Great breakdown, Landon. I’m personally in for Substack now (duh) as Kit didn’t give the community building option. And I craved it for a long time searching for the perfect social media platform too.
Amazing. That's such a fantastic part of Substack. I love the conversation and relationships that can be built through the comments and Chat features here.
Hi, Landon! Great post. Informative and to the point as usual. Thanks for sharing! I'm just building my audience, so Substack is the place for me (at this time.) I have a question for you - What would you consider to be a "mature Wordpress blog"? Just curious. Thanks again and have a wonderful day!
I don't have an exact definition but I would say that it would be actively generating considerable organic traffic from SEO or the brand is large enough that the brand itself is generating inbound traffic (or has a large enough social following to share the posts).
If there is no SEO traffic, the blogs effectively receive no traffic unless you're sharing them somewhere.
🔥 Nice analysis Landon. I use both as well. I tend to break it down into simple principles.
1. Substack is good for those getting started. More turnkey.
2. Kit is good for those at a more advanced part of their journey.
(For example, I use it for distributing Free email courses, which builds subscriber lists)
I don't intend either to be 'monetized' - a term I despise (and wrote about why recently). Yet, I'm thankful some generous folks have a paid subscription to Box Cutter Co.
I also dislike the notion of "owning an audience". "Earning" one is more accurate (and some are cool enough to pay)
The big piece I consistently see missed in similar comparisons -- social media (inc. Substack and Kit) are largely free marketing channels. It's a way for people to get eyes on what you create.
I'm of a pre-Internet generation (and maybe you are too). 20 years ago, it was a very, very different game to get people's eyes on what you are writing, drawing, videoing, etc. Not everything needs to be a rush to put a $ value on it (not that you're only suggesting that).
What I write and post online (for free) has brought multiple paying clients to my businesses. That's where the serious value can be found in these platforms (I find, anyways). 🙌
Thanks David. I love the synopsis. I think an often overlooked aspect is the 'social growth' side of Substack - which is why it's effectively become my social media. But I don't see me stopping CK anytime soon.
Great comparison article! I too use both for many of the reasons you mentioned. I’d like to not have the expense of ConvertKit/Kit, but I have benefited from their Creator Recommendation feature and love using their automations for my email courses.
Definitely working on that this year as well. I feel like I tried all the recommended tools and ended up not needing hardly any of them. Live and learn!
Sometimes we don't know till we try. At least know your mind is at ease with canceling or not using them. I am in the process or reducing some additional ones right now. I just moved 3 podcasts from Buzzsprout to Spotify (because it's free). And I decided to cancel my adobe subscription because I literally haven't used it in a year.
I literally just canceled my Adobe subscription as well! I ended up pushing pause on my podcast because it was too many things. It’s nice knowing there’s others out there who go through the same decisions. Thank you!
You have NO idea. It's very easy to mask it on social media. And we tend to not realize what other people are going through. Odds are many people are doing and contemplating the exact same things.
Great article Landon, thanks. Moving from ConvertKit to Substack is one of the best professional moves I've ever made. Reading your article it occurs to me that Substack is what ConvertKit wanted to be but got a bit lost. I still use ConvertKit for opt-in and product email sequences, tho I'm slowly moving that to Gumroad. When Substack adds more email sequences, it's gonna be rough on ConvertKit...
Thank you Michael. I really appreciate the kind words. One of my mentors taught me to always be "on the same side of the table" as my audience so this is something I try to do.
Quick newbie question. Do you integrate SS and Kit together in any way or do manage them seperatly and they stand alone as a complimentary part of your ecosystem?
Awesome breakdown Landon. 3 months newer me could have seen this as value bomb. Still is! And I definitely made the right choice for my first newsletter and started here on Substack. I will eventually have one in ConvertKit or Kit now.
Great run down. I recently came to a similar conclusion. Using Substack for growth and exposure, feeding into Kit, and using Kit for landing page/product/form/mail sequence. Question: you mentioned Wordpress blog. Why use a blog if you are already using Substack as the media platform/ecosystem? Can you give some context?
I use both, Substack for the love of writing and building a community and Convertkit to sell my offers via automations and to maintain a buyers list.
In the process of moving 2000+ subscribers from CK to Substack so I only have buyers on CK
Same here Mark, I don't see myself using only 1 anytime soon either. But I won't say never because features change daily and new platforms can emerge.
Great breakdown, Landon. I’m personally in for Substack now (duh) as Kit didn’t give the community building option. And I craved it for a long time searching for the perfect social media platform too.
Amazing. That's such a fantastic part of Substack. I love the conversation and relationships that can be built through the comments and Chat features here.
This question has been floating around in my head for a while so thanks for answering it 😊.
Did this help provide you with clarity?
Yes very much 🙃
Hi, Landon! Great post. Informative and to the point as usual. Thanks for sharing! I'm just building my audience, so Substack is the place for me (at this time.) I have a question for you - What would you consider to be a "mature Wordpress blog"? Just curious. Thanks again and have a wonderful day!
I don't have an exact definition but I would say that it would be actively generating considerable organic traffic from SEO or the brand is large enough that the brand itself is generating inbound traffic (or has a large enough social following to share the posts).
If there is no SEO traffic, the blogs effectively receive no traffic unless you're sharing them somewhere.
I see. Thanks!
With enough traffic.
Thanks! Appreciated.
Was just reviewing this again, such good advice!
Thanks boss!
Be like @Philip Hofmacher and @Sinem Günel and embrace the beauty of both! https://www.nikatalbot.io/p/bold-types-12-philip-hofmacher-on?r=9w55n&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Well, if you happened to have read the full article you'd see that is exactly what I am doing ;-)
Great article Landon. It’s come at a point where I am considering integrating Kit so thank you!
Amazing! Glad the timing was right. What is making you consider it?
It was! Having two growth engines rather than one and looking at they can work together.
I also plan on a hybrid approach for the same reasons.
Awesome!
I was always in doubt on how to use both platforms equally. I guess you have helped me clear this out. :)
That was the goal!
🔥 Nice analysis Landon. I use both as well. I tend to break it down into simple principles.
1. Substack is good for those getting started. More turnkey.
2. Kit is good for those at a more advanced part of their journey.
(For example, I use it for distributing Free email courses, which builds subscriber lists)
I don't intend either to be 'monetized' - a term I despise (and wrote about why recently). Yet, I'm thankful some generous folks have a paid subscription to Box Cutter Co.
I also dislike the notion of "owning an audience". "Earning" one is more accurate (and some are cool enough to pay)
The big piece I consistently see missed in similar comparisons -- social media (inc. Substack and Kit) are largely free marketing channels. It's a way for people to get eyes on what you create.
I'm of a pre-Internet generation (and maybe you are too). 20 years ago, it was a very, very different game to get people's eyes on what you are writing, drawing, videoing, etc. Not everything needs to be a rush to put a $ value on it (not that you're only suggesting that).
What I write and post online (for free) has brought multiple paying clients to my businesses. That's where the serious value can be found in these platforms (I find, anyways). 🙌
Thanks David. I love the synopsis. I think an often overlooked aspect is the 'social growth' side of Substack - which is why it's effectively become my social media. But I don't see me stopping CK anytime soon.
Great comparison article! I too use both for many of the reasons you mentioned. I’d like to not have the expense of ConvertKit/Kit, but I have benefited from their Creator Recommendation feature and love using their automations for my email courses.
Costs add up super quick when it comes to running an online business. I try to keep it as lean as I possibly can.
Definitely working on that this year as well. I feel like I tried all the recommended tools and ended up not needing hardly any of them. Live and learn!
Sometimes we don't know till we try. At least know your mind is at ease with canceling or not using them. I am in the process or reducing some additional ones right now. I just moved 3 podcasts from Buzzsprout to Spotify (because it's free). And I decided to cancel my adobe subscription because I literally haven't used it in a year.
I literally just canceled my Adobe subscription as well! I ended up pushing pause on my podcast because it was too many things. It’s nice knowing there’s others out there who go through the same decisions. Thank you!
You have NO idea. It's very easy to mask it on social media. And we tend to not realize what other people are going through. Odds are many people are doing and contemplating the exact same things.
Great article Landon, thanks. Moving from ConvertKit to Substack is one of the best professional moves I've ever made. Reading your article it occurs to me that Substack is what ConvertKit wanted to be but got a bit lost. I still use ConvertKit for opt-in and product email sequences, tho I'm slowly moving that to Gumroad. When Substack adds more email sequences, it's gonna be rough on ConvertKit...
Interesting note: I replied to your restack, but that reply doesn't show here. Definitely a little quirk in Substack.
I really appreciate how you break down your illustrations and "speak to me" with your writing style.
I find this post both valuable and digestible. Helps me sort the mind clutter a bit.
👍
Thank you Michael. I really appreciate the kind words. One of my mentors taught me to always be "on the same side of the table" as my audience so this is something I try to do.
This is such a helpful breakdown, thanks for sharing.
Thanks Richard! Glad you found it useful.
Quick newbie question. Do you integrate SS and Kit together in any way or do manage them seperatly and they stand alone as a complimentary part of your ecosystem?
Thanks Landon
They are technically separate. I have links to lead magnets within my Substack. I share more about how I did this here: https://landonpoburan.substack.com/p/5-ways-digital-writers-are-using. But the platforms are managed independently.
Got it, that’s really helpful. Thanks
Awesome breakdown Landon. 3 months newer me could have seen this as value bomb. Still is! And I definitely made the right choice for my first newsletter and started here on Substack. I will eventually have one in ConvertKit or Kit now.
Thanks Mario!
Great run down. I recently came to a similar conclusion. Using Substack for growth and exposure, feeding into Kit, and using Kit for landing page/product/form/mail sequence. Question: you mentioned Wordpress blog. Why use a blog if you are already using Substack as the media platform/ecosystem? Can you give some context?
Hey Fabien, I don't use a Wordpress Blog. However, it is an integration avail on Kit.