I love your perspective of a book club! I joined Substack over a year ago to host a newsletter documenting my exchange experience and mainly keep family and friends updated. But I got amazing feedback and am currently trying to find my hook to continue writing. One thing that keeps nagging me is language. I am native German, but I am pretty comfortable (sometimes even more comfortable) writing in English. So I created a text-based newsletter with a German voice over - actually mainly for friends and family. However, that voice over was always daunting to me and I never really enjoyed doing it. My strengths and preferences are text and photography. Maybe some video editing someday. I am pretty sure that my main newsletter will stay English, but now I am thinking if it is worth creating a second newsletter in German. It will be more work even if I do not aim to translate every single Newsletter. Is it worth it or should I simply stick with English since most authors in this book club seem to be English speaking and the topic I am going to write about is already a niche... I know it might also boil down to the target group I want to write for - and that's probably not anymore mainly friends and family. However, I thought it would be interesting to hear your perspective on multi-lingual content on Substack :)
Thanks for the advice, Kristina! I just started my newsletter with research-based takes on society and can't wait to share it with more people. Your tips have been very helpful so far and I'll be sure to follow what's next.
Bopped over here from an article written on another writing site (not sure if I can share the link or author here on Substack). I am a Substack lurker. My niece writes here, I nose around her work sometimes. I publish on another (nameless) site that has seen some issues lately. Not sure if Substack is any different.
I do not write to make money. I decided to publish my work because after spending some 60 years in a writing closet I decided to get my work out there before it was too late. I love writing and reading. I live a simple, retired life. Three meals from the street. My niche is storytelling and narrative poems. If I know the truth about something, I can lie about it and then turn it into a story. Been doing that since I was six years old.
I enjoyed your video, very well presented and you speak clearly, a plus for me since I am partially deaf.
Yes Tim D does do that. He also comments often that he just exports his Medium and Substack articles across to his website.
More, he has written about how he paid big $$$ to buy his personalised website URL to get traction on his website AFTER he established his reputation on Twitter/Medium/Substack.
His visitors to his website only came long after he built his reputation on Medium and Substack. Not the other way around
I've got a website as I've said. It's new. It has no visitors. I didn't pay big $$$ for it either.
Which is why I'm focusing on writing on Medium, Substack first and foremost. Where my audience hopefully is. To a limited extent on Twitter and LinkedIn that don't focus so much on writing activities.
Hi Jan, sure. Since you've been following me fora while on Medium you know how much I love to take the guesswork our of creating on Medium and sharing my insights and promo tips. Stay tuned for more. Of there's anything you'd like me to cover, let me know and I'll include it in my series
I've got my main page set up where I post my essays. And I've checked your video about setting up a newsletter.
What I have never seen anywhere though, is some instructions about setting up a landing page for getting subscribers to a newsletter?
Actually that's not strictly true.
I did see one post by a guy from Reddit ( not Substack) giving directions for setting up a landing page on my own website and linking that across to Substack somehow via Convertkit?
That sounded like a lot of work to me.
So some notes on how to set up a landing page for my Substack newsletter would be very useful.
I hear you! I'd also love to have a (multiple) landing page/s.
As shown in the video once you set up your pub name and short description and then try to access your newsletter in incognito mode (three dot menu on the left side of your browser and then click on incognito mode) you can see what others see when they try to access your newsletter for the first time.
That's your landing page and the only one I know about.
It's true. On ConvertKit for instance you can create a landing page and then link it to you Substack newsletter. It's easy to set it up. My husband uses CK for his newsletter and also recently joined the new creator program. Wanted to cover this in one of my upcoming editions here and on YouTube.
So let me do some research and tests and then I'll cover it and share my thoughts, alright?
Katrina here's a copy/paste I received this morning from Tim Denning. Another who like Cole, Bush, and me thinks that personal website blogs are dead in the water:
I won’t go too far down the rabbit hole here, but the TL;DR version is this:
The internet is changing. Personal blogs are dying.
It’s actually been happening for a while now.
Think about it — whenever you go to read something online, are you actually going to someone’s website, or are you going to Twitter, LinkedIn, Substack, Medium, Reddit, etc.?
Even if you’re looking for your favorite person in the world (me), you’re probably not going to my website.
That sound you hear is the nerds in the back:
“But Tim! Google SEO still prioritizes websites!”
Yeah.
But even Google is up in the air now. The latest version of Google’s AI tool simply summarizes what it finds at the top of the page. People don’t click through to the website. They just read the snippet.
I’ve said this before: a website should probably be LAST on your list of priorities.
A newsletter should be at the top.
Specifically, a modern newsletter. Preferably using something like Substack
I meant that I don't think there are more option than the one I showed.
You told me about CK. I say that it's a good site to create multiple landing pages as Tim Denning does (because you mentioned him below).
You can link from your landing page on CK which you can customize as you want and try different hooks to your Substack. No need to have a blog/website.
Hope this helps to make things clearer. Otherwise feel free to send me an email 🌸
I do not use Convertkit. I do have Mailpoet and the new free version of Systeme.io.
But I'm a follower of Nicolas Cole and Ship30. He is adamant about not having a website blog. Only using Substack and his and Dickie Bush's Typeshare social blog.
Because they're where we'll get much more exposure.
I agree with that.
Which is why I asked specifically about the landing page on Substack.
Sure. However check what they do! They have a website which links to all of their services 😂 and Timdenning publishes all of his stories first on his website. But that's another story I can cover in an upcoming price because I'm in the middle of creating a portfolio page.
Thanks Kristina, I am a newbie to the Platform. So far it's quite user friendly.
It would be great to learn about more advanced techniques- for instance- embedding videos(You Tube or others) tagging words; how to swop recommendations on the Platform etc.
Thank you so much for this! I wish I had found this sooner because now I have to move all my old posts over...
I'm starting back on here and am very excited! Just thought I'd share! I enjoy reading your Substack!
Thank you Kristina. Love your dedication and giving spirit.
Hej Kristina,
I love your perspective of a book club! I joined Substack over a year ago to host a newsletter documenting my exchange experience and mainly keep family and friends updated. But I got amazing feedback and am currently trying to find my hook to continue writing. One thing that keeps nagging me is language. I am native German, but I am pretty comfortable (sometimes even more comfortable) writing in English. So I created a text-based newsletter with a German voice over - actually mainly for friends and family. However, that voice over was always daunting to me and I never really enjoyed doing it. My strengths and preferences are text and photography. Maybe some video editing someday. I am pretty sure that my main newsletter will stay English, but now I am thinking if it is worth creating a second newsletter in German. It will be more work even if I do not aim to translate every single Newsletter. Is it worth it or should I simply stick with English since most authors in this book club seem to be English speaking and the topic I am going to write about is already a niche... I know it might also boil down to the target group I want to write for - and that's probably not anymore mainly friends and family. However, I thought it would be interesting to hear your perspective on multi-lingual content on Substack :)
Thanks for the advice, Kristina! I just started my newsletter with research-based takes on society and can't wait to share it with more people. Your tips have been very helpful so far and I'll be sure to follow what's next.
Bopped over here from an article written on another writing site (not sure if I can share the link or author here on Substack). I am a Substack lurker. My niece writes here, I nose around her work sometimes. I publish on another (nameless) site that has seen some issues lately. Not sure if Substack is any different.
I do not write to make money. I decided to publish my work because after spending some 60 years in a writing closet I decided to get my work out there before it was too late. I love writing and reading. I live a simple, retired life. Three meals from the street. My niche is storytelling and narrative poems. If I know the truth about something, I can lie about it and then turn it into a story. Been doing that since I was six years old.
I enjoyed your video, very well presented and you speak clearly, a plus for me since I am partially deaf.
Yes Tim D does do that. He also comments often that he just exports his Medium and Substack articles across to his website.
More, he has written about how he paid big $$$ to buy his personalised website URL to get traction on his website AFTER he established his reputation on Twitter/Medium/Substack.
His visitors to his website only came long after he built his reputation on Medium and Substack. Not the other way around
I've got a website as I've said. It's new. It has no visitors. I didn't pay big $$$ for it either.
Which is why I'm focusing on writing on Medium, Substack first and foremost. Where my audience hopefully is. To a limited extent on Twitter and LinkedIn that don't focus so much on writing activities.
I'm certainly not wasting $$$ on website SEO.
Deeply graceful for the win and thank you♥
Yeah!! Got your email. Will reply tomorrow since my baby doesn't want to sleep and I can't work...
I done it..💕 I think it’s right💕
It is, Tanya! Looking forward to getting to meet you
Refresh my memory getting old lol
haha^^ you made it and I'll reply tomorrow :D
Do you want here?
Hey where to send e-mail too?
Just reply to my newsletter. Do you know how?
Yay on you, Kristina, for demystifying Substack for us newbies!
Hi Jan, sure. Since you've been following me fora while on Medium you know how much I love to take the guesswork our of creating on Medium and sharing my insights and promo tips. Stay tuned for more. Of there's anything you'd like me to cover, let me know and I'll include it in my series
I've got my main page set up where I post my essays. And I've checked your video about setting up a newsletter.
What I have never seen anywhere though, is some instructions about setting up a landing page for getting subscribers to a newsletter?
Actually that's not strictly true.
I did see one post by a guy from Reddit ( not Substack) giving directions for setting up a landing page on my own website and linking that across to Substack somehow via Convertkit?
That sounded like a lot of work to me.
So some notes on how to set up a landing page for my Substack newsletter would be very useful.
Hi Jack, wow. Really good question!
I hear you! I'd also love to have a (multiple) landing page/s.
As shown in the video once you set up your pub name and short description and then try to access your newsletter in incognito mode (three dot menu on the left side of your browser and then click on incognito mode) you can see what others see when they try to access your newsletter for the first time.
That's your landing page and the only one I know about.
It's true. On ConvertKit for instance you can create a landing page and then link it to you Substack newsletter. It's easy to set it up. My husband uses CK for his newsletter and also recently joined the new creator program. Wanted to cover this in one of my upcoming editions here and on YouTube.
So let me do some research and tests and then I'll cover it and share my thoughts, alright?
Any more questions?
Katrina here's a copy/paste I received this morning from Tim Denning. Another who like Cole, Bush, and me thinks that personal website blogs are dead in the water:
I won’t go too far down the rabbit hole here, but the TL;DR version is this:
The internet is changing. Personal blogs are dying.
It’s actually been happening for a while now.
Think about it — whenever you go to read something online, are you actually going to someone’s website, or are you going to Twitter, LinkedIn, Substack, Medium, Reddit, etc.?
Even if you’re looking for your favorite person in the world (me), you’re probably not going to my website.
That sound you hear is the nerds in the back:
“But Tim! Google SEO still prioritizes websites!”
Yeah.
But even Google is up in the air now. The latest version of Google’s AI tool simply summarizes what it finds at the top of the page. People don’t click through to the website. They just read the snippet.
I’ve said this before: a website should probably be LAST on your list of priorities.
A newsletter should be at the top.
Specifically, a modern newsletter. Preferably using something like Substack
I meant that I don't think there are more option than the one I showed.
You told me about CK. I say that it's a good site to create multiple landing pages as Tim Denning does (because you mentioned him below).
You can link from your landing page on CK which you can customize as you want and try different hooks to your Substack. No need to have a blog/website.
Hope this helps to make things clearer. Otherwise feel free to send me an email 🌸
I do not use Convertkit. I do have Mailpoet and the new free version of Systeme.io.
But I'm a follower of Nicolas Cole and Ship30. He is adamant about not having a website blog. Only using Substack and his and Dickie Bush's Typeshare social blog.
Because they're where we'll get much more exposure.
I agree with that.
Which is why I asked specifically about the landing page on Substack.
Sure. However check what they do! They have a website which links to all of their services 😂 and Timdenning publishes all of his stories first on his website. But that's another story I can cover in an upcoming price because I'm in the middle of creating a portfolio page.
Thank you!
Awesome explanation 😊
Hi Janet, I'm glad it's valuable for you. Do you have any specific questions? If so, share them with me so I can include them in my video series
Thanks Kristina, I am a newbie to the Platform. So far it's quite user friendly.
It would be great to learn about more advanced techniques- for instance- embedding videos(You Tube or others) tagging words; how to swop recommendations on the Platform etc.
Thanks
SuPer! Sure, I'll cover this!
Thanks
Thank you Kristina!
Hey Tom, you're 🤗 welcome. Stay tuned for more and talk soon