn about the number of visitors which was directed towards your website, as well as the amount of emails that you've sent over a 30-day or 90-day period, or even since the launch of your newsletter.
The tab for traffic displays the current month's new website customers, along with the site from which they came. This can be the article itself as well as your personal profile page on Substack as well as social media channels such as Twitter.
The Email tabs will provide the full details of each article such as title, publication date and public or private audience (public and private) and delivery stats such as openings, opens rate, subscriptions that are free or paid after 1 day and the engagement (likes or comments).
Settings
You can edit your publication name and description. Also, you can modify discoverability options (such as tags) and personalize your About page, to describe the advantages of reading your magazine and signing up to become subscribers.
There are also plenty of options to customize the tone and style of your magazine, which includes your logo, cover photo as well as your email banner and the welcome email message (which is emailed to users right after they sign up). It is possible to edit the email-sending options, such as the sender's name, whether you want to receive email responses to your blog posts, as well as an your email address to RSS feeds, such as [email protected]. You can link and detach the social media platforms and Stripe for payment processing.
Integrity and compatibility
The most significant feature of Substack's service is the ability to import content from numerous different platforms. This can save you time because it's not necessary to duplicate your content on every platform you use. Substack offers import capabilities for your favorite platforms like mailchimp service, WordPress, TinyLetter, Tumblr, website RSS feed RSS feed for podcasts, Stripe and more.
The truth is that a large portion of Substack's attention to integrations is data and tracking So you are able to add a 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. As an example, if you add 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, is a content creation and publishing platform which houses a range of articles from different writers. Medium is a social-based search engine, where authors have the opportunity to connect with a broad audience and engage with people who read online and have the same interest. Medium has a user-friendly interface, extensive social functions as well as an integrated distribution system.
Features and pricing
Medium.com provides a variety of functions and features for writers and readers. Medium.com has evolved into a preferred platform for individuals and organizations to share their thoughts as well as stories and information with a global audience.
The software allows you to easily write and format articles using a simple and intuitive editor. Medium provides a distraction-free writing space with all the necessary formatting options like headings, lists as well as images and embedding multimedia content. After you've written your article, you are able to post it on Medium to make it available to the public or restrict it to certain audiences.
Unlimited access costs $5 USD/month if you pay per month, or $50USD for a year is paid for up front.
Dashboard/Home
Like other social media platforms, Medium offers an extensive audience of followers and readers that are always looking for new content. Thanks to the algorithm and curation mechanism, which includes an editor's selection' magazine, content can gain recognition and reach a huge public. This exposure can help creators and authors connect with their people who read their articles, develop a following, and increase their impact in their specific field.
Medium boasts a vast user base, providing writers with the opportunity to communicate to a wider audience and gain exposure for their work. Its wide reach means that your articles have the potential to be discovered by those who have a genuine interest in your subjects.
The platform's curate sections assist expose your articles to the right readers which increases the likelihood of engagement and visibility. Utilizing these discovery methods You can take advantage of Medium's distribution system and increase the reach of your posts.
Post editor
Medium provides an extensive set of tools to create content, including advanced formatting options, embedded media support with videos and images, as well as the ability to add specific code snippets. The platform enables writers to write visually pleasing articles with rich media elements, making it suitable to digital writers who want a more visually engaging approach.
With Medium's flexible post editor editors can alter the look and feel of their posts to match with their personal brand. The platform supports multimedia integration that allows for seamless integration of images video, audio, as well as interactive elements. If you're looking to show off your skills in photography or display data through visualizations Medium lets you produce engaging content.
Network effect
Medium encourages the sense of community by offering features like comments, highlights, and suggestions, which allow authors to engage with users. These engagement tools facilitate meaningful discussion and help create an environment for writers to connect to their readers.
The network effect of Medium plays a important role in increasing the visibility of writer's content. When readers interact with content by clapping, commenting, and shares, the algorithms of Medium observe the interaction and present the article to a broader public. This effect of the network allows authors to gain exposure to a wider audience than their current followers and attract new readers who are interested in their particular field.
How to monetize: Medium's Partner Program
Medium operates on a different monetization model that is known as"the Medium Partner Program. Writers can join this program to make money on the basis of the amount of engagement they receive for their posts which includes claps (Medium's equivalent to likes) and reading time. (While there is a chance to earn can be found on Medium, the income may be less predictable in comparison to Substack's subscription model.)
The medium Partner Program encourages writers to focus on creating stimulating and engaging content that resonates with the readers. In recognizing articles on the basis of reader feedback and interaction, Medium promotes the development of content with high-quality that engages and has the ability to inspire its viewers. The model offers the chance for publishers to earn a profit as well as maintain a cost-free and open 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 helps independent writers with monetization options, audience ownership, and a simple yet specific writing experience. In contrast, Medium offers a vast user base, discoverability options, and a strong sense of community.
In providing unique and valuable contents to your followers, you can generate income and continue to pursue your creativity. Both choices serve a unique function, but it's up to you to decide which is best for your readers and you. Happy writing!