Blog vs. Substack: How to Use Both to Build Your Online Empire
Unlock the Power of Blogging and Substack to Expand Your Reach and Boost Your Business
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Should I start a blog or a Substack?
Is there still demand for a blog when platforms like Substack and Medium are available?
If you're asking yourself the same question, here's my answer: Absolutely, YES.
But why, and how can you use both Substack and a blog to grow your business?
I've got you covered because that's exactly what I do.
How I Turn Blogging and Substack into a Successful Online Business
I started blogging in 2018 with the dream of building an income-generating platform, inspired by other successful bloggers earning 5 to 6 figures.
Although I had experience creating websites, blogging was a whole new world for me. When I earned my first $100, I was thrilled. It was an unforgettable experience because I had built it entirely from scratch.
Over the years, I transformed my blog into a thriving online business by selling my own products, such as e-books, courses, and even a membership.
When I discovered Substack, a fantastic platform that blends blogging with a newsletter, community, and social media features, I was captivated from the start.
This year, I reached a crossroads: should I start a second blog from scratch or dive into Substack?
It wasn't an easy decision, but after some reflection, I had an idea—why not do both?
I could create a blog to publish my content, services, and products while using Substack to post additional content and grow a community.
My Why
One key thought was crucial for me: Don't build your business on rented land.
Social media platforms and sites like Substack and Medium are constantly evolving, with changing algorithms and rules.
While we can adapt, there's no harm in having your own blog and presence as well.
There’s no downside.
Whether you already have a blog or not, you can start a publication on Substack. Conversely, if you have a publication on Substack or Medium, starting your own blog can help you share your content and expand your audience.
Think of it this way: your blog is your business headquarters, while your publications are your branches.
So back to my question: Is a blog dead? Not at all.
My Who
Do you remember?
“If you can tell a stranger in one sentence what you are doing and who you are writing for, then you know exactly what your niche is, aka your ideal subscriber or customer.”
Mine: I help women simplify their finances and build lasting wealth.
I use both my blog and Substack to share my experiences and make it easy for every woman to manage her finances and start an online business, regardless of experience or technical knowledge. Whether you’re new to blogging or starting from scratch, I’m here to help.
Yes, defining our audience and knowing who we’re talking to and writing for is crucial. It simplifies the process compared to trying to write for everyone.
However, it’s okay to start with a broader focus and narrow it down later as you learn more about your audience.
If you already have a publication on Substack, you’re not starting a blog from scratch—you likely know your niche and your readers. But even if you are starting from scratch, you’ll figure it out.
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My How
Starting a blog is technically straightforward and, contrary to what some might think, it’s not expensive. All you need is a hosting platform and a domain (your blog’s address). It may be slightly more challenging than getting started on Substack or Medium, but with the right guidance, you can do it.
By the way, you can start a blog for less than $2 a month.
I use Bluehost as my hosting provider, WordPress as the content management system (which is free), and the clean, simple Astra theme, available in both free and paid versions.
To successfully start an online business, there are three essentials you need:
Start creating content
Prioritize building an email list
Start out creating small offers and experiment with it
My content strategy for my blog and Substack is as follows:
I publish a new post on my blog every week and an additional article on Substack.
I also send out a weekly newsletter, which I post on Substack and send to my email list via ConvertKit.
By the way, the Kit plugin allows me to automatically publish my newsletters on my blog.
On my first blog, I started with two posts a week—one article on my blog and my weekly newsletter. I never missed a post.
It’s not about the quantity but the quality and consistency of your content.
Start with less but focus on delivering high-quality content consistently, rather than overcommitting and not meeting your audience’s expectations.
My What
Since it’s my passion to show women like you (40+) that wealth-building doesn’t have to be complicated—especially when it comes to investing—I write about smart, minimalist strategies to save, invest, and grow your wealth with ease.
I share my experiences and everything that has helped me achieve financial freedom today. I provide my tools and create helpful resources to assist you in moving forward.
Yes, my goal is to provide as many free resources as possible. I also aim to create courses that are so valuable they help you reach your goals, just as I benefited from my teachers.
Learn what your audience wants and experiment.
Don’t wait for the perfect moment or strive for perfection. Learn by trying and even failing.
For my first blog I’ve created lead magnets and products that didn’t work as well as I hoped, but I tried them and improved based on what I learned.
Conclusion
Yes, you can build a successful online business, and you can do this by leveraging different platforms.
Build your business empire on various pillars, such as a blog, platforms like Substack or Medium, LinkedIn, and other social media channels.
What sets a blog apart is that it’s your own space. In the vast expanse of the internet, your voice, and uniqueness deserve to be heard.
So, embrace the different opportunities available to do the best for your online business.
And Your Next Steps?
Consider:
your why
your who
your how
your what.
Simply follow my approach.
And if you haven’t already, start your own blog as your online business headquarters.
I read your article, you are doing great! Good wishes for your journey!
This is a good topic to discuss as I think a lot of people are wondering about it these days.
Substack is much easier to both post and emails with than Wordpress or even Ghost.
But the bigger question is how does someone manage getting email signups on two platforms - ie a Mailchimp plus Substack? Do people ever move over subscribers between the two?