So what does this mean for us? The writers, the thinkers and the creatives?Can we still grow a readership without making ourselves into a content machine?
I’ve never had a single Note lead to more likes, subscribers, or reach—despite sharing thoughtful content, full posts, and sometimes videos. Meanwhile, I see Notes like “just gained 20 more subscribers” getting thousands of likes. It honestly leaves me baffled. Substack often feels like a dark tunnel with no clear path, and with so many people now flocking to the platform, I’m not sure that’s a good thing.
To be very honest, I’m currently using Substack more as a vault for my writing than as a discovery tool. I don’t feel the algorithm (if there even is one?) does much to circulate my work, no matter how consistent or meaningful it is.
That said, I still appreciate the platform’s design and ease of use—and this article was an interesting read. I'm just not convinced there was ever a true "Golden Era" here.
To be perfectly honest, I also wonder why the big names come to Substack. Not why they write here, that part’s obvious, but why they need to. These are people with multiple income streams: book deals, speaking fees, media appearances. And yet, judging by the orange and purple ticks, they’re pulling in significant revenue here too. It’s interesting how often people criticise tech companies for their relentless pursuit of profit, while rarely acknowledging their own appetite for more.
That’s a really interesting point. They say it is because social media has been overrun with bots and that they want to return to authentic human interaction. But I think a part of it is that it’s just another arm of their digital business
I’ve thought about this many times too, Jowan. They might say things like “Instagram is this and that,” but they’re still there, going full force with content. It smells fishy to me. I can pretty much guarantee there’s some kind of behind-the-scenes outreach from Substack to get those big names on here—to position the platform as the place to be.
Because really—these people already have multiple income streams. Their time is tight. Why would they want to add one more thing unless there was some incentive? It’s not just them casually deciding to show up here.
And honestly, if Substack were really walking their talk, they’d use this influx of big names to lift smaller, independent voices too. But they don’t. And that’s where I lose respect. The integrity just isn’t there—the worst part is they say one thing and do another.
That said, I’m still here writing—for now. I’ve got my own domain, so depending how things go, I might eventually move elsewhere.
Yep, Substack pitched itself as an alternative, a haven for thoughtful, independent writing, far from the exploitative logic of social media. but in the end it runs on the same traffic-driven business model. I also read that Substack needs to quickly increase revenue to satisfy investors, which explains the urge to bring in celebs. As usual, quantity over quality.
1000% agree! I’ve only been on the platform two days, and it’s a weird combo of “drop stack below” “11,300 while I slept”, “insert motivational quote I found on google”
I’m not anti-that persay, but it’s odd. It feels like insta but instead it’s a curation of faux authenticity written by AI. The Uncanny valley of writing, if you will.
Completely agree @megan I think it is worse, much much worse than insta. Like people who say they are ethical and religious but actions show otherwise you know?
I think it is good that there are options. Like oyu said you can just use it as a vault, blog or emailing platform. many people don’t use noters at all and so completely cut out that side of it. But if you are trying to build a list and you don’t have a presence elsewhere notes is the best way to do that right now
hmmm you might be right about the visibility - this week I have been posting 5-6 notes per day and definitely I see a significant rise in my daily views so amazing! Thank you Benjamin!
Hi Helena, I felt/feel a bit like you in that I see some notes (even brand new accounts) just fly while mine get maybe 4 or 5 likes. But I started at 0 likes or interaction a few weeks ago, have regularly been posting 3 x a day every single day for maybe 6-8 weeks now (some odd times when travelling I haven’t managed 3) but mostly. And gradually the engagement is growing. From a few likes and no comments to more of each, plus some restacks etc. It’s slow growth, but it’s growth. Keep going! Consistency & showing up is the name of the game! 😁
It's very disheartening for new writers on Substack. All the benefits seem to go to those with thousands of subscribers. But the question is how did they get there in the first place?
Many of them came with an audience from elsewhere Sandra. Lots of ‘LinkedIn bros’ have recently joined with massive audiences on LI, X etc. Those who have grown on Substack like Benjamin have been consistently growing over time. We just need to keep writing, not get caught up in the circus and have faith that our audience will find us. 😁❤️
I’ve had the same experience and am quite curious about that. What is the difference? But also, this has been my relationship with social platforms as a whole. Feeling outside it in someway, yet compelled to reach people and so grateful for those who see me and respond to my world + work. And, it’s a blessing because I have been able to have a beautiful thriving healing practice built from it — though I have never ‘gained traction’ in any way :)
It really is depressing all of a sudden. Up until I started publishing on here I was doing my own thing. Writing, dreaming, crafting. Now I’m being hit with how AI has doomed the human writer, and Substack is too full. I’m just gonna focus on the writing and ignore the stuff that’s out of my control.
if you are just getting started that is the best thing you can do. my previous article on this topic was - The first 6 months are for you. I believe that it takes at least six months to work out your own habits and energies and decide what you really want to do. After that you can start to think about which direction you really want to go in.
Great read! I especially liked your thoughts on growth.
I post a couple of times a month too, and that's about all I'm interested in doing.
I'm keeping my newsletter free so I don't have obligations to anyone.
Then I come in and "play" on Notes and read some delicious writing a few times a week.
Substack has replaced all other social media for me, and I walk away feeling refreshed and energized. There's such a different vibe here than on other platforms.
That is the key. If posting everyday feel fresh and energising by all means go for it. the problems start when it’s draining and you keep doing it form a place of fear because you are worried people will leave if you stop. That’s when things start to go downhill
I’m sorry I didn’t find it sooner. I’m here to write and share and connect. It really does seem like there is a lot of noise on here...way too many ‘share your substack so we can like each liking each others likes so we can subscribe to subscribing and blah blah.’
Hopefully, I’ll just fall into a group of interested readers and like minded thinkers. Hopefully, I can find my own golden-era!!!
Thank you! This is a great perspective. I guess I missed the Golden Age of Substack, having just started using the platform a month or so ago. I was looking for an alternate to Medium for long-form writing in addition to my website blog and Facebook. I was also looking for readers with more attention span that short-form (x, threads, bsky) or visual (tiktok, IG, YT). Substack has met those objectives and I was pleasantly surprised to discover Notes for sharing short-form thoughts, ideas, and reposting other writers who have inspired me. I’m mostly following/subscribing to lesser-known writers and am doing my best to block the bots and sales pitches. Substack is for writing. I’ll save my cat photos for Facebook!
Hey Cynthia. Greta to have you here. Cat photos seem to be popular here here as well😉. I think substack is a place of substance, depth and longer attention spans. It’s changing fast so lets see how it develops :)
Absolutely agree. It’s the unique voice and lived experience behind the words that make a newsletter worth reading. Perspective is what turns information into connection.
The words that popped for me: “ It might be helpful to think of your niche not as a topic but as lense.” - maybe it’s both? So for me, this is self-discovery and identity through the lens of midlife. Is that the kind of thing you had in mind?
Honestly I needed to see this today. Little did I know what I was stepping into when I decided to give this new writing direction a shot. Though I’m still in the process of deloping my first major piece and working out the kinks to produce short form pieces - knowing this space is evolving — not dying — was reassuring.
Thank you for such a valuable post. I truly believe in my spirit having a message for the people that are meant to receive it. I don’t worry about the algorithm, it’s honestly a distraction. If I get caught up in numbers and subscribers, I lose the purpose of why I came here in the first place. I need to anchor in my values and my Y and do the best intentional work for my journey from there. Constantly receiving feedback is making it very difficult for many of us to think and create.
That is a valid point. A bit of feedback is useful but if you get too much its important to develop a filtering mechanism to drown out the noise…it’s not easy but it’s something that you learn over time
I really appreciate your perspective on this. It feels rare in our hustle culture to find someone telling people to stay true to who they are. Your thoughts were a breath of fresh air and I fill empowered and motivated to keep doing me. Thank you.
Great read. I post once a week since that is what works for me. Also the advice of using the parts of the platform you want to use is fantastic. For me it is notes and posts. But I know I want to use audio later on.
I’ve never had a single Note lead to more likes, subscribers, or reach—despite sharing thoughtful content, full posts, and sometimes videos. Meanwhile, I see Notes like “just gained 20 more subscribers” getting thousands of likes. It honestly leaves me baffled. Substack often feels like a dark tunnel with no clear path, and with so many people now flocking to the platform, I’m not sure that’s a good thing.
To be very honest, I’m currently using Substack more as a vault for my writing than as a discovery tool. I don’t feel the algorithm (if there even is one?) does much to circulate my work, no matter how consistent or meaningful it is.
That said, I still appreciate the platform’s design and ease of use—and this article was an interesting read. I'm just not convinced there was ever a true "Golden Era" here.
To be perfectly honest, I also wonder why the big names come to Substack. Not why they write here, that part’s obvious, but why they need to. These are people with multiple income streams: book deals, speaking fees, media appearances. And yet, judging by the orange and purple ticks, they’re pulling in significant revenue here too. It’s interesting how often people criticise tech companies for their relentless pursuit of profit, while rarely acknowledging their own appetite for more.
That’s a really interesting point. They say it is because social media has been overrun with bots and that they want to return to authentic human interaction. But I think a part of it is that it’s just another arm of their digital business
I’ve thought about this many times too, Jowan. They might say things like “Instagram is this and that,” but they’re still there, going full force with content. It smells fishy to me. I can pretty much guarantee there’s some kind of behind-the-scenes outreach from Substack to get those big names on here—to position the platform as the place to be.
Because really—these people already have multiple income streams. Their time is tight. Why would they want to add one more thing unless there was some incentive? It’s not just them casually deciding to show up here.
And honestly, if Substack were really walking their talk, they’d use this influx of big names to lift smaller, independent voices too. But they don’t. And that’s where I lose respect. The integrity just isn’t there—the worst part is they say one thing and do another.
That said, I’m still here writing—for now. I’ve got my own domain, so depending how things go, I might eventually move elsewhere.
Yep, Substack pitched itself as an alternative, a haven for thoughtful, independent writing, far from the exploitative logic of social media. but in the end it runs on the same traffic-driven business model. I also read that Substack needs to quickly increase revenue to satisfy investors, which explains the urge to bring in celebs. As usual, quantity over quality.
1000% agree! I’ve only been on the platform two days, and it’s a weird combo of “drop stack below” “11,300 while I slept”, “insert motivational quote I found on google”
I’m not anti-that persay, but it’s odd. It feels like insta but instead it’s a curation of faux authenticity written by AI. The Uncanny valley of writing, if you will.
I kept hitting mute or hide post on all of those growth style notes and the algorithm filled my feed with beautiful travel photos instead ❤️
Completely agree @megan I think it is worse, much much worse than insta. Like people who say they are ethical and religious but actions show otherwise you know?
It’s certainly much harder to find the truly authentic, interesting and ethical voices among the noise, for sure
I think it is good that there are options. Like oyu said you can just use it as a vault, blog or emailing platform. many people don’t use noters at all and so completely cut out that side of it. But if you are trying to build a list and you don’t have a presence elsewhere notes is the best way to do that right now
I am continuing to use notes but I am yet to see its effectiveness. But if you say so, I'll stick around and give it some time. Thanks for replying!
Yay! So happy to hear that. Keep at it!
I will!! Thank you for the encouragement. I appreciate you!
For sure. It takes a bit of trail and error to work things out
hmmm you might be right about the visibility - this week I have been posting 5-6 notes per day and definitely I see a significant rise in my daily views so amazing! Thank you Benjamin!
Hi Helena, I felt/feel a bit like you in that I see some notes (even brand new accounts) just fly while mine get maybe 4 or 5 likes. But I started at 0 likes or interaction a few weeks ago, have regularly been posting 3 x a day every single day for maybe 6-8 weeks now (some odd times when travelling I haven’t managed 3) but mostly. And gradually the engagement is growing. From a few likes and no comments to more of each, plus some restacks etc. It’s slow growth, but it’s growth. Keep going! Consistency & showing up is the name of the game! 😁
Hi Jo! Thanks for sharing your experience that is soothing! So good to hear - ok I will keep at it!
It's very disheartening for new writers on Substack. All the benefits seem to go to those with thousands of subscribers. But the question is how did they get there in the first place?
Many of them came with an audience from elsewhere Sandra. Lots of ‘LinkedIn bros’ have recently joined with massive audiences on LI, X etc. Those who have grown on Substack like Benjamin have been consistently growing over time. We just need to keep writing, not get caught up in the circus and have faith that our audience will find us. 😁❤️
You’re so right, Jo.
I truly appreciate your article here and the encouragement to keep at it. Thank you!
The Notes algorithm is DREADFUL. It’s almost laughably bad.
Also my case. Agree with you.
I’ve had the same experience and am quite curious about that. What is the difference? But also, this has been my relationship with social platforms as a whole. Feeling outside it in someway, yet compelled to reach people and so grateful for those who see me and respond to my world + work. And, it’s a blessing because I have been able to have a beautiful thriving healing practice built from it — though I have never ‘gained traction’ in any way :)
I love how you’re using it. You say “a vault.” I say “my portfolio.” Your language sounds timeless…I’m stealing it :)
Love this Benjamin! A fantastic reminder to keep our values close when all around us seems chaotic. Just what the doctor ordered! Thank you ❤️
It really is depressing all of a sudden. Up until I started publishing on here I was doing my own thing. Writing, dreaming, crafting. Now I’m being hit with how AI has doomed the human writer, and Substack is too full. I’m just gonna focus on the writing and ignore the stuff that’s out of my control.
if you are just getting started that is the best thing you can do. my previous article on this topic was - The first 6 months are for you. I believe that it takes at least six months to work out your own habits and energies and decide what you really want to do. After that you can start to think about which direction you really want to go in.
Thank you this Benjamin.
I’m doing exactly that for the rest of the year.
Thanks, I think you’re totally right.
For sure, that's how the Internet is.. You can tune out anything you don't want to see. Manny people don't know they can do that
Great read! I especially liked your thoughts on growth.
I post a couple of times a month too, and that's about all I'm interested in doing.
I'm keeping my newsletter free so I don't have obligations to anyone.
Then I come in and "play" on Notes and read some delicious writing a few times a week.
Substack has replaced all other social media for me, and I walk away feeling refreshed and energized. There's such a different vibe here than on other platforms.
That is the key. If posting everyday feel fresh and energising by all means go for it. the problems start when it’s draining and you keep doing it form a place of fear because you are worried people will leave if you stop. That’s when things start to go downhill
I’m sorry I didn’t find it sooner. I’m here to write and share and connect. It really does seem like there is a lot of noise on here...way too many ‘share your substack so we can like each liking each others likes so we can subscribe to subscribing and blah blah.’
Hopefully, I’ll just fall into a group of interested readers and like minded thinkers. Hopefully, I can find my own golden-era!!!
You can carve yourself a little piece of the substack pie but it takes intent and dedication
Thank you! This is a great perspective. I guess I missed the Golden Age of Substack, having just started using the platform a month or so ago. I was looking for an alternate to Medium for long-form writing in addition to my website blog and Facebook. I was also looking for readers with more attention span that short-form (x, threads, bsky) or visual (tiktok, IG, YT). Substack has met those objectives and I was pleasantly surprised to discover Notes for sharing short-form thoughts, ideas, and reposting other writers who have inspired me. I’m mostly following/subscribing to lesser-known writers and am doing my best to block the bots and sales pitches. Substack is for writing. I’ll save my cat photos for Facebook!
—your new subscriber.
Hey Cynthia. Greta to have you here. Cat photos seem to be popular here here as well😉. I think substack is a place of substance, depth and longer attention spans. It’s changing fast so lets see how it develops :)
Absolutely agree. It’s the unique voice and lived experience behind the words that make a newsletter worth reading. Perspective is what turns information into connection.
"Perspective is what turns information into connection."
Well worded.
100%. I still think people follow and read for the story and development as much as they do for the actual information
Its feels like our secret happy neighbourhood is gentrified.
The big boys are certainly moving in. But you can definitely still carve out your own quiet place here…for now at least
The words that popped for me: “ It might be helpful to think of your niche not as a topic but as lense.” - maybe it’s both? So for me, this is self-discovery and identity through the lens of midlife. Is that the kind of thing you had in mind?
Honestly I needed to see this today. Little did I know what I was stepping into when I decided to give this new writing direction a shot. Though I’m still in the process of deloping my first major piece and working out the kinks to produce short form pieces - knowing this space is evolving — not dying — was reassuring.
Substack is where I back up my quora articles.
I'm a new substacker and this article is both generous and supportive. Thank you so much.
I get scared of being out there on the Internet. Substack is different but there are definitely places where we can trip up.
It's good to find some guiding words.
Welcome to the space. Enjoy your time here 😀
I appreciate your calm, clear, and encouraging perspective and insights. Thank you
Thank you for such a valuable post. I truly believe in my spirit having a message for the people that are meant to receive it. I don’t worry about the algorithm, it’s honestly a distraction. If I get caught up in numbers and subscribers, I lose the purpose of why I came here in the first place. I need to anchor in my values and my Y and do the best intentional work for my journey from there. Constantly receiving feedback is making it very difficult for many of us to think and create.
That is a valid point. A bit of feedback is useful but if you get too much its important to develop a filtering mechanism to drown out the noise…it’s not easy but it’s something that you learn over time
I really appreciate your perspective on this. It feels rare in our hustle culture to find someone telling people to stay true to who they are. Your thoughts were a breath of fresh air and I fill empowered and motivated to keep doing me. Thank you.
Great read. I post once a week since that is what works for me. Also the advice of using the parts of the platform you want to use is fantastic. For me it is notes and posts. But I know I want to use audio later on.
Thanks. And yes. It’s up to us to decide what to use and what to ignore
reading this reminded me why I’m here: to write from a place that feels real, not performative.
Then you are in the right place :).