Discussion on the limitations of Substack's follower system, building brands from domain names, the concept of indirect revenue, and Ghost's use of ActivityPub. Exploring transitioning between services and platforms, and using Substack for automating email notifications of publications.
Transitioning newsletter services can impact follower retention.
Decentralized platforms like Micro.blog offer control over content distribution.
Deep dives
Exploring Newsletter Services and Financial Considerations
The podcast delves into the speaker's experience with various newsletter services, including MailChimp and Reveal, which eventually transitioned to a free service under Twitter's acquisition. The speaker highlights the financial implications of newsletter growth, pointing out the irony that as subscriber numbers increase, so does the cost. This prompts the speaker to continuously seek better deals, leading to migrations between platforms such as Reveal and Substack.
Transition to Micro.blog and Control Over Content Distribution
The discussion further shifts towards the speaker's decision to move the newsletter to Micro.blog, emphasizing the ease of transitioning between services while retaining control over content distribution. The speaker contrasts the control offered by newsletter platforms with the limitations of social media platforms, drawing attention to the lack of export options for followers on Substack as opposed to email subscribers. The move towards decentralized platforms like Micro.blog reflects a desire for more control and autonomy over content dissemination.
If someone is following you on Substack, there is no email address, and if you want to switch services, you won’t be able to take the followers with you. That’s not a newsletter. It’s social media.