Is Substack a good place for photographers?
Spoiler: Probably, and it would be nice to see y’all there.
I’ve enjoyed writing on Medium for a long time (3 years). I started to write an article about how much I have LOVED Medium, and how much Meidum has meant to my creative and professional growth as a writer AND as a photographer.
I started to write that article, but I couldn’t finish it.
Many writers on Medium have started questioning (even revolting) against some of the recent changes to the boost/algorithm/payment system. This article is NOT about if Medium has lost its way or not. I’m not sure how I feel about the changes yet, so I won’t comment.
My pro-Medium article did however start with examples about how Medium felt like a place where I could be rewarded for my writing, not just monetarily, but also by connecting with like minded people and seeing that my work is appreciated. It felt like that for a long time.
I have however noticed that my views have TANKED (a drop of about 90%) after the recent changes. While at the same time, my follower count has been increasing at a rate higher than ever. I’m glad to see my follower base increase by almost 15% this month. The results are a bit counterintuitive though.
So, I started looking into other options. Initially, and strictly, from an income motivation (good vibes and nice comments don’t pay the rent after all). I ended up finding some neat stuff at Substack.
Have you had a massive change (good or bad) to your Medium views and earnings? Let me know in the comments!
So what would be some of the selling points of Substack for photographers?
Connectivity (a real messenger chat, imagine that)
Substack simply delivers basic connectivity with chats and discussion boards. This is less of a win for Substack, and honestly more of a chronic loss for Medium.
I feel like my relationship with many of my favorite writers on Medium is more like that of mutual voyeurism. I comment on their posts, they comment on my posts. We vibe, but only in brief moments, and in a less than optimal user interface. It’s like seeing someone on the street who you don’t know, but see every day enough to nod at each other in quiet acknowledgement.
Also, let’s not forget the garbage pit that is the public only comments section. A private chat would be LOVELY for writers to collaborate, critique, and support each other inside of. Public comments are NOT the place for deeper conversations.
Short Form Options (longer than IG posts, shorter than Medium articles)
It seems Substack is a great middle ground between IG and Medium. You would still of course post your longer form content on Substack (just like on Medium). However, the purpose of Substack is to be more connected with your readers. After all, the paid subscription is essentially trading money for more access to you and your thoughts/process/expertise.
Paid readers could and should expect to see small daily or weekly updates from you that aren’t enough to be a full article, but probably more substantial than a quick IG post.
I have some mixed feelings on this. I wonder if I would get a bit burnt out from providing constant updates, but at the same time I rarely post anything of substance on IG because it feels like a waste. The format on IG just isn’t conducive to longer form posts. This isn’t news to anyone though.
Free and Paid Options (and why it makes sense to charge for more)
Substack stands out as an additional monetization opportunity, albeit with a different model. Photographers can monetize their content effectively through paid subscriptions, enabling them to earn a consistent income from their writing efforts. Medium, on the other hand, relies on the Partner Program, which requires us to enroll and share revenue with the platform (and an ever changing set of rules). Substack’s straightforward approach offers photographers more control and financial freedom.
If you wonder “why would someone pay for my subscription?” , don’t worry, I’m right there wondering the same thing. It seems like if you can provide additional value in your paid newsletters, that someone wouldn’t get on Medium, then you have a product you can sell to your readers.
For photographers this can include your larger photo-galleries from the same article, or behind the scenes commentary and documentation. You can include more personal sides to stories too.
I haven’t nailed down my own particular path yet, but I think that a good way to use both platforms is to be straightforward with your audience. Medium and your free Substack posts would be a more stripped down, but still valuable version of your posts. Your paid Substack would hold all the extra content (photos, details, pro-tips).
I think this is a great option to ensure that the extra work that goes into our Medium articles, the stuff that no one sees, still gets rewarded even if it didn’t make the primary cut. Granted, not everyone cares, but for those that do, they’re probably invested in your success anyways.
Recommendations (discoverability, and true organic growth)
One cool feature, that I think Medium could and SHOULD easily copy, is the writer’s recommendations. On a writer’s profile they can list other writers that they recommend to their readers. This is a perfect organic method of gifting social proof to new writers on the platform. It’s also a great way to gain likeminded followers. I know that anyone who recommends me already has a readership that probably looks similar to mine. It’s just a simple way to improve the quality of your followers (preferably not just randoms).
However, as of right now, I haven’t found a ton of photography focused articles on Substack when I used their search feature.
The ones I did find were more on the…well…”snobby” side, a bunch of “masterclass” teachers talking about life+death+photography. I suppose there’s a time and a place for everyone, but maybe Substack could do with a few more “down to earth” photographers.
Or maybe Substack readers don’t care about photography and I’ve missed the boat and everyone already tried this. Guess we will find out soon enough.
How to get started?
I know it seems daunting, but try to commit two hours of learning it and you’ll be off and running in…well, two hours.
Here are some articles I found that made it seem way more doable to me. Hope they help you too!
- How to Get Your First 2000 Subscribers on Substack
- Substack Payments: Everything You Need to Know Before You Go Paid
- I Doubled my Substack Revenue (96 Weeks on Substack, $12 K)
I’m still investigating Substack, and yes I will implore all of you to follow me there. I think there are some cool features and opportunities there we can explore on Substack, that Medium cannot currently offer…but who knows, tech companies are known to copy each other’s ideas…and there are a few I wish Medium would copy from Substack.
If you find this post to be compelling, and you’d like to join Substack, you can easily sign-up with my “referral code”.
As far as I know, I don’t get any extra benefit from you using it, but it will automotically connect us on Substack, which will be an easy way to stay in touch and communicate directly if you have any questions or requests. Also feel free to comment below.
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