Terms
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Publishing platforms and newsletters give writers the possibility of monetizing their writing in a meaningful manner. Instead of creating affiliate programs or filling their platforms with advertising writers can do their passion: writing.
This exchange benefits both for both members and creators. Writers get paid to create material, and users have the option to access the content they like, with a completely free of ads. Whether you're a blogger, journalist, or even a student of writing, this comparison will aid you in making an informed choice about the platform is best suited to the needs of your.
Substack
Substack's main goal is on empowering creators and give them the necessary tools to achieve their goals. It offers a variety of options that meet the demands of self-employed creators of content. From audience monetization options to control, Substack gives writers the ability to take charge of their creative career and develop a sustainable career.
Prices and Features
Marketed as "a space for writing that is independent," Substack offers writers the opportunity to launch the business of a newsletter that is paid for that builds community, as well as earn income from subscriptions. The company claims that no technical expertise is needed and aim to "take care of everything except the hard portion (the creating of course)." They promise "true autonomy" in which the writer owns the copyright to all the content they publish.
The process is straightforward. Writers are able to import content they wrote on other platforms such as Mailchimp, WordPress, Tinyletter, Medium, Tumblr, or even custom-designed sites and create a brand new website from scratch in only a few minutes. When the website is up and running, the creator chooses which posts are free and which are gated behind substack's Substack paywall. Substack will take 10% from creators when the latter is monetizing their site, but up to that point, it's entirely free. Substack claims that Substack team says you can "start the process of establishing your Substack with breakfast and start bringing in revenue by lunchtime." Learn how to accomplish that.
Dashboard/Posts
The Dashboard page lists any blog articles you've previously published, along with some general statistics for your most recent posting. This includes all views, the number of people who received emails, and the opening rate.
You'll also find a variety of buttons to start crafting your latest article. The buttons allow you to Create a brand new blog post, new podcast episode, or a new thread. From this main page, you will be able to access Subscribers, Stats, and settings.
Within Substack newsletters, the posts are known as "posts as well as each one is additionally published on the writer's Substack profile page. Once an account is active, Substack automatically creates a initial draft of the post. The auto-message encourages people to sign up for Substack's newsletter for paid subscribers and to share the announcement on social media. Edit or remove the first post that you have pre-populated, or start writing the next blog post.
Substack's homepage for posts
Writing/editing starts with adding a title, subtitle, and the author's name -- you could even invite writers to guest contributeand then you can use a powerful text editor that gives you the chance to add paragraphs, headings, images, buttons, codes for bold and italic fonts, quotes, and bullet points.
If you click the Settings button, you'll be given the chance to edit the post's visibility. The page can be made accessible or private, and select to allow comments or not. In this section, you can also edit the blog's date of publication along with the URL as well as the an unofficial "draft URL" in case you'd like to distribute the content to friends or family (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 readers.
Once you have scheduled or sent the post, you go back to your Posts page, where you will see how many people have been reading each post.
Subscribers
The dashboard for subscribers displays the entire number of paid and paid customers, as well as the gross annualized revenue, and subscriber numbers over the last 30-day period, 90-day period, and throughout the day. You can see the email addresses of each of your subscribers and their subscription type (free or paid), date the sign-up date, and the amount of revenue they earn per user.
To add more subscribers, you can manually include them using their email address or export the existing list of subscribers from MailChimp, TinyLetter, Patreon as well as similar platforms to a CSV file and then upload it. Substack's upload tool Substack upload tool can import every email address it can find and only allow those who have opted in to your list.
Stats
In the Stats page, you'll find information about the volume of traffic that came to your site and the quantity of emails you've sent out over a 30 or 90-day period, or after you've launched your newsletter.
The Traffic tab displays the current month's new website users, and the source. It could come from the original post or your profile on substack, or social media channels like Twitter.
The Email tabs provide you with the full details of each article that includes the title, publication date and the audience (public and private) in addition to statistics on delivery, such as the openings, opens rate, free/paid subscriptions after 1 day, and participation (likes and comments).
Settings
You can edit the title and description of your publication. You can also alter the discoverability settings (such tags) and personalize the About page to describe the advantages of reading your publication and signing up to become subscribers.
There are also plenty of options to customize your voice and the visual branding of your blog, such as the cover image, your logo, email banner, and the welcome email message (which is sent to readers right after they sign up). Editing your email send options, such as the sender's name, whether you want to receive email responses to your articles, and also the your email address for RSS feeds like [email protectedemail protected]. Here you can also link and detach your social media accounts as well as Stripe to process payments.
Integrity and compatibility
The most significant feature of Substack's offering is the chance to import content from numerous other platforms. It saves time as it's not necessary to copy and paste content on every platform you visit. Substack provides import functionality for such platforms as Emailchimp platform, WordPress, TinyLetter, Tumblr and website RSS feed, podcast RSS feed, Stripe and many more.
However, a lot of Substack's attention to integrations is tracking and data So you are able to add the following: 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. As an example, if you include the Facebook Pixel ID (found on your Facebook Business Page) to your Substack, Facebook can track audiences for relevant advertisements.
Medium
Medium, on the other hand it is a content-creation and publishing platform that hosts various articles by different writers. It serves as a community-driven search engine, where authors are able to reach out to a wide public and connect with users and publications on the web with the same interest. Medium has a user-friendly interface, extensive social functions along with an inbuilt distribution network.
Prices and Features
Medium.com offers a wide range of tools and functions to writers and readers. Medium.com has evolved into a preferred platform for individuals and organizations to share their ideas or stories to a worldwide public.
You can easily create and edit your articles with a simple and intuitive editor. Medium is a free writing environment with essential formatting options like lists, headings, images, and embedding multimedia content. After you've written your article, you are able to upload it and open it to the public or restrict the publication to a specific audience.
Unlimited access costs $5 USD/month when paid monthly or $50USD/year when an entire year's cost is paid upfront.
Dashboard/Home
Similar to social media platforms, Medium offers an extensive audience of followers and readers who actively seek out interesting content. Thanks to the algorithm and curation process, including an editor's selection' magazine, content can gain visibility and reach a large number of people. This exposure can help creators and writers connect with people who read their articles, develop a following, and increase their impact in their specific areas of expertise.
Medium has a large readership, allowing writers with an opportunity to reach an even larger audience and get exposure for their work. Its wide reach means that your content has potential for being read by those who have a genuine interest in your topics.
The platform's curate sections assist present your content to readers who are interested and increase the chance of engagement and visibility. By leveraging these discovery mechanisms You can take advantage of the Medium distribution network to maximize the visibility of your content.
Post editor
Medium offers a broad array of content creation tools, including advanced formatting options and embedded media support for videos and images, as well as the ability to add customized code fragments. The platform allows authors to write visually pleasing pieces that contain rich media which makes it ideal to digital writers who want a more visually engaging approach.
Through Medium's post editor, which is flexible editors can alter the style and appearance of their articles to align with their brand's image. The platform supports multimedia integration which allows seamless integration of images video, audio, as well as interactive elements. Whether you want to showcase your skills in photography or display data through visualizations Medium lets you produce engaging material.
Network effect
Medium creates a sense community by offering features like comments, highlights, as well as guidelines, that allow writers to connect with their users. Engaging tools help facilitate meaningful conversations and provide a welcoming environment for writers to connect with their audience.
The network effect of Medium plays a crucial role in amplifying the impact of authors' articles. When readers interact with content by clapping, commenting, and shares, the algorithms of Medium observe the interaction and display the articles in a more broader way to an public. The network effect allows writers to gain exposure beyond the existing followers and also attract readers interested in the subject matter they write about.
How to earn money from Medium's Partner Program
Medium is based on a distinct method of monetization called the Medium Partner Program. Authors are able to join the program to make money on the basis of the engagement their articles receive, including applauds (Medium's equivalent of likings) and reading time. (While the potential for earnings can be found on Medium, it's possible that the earnings could be more unpredictable when compared with Substack's subscription-based model.)
The medium Partner Program encourages writers to write interesting and stimulating articles that are a hit with readers. In recognizing articles on the basis of comments from readers and their interactions, Medium promotes the development of high-quality content that captivates and inspires its audience. The model offers the chance for you to earn income as well as maintain a cost-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 specific writing experience. In contrast, Medium offers a vast audience, include features for discovering, and a strong feeling of belonging.
In providing unique and valuable contents to your followers You can earn money as well as sustain your artistic endeavors. Each option serves a distinct purpose, and it's up to you to choose which one is the best for your readers and you. Have fun writing!