Terms
Photo taken by Lucas George Wendt on Unsplash
Publishers, newsletters, and platforms offer authors the chance to earn money from their writing through a method that is meaningful. Instead of starting affiliate programs or filling their sites with ads the authors are able to concentrate on what they love that is writing.
It is a mutually beneficial exchange between members as well as the creators. Writers are paid for their work, and readers get an opportunity to access the content they enjoy, all while having an uninterrupted free of ads. If you're a journalist, writer or writer, these comparisons can aid you in making the right decision about which platform best meets the demands of your.
Substack
Substack's main goal is supporting creators by providing them with the tools to be successful. The platform offers many tools that are designed to meet the requirements of content creators who are self-employed. From opportunities for monetization to control of audience, Substack lets writers control their own creative journey and build a sustainable career.
Features and pricing
It is advertised as "a space to write that is completely independent," Substack offers writers the chance to build the first paid newsletter company which builds communities, in addition to earning income through subscriptions. They claim that no technical knowledge required and plans to "take the entire responsibility including the hardest part (the creation the writing)." The company guarantees "true independence" this means authorship remains with the writer for all material they release.
The process is easy. Writers have the option of importing posts they've written on different platforms such as Mailchimp, WordPress, Tinyletter, Medium, Tumblr, or even custom-designed sites, or they can set up an entirely new website in a couple of minutes. After the website is created and running, the creator selects the posts that are offered for free, as well as those that are locked to the Substack paywall. Substack will take 10% of revenue when a creator is monetizing their site, but up to then the time of monetization, the service is affordable. The Substack team states that they can "start with the creation of your Substack during breakfast and start earning cash by lunchtime." This is the way to achieve that.
Dashboard/Posts
The Dashboard page lists the blog entries you have previously made available, along with general stats for your latest post. These stats include: all views, number of email recipients, and an open rate.
Additionally, there are several buttons that you can click to start crafting your latest masterpiece. These buttons let you create a new post, a brand new podcast episode or an entirely new thread. In this dashboard, you have access to subscribers, stats and settings.
In Substack newsletters, articles are known as "posts that have been published" by the author's Substack page, which is a profile of the author. Once an account is active, Substack automatically creates a draft of the article. Users will be prompted to join Substack's newsletter to subscribers who pay and to share the post through the social media. You are able to edit or delete the initial article that is pre-populated, or even begin writing your blog's next post.
Substack's homepage for posts
Editing or writing begins with the addition of the title, subtitle and the author. You may even invite other authors to write -Then you'll be able to use a powerful text editor with the possibility of adding paragraphs, headings, images, buttons, codes such as bold or italic text along with quotation marks and bullet points.
If you click the Settings button, you'll be given the choice of changing the posts' visibility. You can make the page accessible or private, and then decide if you want to let comments be posted. In this section it is also possible to edit the blog's date of publication as well as the URL. You can also create an unofficial "draft URL" to allow you to send the post out to your loved ones or relatives (even ahead of publication). It is possible to send a test email, or modify the preview for social media to make sure the image is perfect before sending it to your friends.
Once you have planned or published the post You can then return to the Posts page where you can determine how many visitors have viewed each of your posts.
Subscribers
The dashboard for subscribers displays the total number of paid and paid customers, and also the annualized gross revenues and subscriber counts for the last thirty days and 90 days, and all duration. It displays the email addresses of every subscriber, along with the kind of subscription they have (free or paid), date the subscriber signed up and the amount of revenue they earn per user.
If you want to add additional subscribers to your list make sure you manually include them with the email address they provide or export your existing mailing list using MailChimp, TinyLetter, Patreon or other similar platforms to an CSV file, and then transfer the file. Substack upload tool Substack uploader will load any email address it locates and only download those who have joined your mailing list.
Stats
In the Stats page on the Stats page, you'll learn about the amount of people who visited your site as well as the number of emails you've distributed over a period of 30 days up to 90 days, or from the time of launching your newsletter.
The Traffic tab displays the most popular web users of the month, and the source. This could be from the post that you originally posted, your substack profile, or other social media platforms like Twitter.
The Email tabs give you all the details for every article, including the title, publication date, and public or private audience (public as well as private) and information about delivery stats such as open rate, openings, free/paid subscriptions after 1 day, as well as engagement (likes and comments).
Settings
It is here that you are able to change the title of your publication, as well as its description. Additionally, you are able to change the discovery settings (such tags) as well as personalize your About page. This can provide benefits of your magazine, and getting subscribers.
There are also plenty of options to customize the style and tone of your publication, including your logo, cover image as well as your banner to send emails and the welcome message (which is emailed to users immediately after they sign in). Modifying your email sending options such as your sender name, the date that you would like to receive email responses for your blog posts, as well as email addresses that connect to RSS feeds, such as email protected [email secure[email protected]. There you can connect and unlink the accounts on your social media as well as Stripe for payment processing.
Integrations and compatibility
The most significant feature of Substack's services is the chance to import content that is already on different platforms. It saves time as there is no need duplicate content for each platform that you are using. Substack allows you to import content from the following platforms: mailchimp service, WordPress, TinyLetter, Tumblr, website RSS feed RSS feed for podcasts, Stripe and much more.
It's true that a large portion of Substack's work is tracking and data which you can include these: 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. With Facebook such as Facebook when you add Facebook's Facebook Pixel ID (found on the Facebook Business Page) to your Substack, Facebook can track viewers for advertisements that match their interests.
Medium
Medium however, is an online publishing and content creation platform, which hosts various articles by many authors. Medium is a social-driven discovery site, where authors are able to communicate with a broad public and interact with readers as well as other online publications that share the same interests. Medium has a user-friendly interface with a variety of social features along with an integrated distribution platform.
Pricing and features
Medium.com offers a wide range of tools and functions to the creators and users of content. Medium.com has evolved into an ideal platform for people and organizations to communicate their ideas, stories, and knowledge with a global public.
It's simple to make and edit articles using an easy-to-use editor. Medium provides a simple editor with all the necessary formats like lists, headings and images as well as embedding multimedia content. When you've completed your article, you may upload it and be accessible to the public at large or make it available only to certain audiences.
Unlimited access costs $5 USD/month if you make payments monthly or $50 USD/year if a year's subscription is purchased at the beginning.
Dashboard/Home
As with other social media platforms, Medium offers an extensive audience of followers and readers who are constantly seeking fresh content. By using the algorithm and curation, which includes the editor's choice magazine, content can gain popularity and be read by a large audience. The platform can help authors and creators in reaching out to those who are interested in their work, develop an following and increase their influence in the field they specialize in.
Medium has a large audience that gives writers an opportunity to speak to more people and earn the recognition they deserve for their efforts. Medium's vast reach guarantees that your work has the chance of being discovered by those who have an passion for your topic.
The curate section of Medium helps with the presentation of content to interested readers, increasing the chances of engagement and exposure. Utilizing these discovery methods you can make use of Medium's distribution system and increase exposure for your content.
Post editor
Medium provides an extensive set of tools for creating content that include advanced formatting options and embedded media support that supports video as well as images, along with the capability to include customized codes in the form of fragments. The platform allows authors to create visually appealing pieces which contain rich media. The platform is suitable to digital writers who prefer a format that is more visual.
The post editor on Medium, that is a flexible editor, editors are able to change the style and look of their content to be more in keeping to their own brand. Medium allows the integration of multimedia, allowing for seamless integration of images along with videos as well as other interactive elements. No matter whether you're looking to show off your photography skills or display data through visualizations, Medium lets you to design stunning materials.
Network effect
Medium creates a sense community by offering features like comments, highlights, and suggestions. These features allow writers to connect with readers. These tools allow for deep discussions and provide a platform for writers to interact with their audience.
The effect of networks on Medium plays a crucial role in extending the impact of authors' content. If readers interact with the articles through comments, claps and shares, Medium's algorithms observe the interaction and present the article with a greater reach to an public. The effect of this network gives authors the chance to reach out to new readers beyond those who already follow them and draw new followers who are interested in the topic they write about.
How to make money: Medium's Partner Program
Medium operates on a different way of earning money, which is known as"the Medium Partner Program. The authors can sign up to the program and earn profits based on the amount of engagement they receive for their content through applauds (Medium's equivalent of likes) and the amount of time they read. (While the potential for earnings can be found at Medium, it's likely that the earnings may be unpredictable if compared with Substack's subscription-based system.)
Medium's Partner Program encourages writers to produce engaging and insightful articles that are a hit with the people who read them. By rewarding articles based on the reader's feedback and interactions, Medium promotes the development of quality content that entices and motivates the readers. It is a chance publishers to make profits while still maintaining a 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, along with audience-owned content in addition to an intuitive and targeted writing experience. In contrast, Medium offers a vast users base, options for discovering and a strong sense of belonging.
If you are able to provide quality and unique content to your subscribers You can earn money and sustain your creative endeavors. Both choices serve a unique purpose, and it's your choice to choose which is best for your business and the people you serve. Have fun writing!
Article was first seen on here