What is Substack and how to use it with LinkedIn

📝 What is Substack?

Substack is a publishing platform that lets writers, creators, and thought leaders send content directly to subscribers via email, while also hosting it on a blog-like page.

You can see my substack here joeapfelbaum.substack.com

• You own your audience (you get the subscriber emails). ACTUAL EMAILS!
• You can offer free or paid subscriptions (with Substack taking a 10% fee). GOT MY FIRST CLIENT WITH UNDER 100 FOLLOWERS! All bescause of the QUALITY!
• It’s part newsletter, part blog, part community, with comments, discussions, and even podcasts or video built in. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
• Think of it as your independent media hub—no algorithms deciding who sees your work.
• It ranks really well inside LLMs they LOVE substack, ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, CoPilot checks it! (LinkedIn Is BLOCKING THEM ALL)

🔗 How to Use Substack with LinkedIn

The real power comes when you connect the two:

Cross-Publish Content

• Write long-form articles or newsletters on Substack or copy the ones you have from LinkedIn that are high quality and no longer indexed on Google! (These should add lots of value)
• Share teasers, quotes, or highlights on LinkedIn with a link back to Substack. (Link in the comments please.)
• Example Comment: “I just published a deeper dive on [topic]—here’s a snippet 👇 Full story here [link].”

Grow Subscribers from LinkedIn

• Pin your Substack link to your LinkedIn profile’s “Featured” section (Or put it as your CTA under your name).
• Add it to your “About” and headline (“Author of XYZ Newsletter”) so people search for it and find it.
• Post engaging content on LinkedIn and invite connections to subscribe for full insights.
• Send a DM to all your connections asking if they would be open to checking your substack and subscribing.. Make it a good DM not salesy and dont tell them what it is till they say YES
• Comment on your own posts with a link for people to subscribe! Do the same with Influencers, comment on their posts!

Repurpose LinkedIn Engagement

• See what posts get the most traction on LinkedIn.
• Turn those conversations into deeper Substack essays or newsletters.
• This way, LinkedIn is your idea lab and Substack is your content library.

Community Bridge

• Start conversations on LinkedIn, then invite people to continue the discussion or get exclusive insights on Substack.
• Example: “Lots of great points in the comments here—next week’s Substack post will dive deeper into this debate.”

Monetization Layer

• While LinkedIn grows your reach and authority, Substack lets you monetize your superfans with paid subscriptions, courses, or premium insights.

✅ In short: LinkedIn is for visibility and engagement. Substack is for ownership and depth.

Together, they help you build a following, nurture it, and eventually monetize it—without relying only on LinkedIn’s algorithm.

🔑 Key Differences: Substack vs LinkedIn

1. Audience Ownership

• Substack: You own your subscriber emails and data.
• LinkedIn: LinkedIn owns the audience—you can’t export your followers.

Distribution

• Substack: Direct to inbox + hosted on your Substack site.
• LinkedIn: Content is distributed via an algorithm-driven feed.

Visibility

• Substack: Everyone who subscribes gets your content (no algorithm filters).
• LinkedIn: Reach depends on engagement and algorithmic signals.

Monetization

• Substack: Built-in paid subscriptions (monthly/yearly).
• LinkedIn: No direct subscription model; revenue is indirect (leads, partnerships, brand deals).

Community Engagement

• Substack: Readers can comment, reply, and join discussions in your space.
• LinkedIn: Engagement is public—likes, comments, shares—in a professional networking environment.

Content Lifespan

• Substack: Posts remain in your archive, searchable and evergreen.
• LinkedIn: Posts fade quickly in the feed (lifespan usually 48–72 hours).

Purpose

• Substack: Focus on depth, thought leadership, and direct relationships.
• LinkedIn: Focus on visibility, networking, and professional reputation.

Analytics

• Substack: Opens, clicks, and subscriber growth data.
• LinkedIn: Impressions, reactions, comments, and engagement demographics.

Style

• Substack: Long-form, newsletter-style essays or podcasts.
• LinkedIn: Short-form posts, updates, carousels, and thought snippets.

Discovery

• Substack: Limited organic discovery; relies on word-of-mouth, cross-promotion, or LinkedIn.
• LinkedIn: Built-in virality and exposure to 1B+ professionals.

👉 In simple terms:

• LinkedIn = Growth, visibility, and reach.
• Substack = Ownership, depth, and monetization.

Here are 10 compelling facts about Substack, drawn from recent, reliable sources:

1. Founded in 2017 by Chris Best, Hamish McKenzie, and Jairaj Sethi, Substack offers writers a subscription-focused publishing platform with payments, analytics, and design built in. eleanorpilcher.substack.com+15Wikipedia+15Vulture+15
2. It allows creators to publish newsletters, podcasts, videos, and community discussions—essentially combining blogging, email delivery, and media hosting into one platform. SubstackNew York Magazine
3. As of early 2025, Substack reached over 5 million paid subscriptions, up from 4 million in late 2024—a sign of rapid growth. Wikipedia+9Wikipedia+9Sci-Tech Today+9
4. The top 10 Substack publishers generate more than $40 million annually, highlighting the platform’s monetization potential. Sci-Tech Today+2Wikipedia+2
5. Substack takes a 10% cut of subscription revenue (plus Stripe’s payment fees), while empowering creators to set subscription prices (minimum around $5/month or $30/year). Wikipedia+2Wikipedia+2
6. It supports legal protection via Substack Defender, covering up to $1 million in legal fees; the program expanded in 2025 in partnership with FIRE. Wikipedia+2substackwritersatwork.com+2
7. Substack has evolved beyond newsletters—with added features including live video, podcasts, social Notes, and support for multimedia through Creator Studio. Wikipedia+1
8. The platform now hosts high-profile creators—journalists like Jim Acosta and Jennifer Rubin, and authors such as Ottessa Moshfegh and Roxane Gay—embracing Substack for creative freedom. For instance, Moshfegh reportedly has 36,000 subscribers and earns an estimated $30,000/month after Substack’s cut. Vulture
9. With over 95 million visits in December 2024, Substack ranked as the 26th most-visited news site globally, a 40% increase year-over-year. onlineoptimism.com+15Wikipedia+15Sci-Tech Today+15
10. Substack continues to be the go-to platform for journalists and creators transitioning from legacy media, offering independence and direct audience relationships. Big names like Katie Couric, Megyn Kelly, and Jim Acosta have embraced it, and some creators now earn upwards of $1 million annually. AP News

You can see my substack here joeapfelbaum.substack.com - What are you waiting for?