Stay off Substack, please. | Willow & Blake

What you’re about to read is deeply snobby. Imperious. Maybe even hostile. But you’re a big kid, and I think you can take it (see, the condescension has already begun.)

Brands, please stay off Substack. I do not want to read think pieces interrupted by UGC or essays intercut with affiliate links. But more important than my own enjoyment is this; a brand’s job is not to be everywhere. A brand’s job is to be everywhere it is wanted. And that, dear readers, is not Substack.

Here’s why…

What's different about Substack?

Substack is a fast-growing platform for publishing, reading, and commenting on newsletters. It works on a subscription model, and most content creators publish a mix of free and paywalled content. It allows you to affix short videos, audio recordings and pictures, but the formatting is universal and plain. It’s like OnlyFans, but for journalists, commentators, writers and artists. And a little less…visual.

It’s a definitively long form platform. Good socials grab you by the lapels with a 6-second hook, bold colour, sound and animation. A good Substack would never grab you by the lapels or shout. It lands quietly in your inbox and waits patiently for you to read its thousand-word musings. Then it adjusts your bow tie.

Who's on Substack?

The most successful Substack in the world is about American politics. The third is by Michael Moore, the guy who directed Bowling for Columbine. The fifth most popular ‘beauty’ Substack is The Review of Beauty by Jessica Defino, a journalist who takes a staunch and scathing anti-beauty stance.

This tells me that Substack’s audience is politically engaged, highly educated early adopters. It’s a place for people who can name not just their favourite news publication, but their favourite geo-pol journalist. In another word, snobs. Of which I am one.

Brands who are targeting the New Yorker tote bag crowd might be tempted to hunt us on this new Savannah of a platform. But be warned. We will bite.

Brands kill platforms.

Substack subscribers have followed their favourite creators and journalists onto this platform specifically to avoid advertising dollars. They want truly unfiltered opinions, searingly hot takes, and no ad breaks.

The beauty of Substack is its sense of honesty and community. It’s the only place I could read a thoroughly researched series about ketamine therapy or peruse a weekly What NOT to Buy list. This stuff isn’t marketable. But it’s subscribable.

Substack is a haven from the platforms that brands already have at their disposal. On Meta and TikTok, advertising formats are like an ever-morphing monster; the moment a real community comes up with a trend, it’s devoured by brands, and then dies a swift death. Like “demure, mindful”, which enjoyed 6 months of cloistered fame in the queer community before trickling out to normies, where it lasted all of 2 weeks before being bludgeoned to death by brands. RIP.

I theorise that brands who slither onto Substack will be hissed at. Because, frankly, we’re a little tired of being marketed to. Or maybe, once we hear the trumpets of the brands approaching, we’ll just migrate to a new platform. My professional recommendation is for brands to leave Substack alone. It’s a place for communities gathered around opinion and enthusiasm, not product.

WAIT! Before you slink away, tail between your legs…

Substack mightn’t be a suitable or even hospitable place for a brand, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t opportunity here. This platform is a cultural lightning rod, and there’s plenty to learn from it. Here are some lessons for brands, to soften the blow:

A point of view is key. The best Substacks have a clear take on the world, a philosophy that they consistently apply to trending events. Your brand needs one of these.

We’re craving community. Substack’s popularity is in part because it provides enthusiastic community, of which there’s a true dearth on other platforms. It’s also a reflection of our culture’s craving for 3rd places, digital or real. People are lonely—take advantage by cultivating a community.

Long form isn’t always a snooze. People are willing to read, if you give them something consistently compelling. (Unbound Toys are doing a great job with their monthly email newsletter—no fancy formatting, just dot points and rambles from their CEO. It’s fabulous.) In fact, longer form content gives rise to richer, more complex discussions and relationships. Blogs (like this) one are great content to share on LinkedIn, to optimise for search engines, and create trust with your audience. And we can write blogs for you, by the way.

Pick your channels carefully. Much has been written about “Ad Fatigue”, and the way around this is to pick channels (NOT SUBSTACK) that are relevant to your audience and use creative content that’s tailor-made to that platform.

Promote individual voices. Substack can be a great place for brand founders to build a profile—just so long as they use the platform to express thoughts, not share business news and promotions.

Be an early adopter. If you’re not already, get on Substack and keep your ear to the ground for emerging trends. What seems snobby, niche or radical now will be mainstream soon enough.

Thank you for reading. You’ve been very good to get through all this. You deserve a treat of some kind. Perhaps some fabulous Substack recommendations…

internet princess by Rayne Fisher-Quann
So Darling by Grace O’Neill
Rave New World by Michelle Lhooq
Immaculate Taste by Remy Solomon
The Review of Beauty by Jessica Defino