Rapid-fire audience Q&A

This episode is THE reason this podcast exists. After getting hit with the same Substack questions on repeat, I realized: why not make one epic, tell-all episode to answer them all? So get ready because we’re doing an absolute deep dive into all things Substack — what it is, what it’s not, and why everyone and their favorite influencer seems obsessed with it. We’ll cut through the hype and get real about how to use it without turning your marketing strategy into a hot mess.

TOPICS & TANGENTS

— Why Substack is not the magical marketing unicorn you’ve been dreaming of

— A wild bachelorette party recap (and the reason I sound like a frog in this episode)

— The ultimate breakdown: Substack vs. blogging vs. email newsletters (spoiler: know your lanes)

— My controversial opinion that Substack is not social media, but also...kind of is?

— Paid Substacks: Are they worth it and who should start one?

— Growing on Substack when all you’re getting is radio silence

— Plus, SO much more juicy insights you didn’t know you needed

POINT OF THE STORY

Substack is not an email marketing service provider and it is not a substitute for your blog.

GIVEAWAY

Guess how many times I said the F-word in this episode and DM me the number on Instagram for a chance to win a free subscription to Millionaire Moment on Substack!

Love you, mean it. 🖤

BTL LINKS

— Use code "MILLIONAIRE" for $100 off my website copywriting course, Site Series Sprint.

— Join the Point of the Story community on Slack.

— Leave feedback or episode requests in our Suggestions Box.

— To stay up to date with all things Point of the Story, follow on Instagram and Substack.

— Follow me on Instagram, Threads, and Substack.

— Subscribe to my newsletters Tuesday Table of Contents for one marketing tip, once a week and Millionaire Moment for the insider tea on how I plan to make $1 mil in sales by my 31st birthday.

— Check out my website betweenthelinescopy.com.

OTHER LINKS

— Flodesk (code: “BTLCOPY” for 50% off your first year)

— Follow Xanthe on Instagram and Substack and check out Life of the Party

— Follow Kelsey on Instagram and check out Launch Your Own Way

— Some Substacks I follow: Lo Bosworth, Dianna Cohen, Sophia Amoruso

This episode was edited by Adrienne Cruz.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Intro 05:00 Understanding Substack: What It Is and Isn't 10:05 The Misconceptions Around Substack 13:48 Who Should Use Substack? 16:03 Email Marketing vs. Substack 37:08 Blogging vs. Substack 51:11 Monetizing Substack 57:06 Is Substack a Social Media Platform? 59:01 How to Grow on Substack 01:03:22 Q&A

Mentioned in this episode:

For $31/mo, get FIVE personal story prompts a month for your newsletter!

Sara's Swipe File: A Newsletter Storytelling Subscription