Substack needs to make itself a greater place for readers, not simply writers

Substack needs to make the platform a greater place for readers and will likely be including options to its studying apps in order that they “really feel more and more helpful and enjoyable,” co-founders Chris Greatest, Hamish McKenzie, and Jairaj Sethi mentioned in a put up on Thursday. Substack is maybe greatest generally known as a spot for writers to construct e-newsletter audiences and make a dwelling from their work, however the co-founders spelled out a imaginative and prescient for a way Substack itself generally is a higher place to truly learn issues as effectively.

“The web revolutionized studying, however as an alternative of a utopia, it has delivered a large number,” the co-founders mentioned. “The primary locations the place we learn on-line immediately are cacophonic, annoying, and milking our minds for advert {dollars}.” They acknowledge that there are good however area of interest studying merchandise however argue that enormous tech corporations don’t appear taken with making them anymore. “As an alternative, we’re left to deal with a fusillade of pop-ups and a Huge Social-dominated media economic system that’s making us offended and silly.”

The co-founders, nonetheless, suppose that “it’s nonetheless attainable to harness the web’s powers to create a greater world for readers.” Listed here are some particulars about how which may look in apply — although I’ll warn you that that is considerably imprecise:

We will see a future the place studying on-line is a pleasure, with fast-to-load posts, clear and uncluttered pages, and easy navigation. We consider in a enterprise mannequin that offers readers the facility to assist form tradition by straight supporting the writers and work they most worth, resulting in an incentive system that rewards high quality and applies upward stress for excellence in even the smallest of niches. We expect that studying will be social with out being distracting. And we guess that trusted peer suggestions can drive a discovery system that helps the world’s greatest readers discover the world’s greatest work—regardless of the place it comes from. 

Listed here are some extra particulars — additionally imprecise:

Over the approaching months and years, we’ll be including options and evolving our studying apps in order that they really feel more and more helpful and enjoyable. You’ll not solely have a quiet place to learn but in addition someplace to hang around with the neatest individuals . It’ll be an area the place you possibly can set up a house on your cultural pursuits and construct an viewers even should you don’t have a publication. And it’ll all be tied collectively in a community of significant connections—represented by subscriptions—that prioritize belief over time spent or eyeballs captured. 

Substack didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark about additional particulars or a extra particular timeline. However this consideration to Substack readers isn’t a complete shock. The corporate has already launched a bunch of options supposed to encourage customers to hang around on Substack itself as an alternative of simply studying particular person newsletters that come to their electronic mail inbox, together with its cell apps, the power to add RSS feeds to your Substack feed, and its tweet-like Notes.

Whereas “it has been clear for some time now who a Substack author is,” the co-founders say, in making these modifications, Substack needs to construct one thing that makes individuals describe themselves as a “Substack reader” (emphasis theirs). I assume we’ll see if that occurs.