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Every now and then, someone asks me: “Why did you move all your blog content to Substack?”
It’s a fair question.
In case you didn’t know, I used to run a WordPress blog for years. But over the past year, I moved everything to Substack.
Here’s why.
Substack Compared
On the surface, Substack and blogging platforms like WordPress or Ghost are somewhat similar.
Both let you write things, publish them, and share them with the world. The design is different, the backend too, and the feature sets are quite different as well.
But overall, all 3 are blogging platforms.
The Substack Appeal
Substack has a huge edge.
There are already people in the room, conversations happening, a vibe you can plug into.
From day one of publishing, you can utilize a large audience base and a proven ecosystem.
- Readers are already there.
- Writers are already there.
- The recommendation engine is surprisingly effective.
- The network effect is real.
- And Substack has social media with Substack Notes.
That means you can grow without needing another social media platform, or a secondary community, a polished SEO strategy, or even much technical know-how.
If your writing is good or useful (or, God forbid, both 😜), Substack can carry you. The growth happens inside this one platform.
For writers, that’s intoxicating. You can focus on the work and skip the headache of setting up websites, plugins, SEO tools, and hosting.
But this power comes with risks. More on that in a second.
Substack’s Network
Substack is trending.
People subscribe because they like the vibe of the place. They discover new writers through recommendations, cross-promotions, and Notes.
While the platform itself isn’t anything new or particularly special, they made it seem that way with clever marketing and nicely timed feature upgrades.
If you’re starting from scratch, Susbtack is fantastic.
Compared to WordPress, where nobody knows you exist unless you actively push traffic there. With Substack, you get the benefit of discovery built into the system.
So when people ask “Why Substack?” the short answer is: because it gives you leverage right from day one.
But Here’s the Catch
Yes, Substack is wonderful. But it’s not yours. It seems to be. And they marketed it that way. But it’s not. And that’s becoming more and more clear at the moment.
When you build on Substack, you’re building on rented land. People have said similar things about so many platforms, from Medium to every social media app.
And it’s true.
We see things changing in the background, quietly. We talked about this in my last piece about in-app notifications hijacking your “email list”. Which in essence means that you won’t own your email list much longer.
Substack can change the rules whenever it wants.
Yesterday, it was email-first. Maybe not today but certainly tomorrow, it will be app-first.
Suddenly, those subscribers you thought were your readers might really just be Substack’s followers.
That’s why you may want a plan b.
Why You May Still Want a Blog of Your Own
That’s where the case for a self-hosted blog comes in.
Whether you choose WordPress, Ghost, or another platform (open source, full control), running your own blog gives you things Substack can’t (or won’t).
1. Full Ownership
Your site. Your domain. Your list. No one can flip a switch and change the way your readers hear from you.
2. Flexibility
Substack is simple. Which is a huge plus. Until it becomes a negative. With your own blog, you can:
- Add plugins (SEO, analytics, memberships, you name it).
- Design it however you want.
- Experiment with features that Substack may never offer.
More space, more options, more control.
3. Diversification
If all your eggs are in the Substack basket, you’re exposed to platform risk. It’s similar to investing. You don’t put all your savings into one stock. You diversify your portfolio.
Same with blogs. Having a parallel blog is more work. But it’s also a safety net. If Substack changes direction, you’ve got your own base of operations.
4. Integration
Want to sell courses, host a podcast, or run a store? WordPress and Ghost can integrate with almost anything. Substack, not so much.
The Hybrid Model
Here’s the thing: you don’t have to choose right now.
Many writers I know do both. They use Substack for distribution and community, and they use a WordPress or Ghost blog as the permanent archive, the professional hub, the home base that can outlast any trend.
So, why Substack and not a blog for me?
I already use Substack and Medium. So, my WordPress blog felt… useless. But, and that’s the thing, I am always tweaking things in the background. Because I love that stuff. So, I might just start up an open source blog as a safety net again, because I enjoy this process.
Do I recommend putting everything on Substack? No. Not for everyone. Not for everything. In fact, most people who want their writing to become a true business should have a safety net in place.
At the very least, you should consider using your own domain with Substack. That can help a lot in the future. Don’t be too dependent on Substack.
Substack is amazing until it isn’t. And when that day comes, you’ll be glad you’ve got your own space that nobody can take away.
The Bottom Line
If you’re starting out, go with Substack.
It’s the fastest way to grow. I’d add Medium to the mix as well. It’s just as simple, but offers a different monetization avenue that can work well together with Substack.
But if you’re in the middle of turning your writing into a true business, don’t forget to build your own place, too.
You’ll thank me later.
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