Maybe I’m an idiot, but…
It feels like almost every week I’m encountering a new and interesting voice on Substack. And, considering they are a paid platform, what is perhaps most amazing is how much I am able to access from those voices for free. But I also have the sense that this is still a pretty small corner of internet discourse that I’m reading. How many people in total actually are actually subscribed to Substack newletters/blogs? This says over 500,000 (so maybe 550,000?) How many people have no idea what it is? I bet a whole lot.
Here’s a huge growth opportunity. Publish a free magazine that can be stocked at coffee shops, waiting rooms, etc. Tailor it to the geographic region by using the free content that is most popular in that region. Maybe even get some advertizers to help with the cost of the magazine? And then make sure you communicate, “If you like this aricle, check out the rest of this guy’s stuff at XXXX.substack.com”.
As the US become more polarized and intitutional voices become more extreme, more and more space is open for thoughtful and moderate ideas. I think Substack is well positioned to capitalize on that space, but they need publicity and exposure, and even if it seems anachronistic, I think that this would be an excellent way for them to gain it.