Goodbye Substack

Yes, I'm taking you with me.

This is newsletter #19, just shy of the 5-month mark since I started posting on Substack. And, well, it’s time to say goodbye to the platform (but not the newsletter). Here’s why:

1. Substack is terrible for SEO:

   The numbers spill all the secrets.

   1. I’ve only had 8 people (46 sessions) visit my website from Substack (excluding email traffic).

   2. Aside from that initial week, when I got 10 subscribers from the app, every other subscriber has come from LinkedIn, my website, or other platforms. The Substack algorithm is not in my favour.

2. Data doesn’t always match reality:

   Even though I’m hitting 50% open rates, I suspect it’s closer to 60-70% because the analytics don’t reflect actual engagement. Like in the images below, where someone clicked on a link - but Substack claims they haven’t read it yet. It happens in every edition.

   

   

   And the engagement metrics? Oddly skewed. One 'like' can push engagement to 80%, while an email opened 14 times might show just 17% engagement because no one liked it.

   

   As someone who values analytics, I need data that actually tells me what’s resonating with you.

3. Which means, Substack is not an email platform.

   Let’s be honest—I’ve been writing way too much. Most of my newsletters average 1,500 words. I suspect that’s because I’ve been treating Substack like a blog instead of an email newsletter.
   While I love writing, I don’t want to overwhelm your inbox. So, the writing style and helpful tips won’t change, but going forward, I’m going to try my best to make it more condensed.

4. Freebie fails.

   You might already know this, but I offer a free website audit. I recently discovered that some people couldn’t even reply to my emails to claim it.

Aand what’s the point if someone can’t respond to my own newsletter?

Plus, I want to offer more resources in the future, and without proper list segmentation, that’s impossible.

---

I started writing on Substack for two reasons:

a. I’m pretty bad at sticking to posting regularly. And this was a great way to built that habit.

b. I wanted to enjoy writing the newsletter, not churn something out just to keep up. If you’ve been here since the beginning, you’ve probably read over 25k words from me. That’s a lot!

But as my business grows, so does this newsletter. It’s now going email-exclusive. I might lose a few subscribers, and that’s okay. I’m ready.

What’ll happen to this newsletter?

I’ve been hesitant to dive deep into website copywriting here (despite having 5 drafts ready to go), but that’s about to change. Your website is one of your best marketing assets, and I’ll be sharing more on buyer psychology, headlines, and homepage copy soon.

No need to do anything if you're already subscribed.

But if you’re been a secret lurker all this while, here’s your sign to subscribe. Especially since I’ll be moving the archive to my website.

And drumroll……

My next newsletter will be an email-exclusive and you’ll begin receiving it in your inbox from Wednesday. If you’re subscribed on Substack, you don’t have to click on any buttons.

Yes, we’re switching up posting days to Wednesday. It’s because I noticed a lot of my newsletter opens tend to occur on Monday and Tuesday.

Although I will be on a 21-hour flight while you receive the first edition of the new era -but hey - it would be unlike me to not do everything on a time-crunch.

So, here’s to your new mid-week pick-me-up! If you’ve been enjoying my writing, that is.

One final Substack post will go live next Friday as a final reminder and rounding up the archive to #20.

Also….I’m appearing in a Summit?

I have been invited to speak at the Iyconic AI for Business Summit next week.

While the conference is about AI, my session is a panel interview about marketing and website copy - taking place on Friday, 25th October 2024 at 12 pm CST.

Here is the registration link. While I’ve been appearing on podcasts recently (5 in total), this will be my first summit appearance - and I’m looking forward to it.

End Notes

My newsletter is not the only one going through the changes, because so is my website.

Have a look at the current one (which I diy’d - but hey, I’m a copywriter not a designer), although the redesign might take more than a few weeks. I’ll talk more about it once I’m solely in your inbox.

My final takeaway to you? It’s okay to jump ship. Like I’ve mentioned in many of my newsletters like this one—try it out for a while and if you realize it’s not working, move on.

Will you miss me on Substack?

Happy marketing,
Maria

Ps: If you don’t remember, hi - I’m a website copywriter who writes websites that builds on your brand story and sells for you.

You’ve subscribed to my weekly newsletter, ‘Room for Marketing’ where I help creative entrepreneurs learn how to make room for marketing in their business in easy, actionable steps.

If you’d like to connect, here’s my Website & LinkedIn.