#Newsletter Strategies on Reddit and Substack

[mehmetyildizmelbourne-blog]

Invitation to Elevate Your Substack Newsletter and Medium Stories a New Reddit Community

Welcome to r/Substack_Mastery Let’s discover how Reddit can amplify your reach, connect you with engaged readers, and seamlessly integrate your Substack newsletters with Medium stories for remarkable growth. Dear Writers and Readers, In 2020, I faced an unexpected setback when I was banned from one of my favorite Reddit communities. My “offense” was sharing my personal journey with autophagy…

[geopolicraticus]

Friday 28 March 2025

Grand Strategy Newsletter

The View from Oregon – 334

Emancipatory Philosophies of History

…in which I discuss J. S. Mill, James Fitzjames Stephen, Jules Michelet, progress, emancipation, freedom, Ernst Jünger, liberal and illiberal conceptions of liberty, the Löwith-Blumenberg debate, Mircea Eliade, and being consciously and voluntarily historical…

Substack: https://geopolicraticus.substack.com/p/emancipatory-philosophies-of-history

Medium: https://jnnielsen.medium.com/emancipatory-philosophies-of-history-5bfd59dc07b9

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/The_View_from_Oregon/comments/1jx29s9/emancipatory_philosophies_of_history/

[cindylouwho-2]

RECENT SEO & MARKETING NEWS FOR ECOMMERCE, AUGUST 2024

Hello, and welcome to my very last Marketing News update here on Tumblr.

After today, these reports will now be found at least twice a week on my Patreon, available to all paid members. See more about this change here on my website blog: https://www.cindylouwho2.com/blog/2024/8/12/a-new-way-to-get-ecommerce-news-and-help-welcome-to-my-patreon-page

Don't worry! I will still be posting some short pieces here on Tumblr (as well as some free pieces on my Patreon, plus longer posts on my website blog). However, the news updates and some other posts will be moving to Patreon permanently.

Please follow me there! https://www.patreon.com/CindyLouWho2

TOP NEWS & ARTICLES 

A US court ruled that Google is a monopoly, and has broken antitrust laws. This decision will be appealed, but in the meantime, could affect similar cases against large tech giants. 

Did you violate a Facebook policy? Meta is now offering a “training course” in lieu of having the page’s reach limited for Professional Mode users. 

Google Ads shown in Canada will have a 2.5% surcharge applied as of October 1, due to new Canadian tax laws.

SEO: GOOGLE & OTHER SEARCH ENGINES 

Search Engine Roundtable’s Google report for July is out; we’re still waiting for the next core update. 

SOCIAL MEDIA - All Aspects, By Site

Facebook (includes relevant general news from Meta)

Meta’s latest legal development: a $1.4 billion settlement with Texas over facial recognition and privacy.  

Instagram

Instagram is highlighting “Views” in its metrics in an attempt to get creators to focus on reach instead of follower numbers. 

Pinterest

Pinterest is testing outside ads on the site. The ad auction system would include revenue sharing. 

Reddit

Reddit confirmed that anyone who wants to use Reddit posts for AI training and other data collection will need to pay for them, just as Google and OpenAI did. 

Second quarter 2024 was great for Reddit, with revenue growth of 54%. Like almost every other platform, they are planning on using AI in their search results, perhaps to summarize content. 

Threads

Threads now claims over 200 million active users.

TikTok

TikTok is now adding group chats, which can include up to 32 people.

TikTok is being sued by the US Federal Trade Commission, for allowing children under 13 to sign up and have their data harvested. 

Twitter

Twitter seems to be working on the payments option Musk promised last year. Tweets by users in the EU will at least temporarily be pulled from the AI-training for “Grok”, in line with EU law.

CONTENT MARKETING (includes blogging, emails, and strategies) 

Email software Mad Mimi is shutting down as of August 30. Owner GoDaddy is hoping to move users to its GoDaddy Digital Marketing setup. 

Content ideas for September include National Dog Week. 

You can now post on Substack without having an actual newsletter, as the platform tries to become more like a social media site. 

As of November, Patreon memberships started in the iOS app will be subject to a 30% surcharge from Apple. Patreon is giving creators the ability to add that charge to the member's bill, or pay it themselves.

ONLINE ADVERTISING (EXCEPT INDIVIDUAL SOCIAL MEDIA AND ECOMMERCE SITES) 

Google worked with Meta to break the search engine’s rules on advertising to children through a loophole that showed ads for Instagram to YouTube viewers in the 13-17 year old demographic. Google says they have stopped the campaign, and that “We prohibit ads being personalized to people under-18, period”.

Google’s Performance Max ads now have new tools, including some with AI. 

Microsoft’s search and news advertising revenue was up 19% in the second quarter, a very good result for them. 

One of the interesting tidbits from the recent Google antitrust decision is that Amazon sells more advertising than either Google or Meta’s slice of retail ads. 

BUSINESS & CONSUMER TRENDS, STATS & REPORTS; SOCIOLOGY & PSYCHOLOGY, CUSTOMER SERVICE 

More than half of Gen Z claim to have bought items while spending time on social media in the past half year, higher than other generations. 

Shopify’s president claimed that Christmas shopping started in July on their millions of sites, with holiday decor and ornament sales doubling, and advent calendar sales going up a whopping 4,463%.

[capacle]

Where do backers come from?

For this last crowdfunding campaign, I was able to generate separate referral links to share on different platforms, so that I could track where my backers come from.

Here are the results. Can you guess the top performers?

Let's do a countdown:

Bluesky (0%)

Effort: 6 posts to 466 followers. Zero conversions.

Substack (0.46%)

Effort: 3 notes to 475 followers. (I wasn't able to write a newsletter in time, might have influenced it)

Zine month website (0.46%)

Effort: simply submitted my project via their form.

Instagram (0.84%)

Effort: A single post on launch to 662 followers

Threads (0.84%)

Effort: 8 posts to 374 followers

Discord (1.27%)

Effort: a single post on 21 servers that have a dedicated self-promo channel.

That was the second most underwhelming performance of all platforms. I usually get more traction from Discord.

Mastodon (1.69%)

Effort: 4 posts to 471 followers

Press kit (2.95%)

Effort: it was an afterthought and I only sent it to Rascal News (thanks, Lin!). I believe it is the only place where it was featured.

Tumblr (5.06%)

Effort: 1 post to 366 followers. Surprising!

Facebook (5.49%)

Effort: 1 post in 8 groups for a total of ~51k members

Reddit (6.33%)

Effort: A single post in 1 sub with 35k members. Pretty good.

Twitter (13.5%)

Effort: 55 posts to 3,400 followers. The most underwhelming effort/result ratio.

Itch e-mails (29.96%)

Effort: A single e-mail to 11,560 recipients.

Note: I use this tool very sparingly, and I am very transparent on the "it's ok to unsubscribe if you don't want to receive these". Be considerate of your recipients. DO NOT spam.

No data (31.22%)

Anti-climactic finish, I know.

Most of the backers came from non-referral links, so I am assuming Crowdfundr's launch e-mail (-200 recipients), other backers' and peers' organic sharing, and perhaps the Tabletop Non-Stop event spotlight by Crowdfundr.

Conclusions?

Hard to tell. My product (and platform) is very niche, and my avenues of reaching people are peculiar to me.

But from what I can tell, e-mail is still king. And (all the) Twitter(s) is (are) hardly worth the effort.

Tumblr and Reddit surprised me.

Again, that is a very particular result to this kind of product, my kind of strategy (or lack thereof), my audience and so on. YMMV.

Just thought I would share because I believe the indie space thrives with transparency and shared experiences. :)

By the way, this is the project in question:

[xpressluna]

I Tried 6 Writing Platforms to Make Money – Here's What I Learned

I Tried 6 Writing Platforms to Make Money – Here's What I Learned

The idea of making money online through writing is both exciting and intimidating. As a freelance writer and content creator, I decided to test six popular platforms that promise writers an opportunity to earn. My goal was to assess ease of use, earning potential, and overall experience. Here's my honest breakdown of what I found after trying each one.

Medium Partner Program

How it works: You earn money based on member reading time. The more engagement your story gets, the more you earn.

My experience: Medium is incredibly user-friendly and has a built-in audience. I published three articles that were SEO-optimized and shared on Twitter and Reddit. Within two weeks, I earned $23.50.

Pros:

Clean, distraction-free interface.

Great exposure if you're featured by publications.

Encourages good storytelling.

Cons:

Income depends heavily on algorithm visibility.

Need Medium membership to fully interact.

Verdict: Great for thought pieces and essays, but don’t expect fast cash unless you build a following.

Vocal Media

How it works: Writers earn money based on reads and can enter paid challenges.

My experience: I posted two articles and shared them on Facebook groups. The traffic wasn’t huge, and I made about $4.80 in the first month. Their bonus for top-performing stories helps, but competition is fierce.

Pros:

Low barrier to entry.

Frequent themed challenges.

Decent layout customization.

Cons:

Very low RPM (revenue per 1,000 views).

You need Vocal+ (paid membership) for maximum benefits.

Verdict: Use it if you're in it for the long game or enjoy niche communities.

Substack

How it works: It's a newsletter platform. You can earn by charging subscribers a monthly fee.

My experience: This one requires commitment. I started a free newsletter and after a month, gained 54 subscribers. I haven’t monetized yet, but the platform has major potential if you're consistent and deliver high-value content.

Pros:

Full control over your mailing list.

Great monetization if you have a niche.

Supports both free and paid tiers.

Cons:

Growth takes time.

You have to market yourself constantly.

Verdict: Best for writers building a personal brand or writing regularly on a topic.

Textbroker

How it works: Clients order content, and you fulfill it based on your star rating (which affects pay).

My experience: I was rated 4 stars after submitting a writing sample. I completed 5 short assignments and earned $37. It’s decent for quick cash, but the topics are dry.

Pros:

Immediate earning potential.

Flexible work schedule.

Cons:

Pay per word is low.

Quality of assignments varies widely.

Verdict: Good for making side cash, but not ideal for creative writers.

Fiverr

How it works: You set up writing “gigs” and get hired for specific tasks.

My experience: I set up a gig for blog writing at $25article. I got one order in my first month and made $20 after fees. Fiverr is saturated, so getting noticed takes smart SEO and patience.

Pros:

You set your own rates.

Wide range of writing services possible.

Cons:

High competition.

Fiverr takes a 20% cut.

Verdict: Best for freelancers who treat it like a business.

HubPages

How it works: You write informative articles and earn via ad revenue and affiliate links.

My experience: I repurposed an old blog post and published it. I made $1.25 in the first month. Traffic is slow without SEO, but passive income is possible over time.

Pros:

Long-term passive income.

Focus on informative, evergreen content.

Cons:

Earnings start slow.

Site design feels outdated.

Verdict: Ideal for evergreen content writers who know SEO basics.

Final Thoughts

Writing online for money isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme, but it’s entirely possible with the right strategy. Here’s a quick summary:

| Platform | Best For | My Earnings (1st Month) | | Medium | Thoughtful, viral content | $23.50 | | Vocal Media | Casual niche writers | $4.80 | | Substack | Newsletter creators | $0 (not monetized yet) | | Textbroker | Quick freelance tasks | $37 | | Fiverr | Client-based freelance work | $20 | | HubPages | Evergreen, SEO-driven content | $1.25 |

Total Earnings: $86.55

Each platform has its pros and cons, and success varies based on your style, niche, and effort. My advice? Start with one or two, test your comfort zone, and evolve from there.

[chanchalpal]

"Beyond Websites: How to Blog Successfully in the Digital Age"

Summary :

"Beyond Websites: How to Blog Successfully in the Digital Age" is a comprehensive guide that explores unconventional methods for blogging without traditional websites. It covers various alternative platforms, such as social media, Medium, YouTube, podcasts, and more. This resource helps content creators understand how to effectively share their ideas and expertise in the ever-evolving digital landscape. It discusses strategies, tools, and tips to engage with audiences, build a following, and achieve success in the world of web-free blogging.

Description :

In the digital age, blogging has evolved well beyond the confines of traditional websites. "Beyond Websites: How to Blog Successfully in the Digital Age" is a comprehensive and insightful guide that delves into the exciting world of web-free blogging, exploring innovative methods to share your ideas and expertise with a global audience.

Blogging has grown into a multifaceted medium with a plethora of unconventional platforms. In this dynamic landscape, aspiring bloggers and content creators need to adapt and embrace diverse channels to reach their target audience effectively. This guide is designed to empower individuals with the knowledge and tools required to navigate this changing landscape, uncover the full spectrum of blogging possibilities, and master the art of digital storytelling without the constraints of a traditional website.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Social Media Microblogging: The guide kicks off by exploring the potential of social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook for microblogging. You'll learn how to craft engaging posts, captions, and stories to connect with your audience and build a dedicated following. Tips and strategies for harnessing the power of hashtags, trends, and algorithms are also discussed.

2. Medium: Medium is an immensely popular platform for long-form content. Here, you'll discover how to create and optimize articles that cater to your specific niche. This section explains how to gain followers, navigate the Medium Partner Program, and potentially earn income from your writing.

3. LinkedIn Articles: If your content is professionally oriented, LinkedIn provides a fantastic avenue for sharing your knowledge and insights. Learn how to write and publish articles directly on the platform, engage with a professional network, and effectively communicate your expertise.

4. YouTube: Video content is an integral part of the modern digital landscape, and YouTube is a go-to platform for vlogging and content sharing. Discover how to create and upload videos, engage with your audience through comments and social media, and use video descriptions to provide context and information.

5. Podcasting: Podcasting offers a unique way to blog through audio content. This section provides guidance on starting a podcast, recording and editing episodes, and distributing your content to various platforms. Tips for engaging with your podcast's audience and growing your listener base are also included.

6. Email Newsletter: Email newsletters provide a direct channel to your audience's inboxes. The guide discusses how to create and send newsletters using platforms like Substack and Mailchimp. You'll explore strategies to gain and retain subscribers and monetize your newsletter if desired.

7. Guest Blogging: Sharing your content on established blogs or websites in your niche can help you tap into existing readerships. This section guides you on how to find suitable opportunities, pitch your guest posts, and build your portfolio as a writer.

8. Online Forums: Participating in online forums and communities like Reddit and Quora allows you to engage in discussions and share your expertise. Discover the strategies for using these platforms effectively and building your reputation.

9. Social Media Threads: Long-form content can also be created on social media platforms. Learn how to create and manage social media threads to delve into specific topics or share your insights in a more extended format.

10. E-Book Publishing: E-books are a powerful way to share in-depth content. This section explains how to write, format, and publish e-books on platforms like Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing. Discover how to leverage e-books as a source of income and expertise showcase.

11. Online Writing Communities: Wattpad is an example of an online writing community where you can publish and share your stories and creative writing. Learn how to connect with readers who appreciate fiction and creative content.

12. Medium Publications: Many Medium publications accept submissions from writers. This section guides you on finding suitable publications that align with your interests or expertise and submitting your articles to reach a broader audience.

13. Instagram Caption Blogging: Instagram's captions offer an opportunity for long-form content. Learn how to use this space effectively to share stories, insights, and thoughts with your followers.

14. Content Curation: Platforms like Flipboard and Pinterest allow you to curate content related to your niche. Discover how to organize and share interesting articles, images, and videos to build a following of people interested in your topic.

15. Guest Podcasting: For those who prefer spoken content, guest podcasting can be a great way to share your expertise. This section provides insights into being a guest on established podcasts in your field, showcasing your insights to a broader audience.

"Blogging Beyond Websites" is your passport to the modern, multifaceted world of content creation and digital storytelling. It equips you with the knowledge, strategies, and tools to become a successful web-free blogger, adapt to changing online landscapes, and engage with your audience in innovative and compelling ways. Whether you're a seasoned blogger looking to expand your reach or a newcomer seeking the best platform to start your journey, this guide will inspire, educate, and empower you to succeed in the digital age.

Author Bio:

Introduction: You kick off by welcoming your audience into your world of vlogging, where you share daily adventures, product reviews, travel vlogs, and get ready with me routines. This introduction provides a glimpse into the diverse content you offer, from travel enthusiasts to product aficionados.

Evolution of Your Blog: You mention how your blog has transformed into a vibrant community over the years. This evolution reflects a strong connection with your audience and their continued interest in your content.

Mission Statement: Your mission is clear: to provide valuable insights, tips, and creative ideas related to community and generation. This shows that you are dedicated to adding value to your viewers' lives and helping them explore and enjoy the world.

About Yourself: You introduce yourself as Chanchal, a 22-year-old vlogger and influencer from Delhi with a background in political honors. You express your dedication to your YouTube career and share a glimpse of your videos on your YouTube page. This personal touch helps viewers connect with you on a more relatable level.

Why You're the Best: You highlight your commitment to quality content over quantity, focusing on travel and lifestyle content. You express your passion for creating a diverse range of content that includes both fun and more serious themes. Your dedication to capturing the world through your lens and inspiring and motivating your audience is a compelling mission.

Closing: You emphasize that your vlog is your best friend and your life, which reflects your personal commitment and attachment to your work. You convey your mission of giving a voice to those who aren't heard, eyes to those who can't see, and ears to those who can't hear. This shows a deep sense of purpose in your vlogging journey.

In conclusion, your introduction and mission statement paint a picture of a dedicated and passionate vlogger who is committed to delivering quality content to a growing community. You inspire your viewers to explore, learn, create, and grow with you on your exciting vlogging journey.

[geopolicraticus]

Friday 28 February 2025

Grand Strategy Newsletter

The View from Oregon – 330

The Re-Founding of Univocal Sciences

…in which I discuss reticulate science, Haskell Fain, interdisciplinarity, univocal disciplines, as-yet-unformulated sciences, polluted white dwarfs, planetology, exogeology, astrobiology, re-founding univocal sciences, and the siren song of universality…

Substack: https://geopolicraticus.substack.com/p/the-re-founding-of-univocal-sciences

Medium: https://jnnielsen.medium.com/the-re-founding-of-univocal-sciences-deb3fc97af21

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/The_View_from_Oregon/comments/1j4irdc/the_refounding_of_univocal_sciences/

[geopolicraticus]

Friday 13 Sept. 2024

Grand Strategy Newsletter

The View from Oregon – 306  

Reflective Disequilibrium and Directionality

…in which I discuss consensus rationality, Galileo, Frege, the Asch conformity experiments, apology tours, equilibrium arbitrage, F. H. Bradley, disequilibrium, directional selection, and Fisherian runaways…

Substack: https://geopolicraticus.substack.com/p/reflective-disequilibrium-and-directionality

Medium: https://jnnielsen.medium.com/reflective-disequilibrium-and-directionality-80bc93960906

Reddit: https://new.reddit.com/r/The_View_from_Oregon/comments/1fhqfuj/reflective_disequilibrium_and_directionality/

[geopolicraticus]

Friday 11 April 2025

Grand Strategy Newsletter

The View from Oregon – 336

Learning the Wrong Lessons from History

…in which I discuss analogical reasoning, disagglomeration, complex failures, Roman Britain, fallibility, self-deception, identifying the problem, explaining the mechanism, propagandized understanding, and Ravenna…

Substack: https://geopolicraticus.substack.com/p/learning-the-wrong-lessons-from-history

Medium: https://jnnielsen.medium.com/learning-the-wrong-lessons-from-history-ad742a7c0e45

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/The_View_from_Oregon/comments/1k2ja9m/learning_the_wrong_lessons_from_history/

[geopolicraticus]

Friday 04 April 2025

Grand Strategy Newsletter

The View from Oregon – 335

The Lower Bound of Civilization

…in which I discuss thresholds of aggregation, medieval civilization. V. Gordon Childe, Jericho, Çatalhöyük, Göbekli Tepe, single-city civilizations, craft specialization, comparative advantage, minimal populations of civilizations, sacrifice, and cryonics…

Substack: https://geopolicraticus.substack.com/p/the-lower-bound-of-civilization

Medium: https://jnnielsen.medium.com/the-lower-bound-of-civilization-9dea5d70719f

Reddit: https://geopolicraticus.substack.com/p/the-lower-bound-of-civilization

[geopolicraticus]

Friday 21 March 2025

Grand Strategy Newsletter

The View from Oregon – 333

A Thought Experiment in the Aggregation of Civilizations

…in which I discuss the aggregation of social formations, the growth of cities, the aggregation threshold, Sanxingdui, Erligang, Erlitou, and Wucheng in Bronze Age China, the natural spacing of civilizations, and the original sin of warfare…

Substack: https://geopolicraticus.substack.com/p/a-thought-experiment-in-the-aggregation

Medium: https://jnnielsen.medium.com/a-thought-experiment-in-the-aggregation-of-civilizations-739fd1414354

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/The_View_from_Oregon/comments/1jx0x0h/a_thought_experiment_in_the_aggregation_of/

[geopolicraticus]

Friday 14 March 2025 Grand Strategy Newsletter The View from Oregon – 332 A Discussion of the Dissolution Threshold …in which I discuss the demographic, historiographical, and institutional dissolution of industrialized civilizations and whether this constitutes a threshold…

Substack: https://geopolicraticus.substack.com/p/a-discussion-of-the-dissolution-threshold

Medium: https://jnnielsen.medium.com/a-discussion-of-the-dissolution-threshold-e15e6b97a93d

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/The_View_from_Oregon/comments/1jnstp5/a_discussion_of_the_dissolution_threshold/

[geopolicraticus]

Friday 07 March 2025

Grand Strategy Newsletter

The View from Oregon – 331

The Boundless Ocean of Unlimited Possibilities

…in which I discuss interdisciplinarity, univocal sciences, appearance and reality of subdisciplines, starting over from scratch, de-centering, Copernican re-foundings, Einstein on the limiting case principle, weak and strong formulations, axioms and postulates, and the science of science…

Substack: https://geopolicraticus.substack.com/p/the-boundless-ocean-of-unlimited

Medium: https://jnnielsen.medium.com/the-boundless-ocean-of-unlimited-possibilities-2b14c10ed0e3

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/The_View_from_Oregon/comments/1jcyei1/the_boundless_ocean_of_unlimited_possibilities/

[geopolicraticus]

Friday 21 February 2025

Grand Strategy Newsletter

The View from Oregon – 329

An Alternative Formulation of the Fermi Paradox

…in which I discuss spacefaring skepticism and suspicion, astrofuturism, inevitability, viable populations, habitability, Pandora’s Box, the Fermi paradox, the ideographic exclusion, nuclear technology, Last Men, realizing ends, buildability and practicality, and constructing cheap nuclear devices…

Substack: https://geopolicraticus.substack.com/p/an-alternative-formulation-of-the

Medium: https://jnnielsen.medium.com/an-alternative-formulation-of-the-fermi-paradox-1977a097782d

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/The_View_from_Oregon/comments/1iyi4zp/an_alternative_formulation_of_the_fermi_paradox/

[geopolicraticus]

Friday 07 February 2025

Grand Strategy Newsletter

The View from Oregon – 327

Permutations of Pseudomorphosis

…in which I discuss Oswald Spengler, historical pseudomorphosis, pristine civilizations, Cuneiform, imperialism, Susanne Langer, imposing a template, The Golden Age, and Geoffrey West’s Scale: The Universal Laws of Growth, Innovation, Sustainability, and the Pace of Life, in Organisms, Cities, Economies, and Companies…  

Substack: https://geopolicraticus.substack.com/p/permutations-of-pseudomorphosis

Medium: https://jnnielsen.medium.com/permutations-of-pseudomorphosis-8afafb6771f4

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/The_View_from_Oregon/comments/1iltboe/permutations_of_pseudomorphosis/

[geopolicraticus]

Friday 31 January 2025

Grand Strategy Newsletter

The View from Oregon – 326

Emergent Complexity Pluralism

…in which I discuss my paper “Peer Complexity in Big History,” its long road to publication, emergent complexity pluralism, stellar evolution, macromolecules, the imaginative stumbling block to understanding alternative complexity, and our Lovecraftian universe…

Substack: https://geopolicraticus.substack.com/p/emergent-complexity-pluralism

Medium: https://jnnielsen.medium.com/emergent-complexity-pluralism-202f9ff9dd0b

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/The_View_from_Oregon/comments/1ii7uqi/emergent_complexity_pluralism/

This newsletter discusses my paper that appeared recently:

Nielsen, J. N. (2024). Peer Complexity in Big History. Journal of Big History, VIII(1); 83-98.

DOI | https://doi.org/10.22339/jbh.v8i1.8111