Terms
Photo taken by Lucas George Wendt on Unsplash
The publishing platform and newsletters offer writers the opportunity to monetize their creative work in a sustainable manner. Instead of launching affiliate programs or filling the platforms with ads writers should concentrate on the thing they truly love: writing.
The exchange is mutually profitable for members as well as creators. Writers are paid for the creation of material as well as users get an option of reading material they enjoy, still enjoy an uncluttered, ad-free user experience. No matter if you're a writer, journalist, or even an aspiring writer, this list can help you make an informed choice on which platform is best suited to your needs.
Substack
Substack's main goal is on giving writers the tools they need to succeed by giving them the necessary tools to succeed. They offer a range of options that meet the requirements of content creators who are self-employed. From audience monetization options to ownership, Substack lets writers be in control of their own creative process while also establishing a long-lasting career.
Pricing and features
It is advertised as "a site for writers to write independently," Substack offers writers the chance to start an online magazine, establish a community, and earn money through subscriptions. It claims that there is no tech knowledge is required and they intend to "take charge of everything with the exception of the most difficult section (the writing in itself)." They promise "true independence" which means that the author retains the copyright to all the content they publish.
It's straightforward. Writers have the option of uploading posts that they've published using different platforms including Mailchimp, WordPress, Tinyletter, Medium, Tumblr, and several custom-built sites and also creating an entirely new site by beginning from scratch in less than a minute. After the site is live and the writer decides on which content is free as well as those subject to the Substack paywall. Substack will take 10% from creators who are monetizing their website, however until that point the site is gratis. The Substack team states that it's feasible to "start using your Substack with breakfast and start making money before lunch time." This is how you can achieve it.
Dashboard/Posts
The Dashboard page includes your blog entries that you've previously written, and also some basic statistics of your latest article. Statistics you can see are every view, the total number of email recipients, and open rate.
There are also a variety of options which allow you to make the content you want to create. These buttons let you make a post new or podcast episode or start an entirely new thread. In this screen, you are able to have access to Stats, Subscribers and Settings.
Within Substack newsletters, they are called 'posts' and they are posted on the author's Substack profile page. Once an account is operational, Substack automatically creates a draft article. The auto-message encourages people to join the newsletter's creator and to share the announcement on social media. Edit or remove this first pre-populated blog post, or get started writing your next blog post.
Substack's homepage to post posts
Editing and writing begins by adding titles, subtitles as well as the name of the author. There is also the option of inviting guest authors to write -and then it is possible to use a powerful text editor that gives you the opportunity to include paragraph copy, headings, pictures, buttons for bold and italic fonts, statements, and bullet points.
After you press the Settings button, you'll be given the choice of changing the public visibility of your blog post. It is able to be set as accessible or not, and select whether or not to allow comments to be made. Edit the publication date for your post along with the URL and secret "draft URL" should you choose to share the post with your friends or family members (even ahead of publication). Send a sample email or alter the preview to social media in order to make sure that the visuals just right before you send it to your friends.
When you've planned or published the message Once you have scheduled or posted the message, visit your Posts page to find out how many people been reading each message.
Subscribers
The subscribers dashboard shows you the number of your subscribers and paid subscribers, the gross annualized revenues and subscriber numbers over the last 30-day period, 90-day period, and all duration. The dashboard lets you view your customers' email addresses for every subscriber, along with the kind of subscription (free or paid) and the date they signed up, and the amount of revenue each user earns.
To add more subscribers, you can manually join them by using their email address they provide or you can export your existing mailing list via MailChimp, TinyLetter, Patreon, and similar platforms to the CSV file, and then upload it. Substack's uploader tool Substack upload tool is able to load all email addresses it can locate, therefore you can only upload those who have opted in to your mailing list.
Stats
On the Stats page, you'll find information about the amount of users that visited your site along with the total number of emails you've sent in a 30 day period, 90 days, or the time since you started the newsletter.
The Traffic tab displays the month's most recent web users, along with the website that they visited. This could be from the article itself as well as your own profile page on Substack along with social media sites like Twitter.
The Email tabs provide complete information about each article that includes the the title, date of publication, and audience, whether private or public (public as well as private) in addition to information on the delivery rate, including how many times the post has been opened, the open rate as well as free or paid subscriptions that are available after a day, as well as participation (likes or comments).
Settings
You can edit your publication name and description. Also, you can change the discovery settings (such tags) as well as customize the About page, to explain why it is beneficial to read the magazine as well as becoming an subscriber.
There are many ways to personalize your voice and the look and feel of your site, which includes your logo, cover image and your signature email banner as well as the welcoming email (which is sent to your readers immediately after they subscribe). It is possible to edit your email sending options, such as the name of the person who sent the email as well as the day you would like to receive emails with replies for your blog's posts as well as an your email address to RSS feeds like [email][email]. It is also possible to connect and disconnect from the social media platform and Stripe for payment processing.
Integrations and compatibility
One of the most important features of Substack's service is the capability to import the content already available on various platforms. This saves time since you don't have to copy and paste the content onto every platform you're using. Substack allows you to import content from such platforms like the Emailchimp platforms, WordPress, TinyLetter, Tumblr web RSS feed Podcast RSS feeds Stripe and many more.
The majority of Substack's focus on integrations is tracking and data, so you can add 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. As an example, if add the Facebook Pixel ID (found on your Facebook Business Page) to your Substack, Facebook can track viewers for advertisements that match their interests.
Medium
Medium is, however, it's a content creation and publishing platform that hosts a range of articles by a variety of writers. Medium is a community-based discovery platform, where writers have the opportunity to connect with an audience of a wide range and connect with readers and other online publications with similar interests. Medium provides a straightforward interface, various social functions, as well as an integrated distribution system.
Features and pricing
Medium.com provides a variety of features and tools to the creators and users of media. Medium.com has grown into the preferred choice for both individuals as well as organizations to share their thoughts or stories with a global community.
It's simple to make and edit your content using an easy-to-use editor. Medium is a free editor that provides important formatting options like list, headings and lists along with images, and embedding multimedia information. Once you've finished your piece, you may publish it to be accessible for everyone, or you can limit the publication to an audience you have identified.
Unlimited access costs $5 USD/month if paid monthly or $50USD/year when the year's expenses are paid for in at the beginning.
Dashboard/Home
As with social media, Medium offers an extensive community of users and readers who actively seek out interesting details. Thanks to algorithms as well as a curation process including an editor's choice' publication, content has the chance to get noticed and be read by a large number of people. The exposure will help authors and authors connect with the people who read their articles, develop a following, and boost the impact they have in their fields.
Medium is a thriving audience which gives authors the opportunity to connect with more people and get exposure for their work. The platform's extensive reach ensures your work is likely to be found by users who share an interest to the topic.
The platform's curate sections assist surface content to relevant readers that increase the chance of interaction and exposure. Utilizing these discovery methods, you can connect to the distribution system of Medium to enhance the reach of your articles.
Post editor
Medium offers a broad selection of tools that can be used to make documents, with advanced formatting options as well as embedded media support for video as well as images, along with the option of using customized code fragments. Medium lets authors produce visually pleasing articles using high-quality media components, which makes it ideal to digital writers seeking a style which is more visually appealing.
With Medium's flexible post editor, writers can customize their appearance and the feel of their content to be in line with their brand's image. Medium is able to integrate multimedia. It allows the seamless combination of videos, images, and interactive elements. It doesn't matter if you're looking to show off your photography skills or present information through graphs or illustrations, Medium allows you to create stunning content.
Network effect
Medium encourages a sense community with features such as highlights, comments and suggestions, which allow writers to connect with their users. Engaging tools help create meaningful discussions and provide a platform that allows writers to connect with their followers.
Medium's network effect plays an important role in extending the reach of writers' content. If readers interact with content by clapping, commenting or sharing the algorithms of Medium takes note of those interaction and present the article to a broader readership. The effect of the network allows authors to connect with more people than those who follow them currently as well as attract new followers with the same interest as they do in the subject matter they write about.
How can you earn cash from Medium's Partner Program
Medium's foundation is on a unique method of monetization known as"the Medium Partner Program. Authors are able to join the program and earn a profit by calculating how much attention their work receives, including the applause (Medium's equivalent to likes) and the reading time. (While there is a chance earning money within Medium, earning potential can be less predictable when compared with Substack's subscription-based business model.)
Medium's Partner Program encourages writers to create interesting and stimulating content that resonates with the readers. Through rewarding content based on reader feedback as well as interaction Medium helps to create top-quality content that is captivating and is able to motivate its readers. This is a great opportunity to make money while still maintaining 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 helps independent authors through monetization possibilities with content owned by the audience in addition to an intuitive and specific writing experience. In contrast, Medium offers a vast audience, include features for finding out more about the audience and a sense of belonging.
Through providing exclusive and useful information to your readers You can earn money as well as sustain your artistic endeavors. Each of the options serves a different function, and it's your choice to determine the best option for you and your intended viewers. Write with passion!
Article was posted on here