On Monday, Renee DiResta, an expert on disinformation and misinformation on social media, tweeted about Substack’s latest feature “Notes” and its potential impact on the platform. Substack is a newsletter platform that allows writers to create free or paid newsletters for their subscribers.
DiResta expressed her curiosity in seeing how Notes would convert readers into paid subscribers or increase open rates. She also wondered if this new feature would attract more users to the platform, making it a significant draw for writers.
Substack has been gaining popularity in recent years as more journalists and writers have used it to start their own independent newsletters. The company was founded in 2017 by Chris Best, Jairaj Sethi, and Hamish McKenzie.
One of the reasons why Substack has become so popular is that it offers an alternative revenue stream for journalists who may be struggling with job insecurity or low pay at traditional media companies. By creating their own newsletters and charging subscribers directly, they can earn more money while maintaining editorial independence.
However, there have been concerns raised about the types of content being published on Substack. Some critics argue that the platform has become a safe haven for far-right figures who have been banned from other social media sites such as Twitter or Facebook.
Despite these criticisms, Substack recently raised $65 million in funding from investors including Andreessen Horowitz and Y Combinator. The company plans to use this funding to expand its offerings beyond newsletters into podcasts and online courses.
With Notes, Substack is hoping to make its platform even more appealing to both readers and writers. Notes allows authors to publish shorter pieces without having to commit to a full newsletter format. Readers can follow individual authors’ notes without subscribing to their entire newsletter.
It remains unclear how successful Notes will be at attracting new users or converting readers into paying subscribers. However, many writers are already experimenting with the feature since it was launched last week.
In conclusion, Renee DiResta’s tweet highlights the potential impact of Substack’s latest feature on the platform. As more writers experiment with Notes and readers engage with this new format, it will be interesting to see how it affects Substack’s user numbers, open rates, and paid subscriptions.