Substack’s shift toward sponsorships, social features, and platform growth isn’t surprising—it’s familiar. What happens when every creative tool eventually becomes a media company?
There are still fundamental differences between Substack and Medium (authors own their audience and subscriptions on Substack) and between Substack and social media (ad deals are picked by creators, not by the platform). I don't see these fundamentals changing.
Totally agree—the fundamentals like audience ownership and creator-controlled monetization are still key strengths of Substack.
What I’m watching is how new tools might influence behavior over time. Even if the foundations stay the same, incentives shape content—and that’s where platforms often evolve in subtle, unintended ways.
There are still fundamental differences between Substack and Medium (authors own their audience and subscriptions on Substack) and between Substack and social media (ad deals are picked by creators, not by the platform). I don't see these fundamentals changing.
Totally agree—the fundamentals like audience ownership and creator-controlled monetization are still key strengths of Substack.
What I’m watching is how new tools might influence behavior over time. Even if the foundations stay the same, incentives shape content—and that’s where platforms often evolve in subtle, unintended ways.