An overview of the benefits to authors of using Substack for blogging, newsletters, and a stand-in website.

The question of the week is: What email service provider do you use and why?

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You've heard this advice repeatedly. You need a

website, you need to send out a regular newsletter and you need

to get more subscribers. But what if you don't have any money

coming in yet? You're starting at zero subscribers and you're

not a WordPress expert. What do you do? After a lot of thought?

I think substack is a good answer for any author just

getting started. And maybe long after that. In this episode of

writing proceeds, I'm going to list 10 reasons why you should

seriously consider using substack. Hey, Writing Pursuits

Authors. Welcome back to the podcast. To those of you who are

new, I want to extend a special welcome. My name is Kathrese

McKee. And I'm glad you're here. If you are a writer seeking

encouragement, information and inspiration, this podcast is for

you. Let's get to it. Before I get to the 10 reasons to use of

sack let me fill you in. I've been turning this question over

for the last six weeks. Because I want to trim my budget. I want

more eyes on my work. I want to attract more subscribers and

someday I want to earn a decent income from my content. Many

years ago, I started my newsletters on MailChimp. And

after that, I moved to ConvertKit when it was still

brand new ConvertKit just didn't hit me right at the beginning.

So eventually, I moved my lists to MailerLite and stayed there

for a couple of years. I even stuck around during the awkward

switch from classic MailerLite to a new mailer light. It's

possible that the folks that MailerLite aren't old enough to

remember the New Coke fiasco. But someone should have told

them, MailerLite managed to accumulate three strikes in a

row during July and August of this year. I'm not speaking for

anyone else. This was my personal experience. So I

decided to move my current subscribers to a different email

service provider, which led to playing around with Beehiiv.

Briefly. Gadzooks they're expensive, and sending emails to

segments is currently behind their tallest paywall. No

thanks. Finally, I chose to return to ConvertKit. To give

ConvertKit credit, it has improved dramatically during the

time, you know, I was away. What does that have to do with

substack? Well, a friend showed me substack a week or two ago

and I fell in love. My personal solution then is to use both

ConvertKit and Substack. For my service business, and soon to

use substack. As my fiction author newsletter home, I need

the automations in the segments ConvertKit provides, but I love

the freedom and utility of sub sec. Here is my rapid fire list

of reasons I chose Substack and why I think authors starting

from zero, or simply starting again, should give Substack

serious consideration. Here are 10 reasons to consider Substack

one new eyes. substack is a community where authors meet

readers. This means there's a decent chance of discovery of

getting new eyes on your content for me. That means readers self

select from a bounty of offerings. So folks find writing

precede steps and like it, they can subscribe immediately. I

realize substack also means instant competition. But there

are new readers finding Substack every single day. I cannot say

the same for my WordPress website. To reader centric

design Substack is geared to attract and retain readers. The

pages are beautiful, with little to no effort on my part. Three,

low barrier Substack has no barrier to entry that really

counts. It is completely free to use unlike traditional email

service providers ESPs like MailChimp or ConvertKit. There

is no monthly fee. More about this under paid content for

excellent newsletter post editor. I'm not kidding. The

substack editor is the easiest, most sophisticated editor I have

used on any app. The writing interface blows MailerLite and

ConvertKit out of the water. The toolbar is packed with options,

but it's not cumbersome to use five website stand in your posts

and newsletters are available in an archive that lets new

subscribers dive into your content. And this is the perfect

stand in for a website. And this requires no effort after a

couple of settings are made and it's much easier than creating a

website. So now I'm a WordPress heretic sorry, I still run three

WordPress websites. So obviously, I'm a WordPress fan,

but it's easier for a novice to get started on Substack Six.

Substack notes. This is a built in social media platform where

substack readers and authors interact seven community. When

enough folks subscribe to a publication that it makes sense

to utilize the chat function to interact directly with your

readers. Eight referrals. Substack includes a referral

feature. When you find Substacks you like you can share them in

your referral section. And of course, other writers can refer

their readers to your newsletter, nine more than one,

you can produce more than one publication with a single user

account. If you have a service business, or you write fiction

and nonfiction, then you can operate a publication for each.

There are also sections. But that's beyond the scope of this

discussion. 10 paid content Substack doesn't make money

until you do. If you never put paid content on your Substack

pages. You never collect money, and you never pay any either.

Contrast that approach with paying a monthly fee, like to

Beehiiv or ConvertKit while You Work hard to build a list, those

are my 10 reasons to use Substack especially if you're

just starting out with $0.00 subscribers. That's all I have

for today. Until next time, keep writing my friends. Keep writing.

Thank you for listening to the podcast today.

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