Playing devil’s advocate: we’ve complained about Twitter/X, Facebook, LinkedIn, and every other platform as they get large, impersonal, governed by the algorithm, and controlled by the needs of the owners to make money.
How do we know that Substack won’t suffer the same fate? There are no guarantees.
This post nails something I’ve been feeling but hadn’t quite put into words: the difference between broadcasting and belonging. LinkedIn felt like I was always standing on a stage trying to prove something. Substack feels like I’m at the firepit telling stories to the people who already brought a chair.
I’m writing a memoir called Barefoot and Bulletproof—small-town mischief, memory, and the slow fade of place and people. Substack’s been the first platform where I don’t have to translate or tone it down. Just tell it straight.
Appreciate your honesty here, Wes. Following along—and nodding the whole way.
I moved my newsletter from LinkedIn to Substack last year. LinkedIn felt like I was writing into the void with 600 subscribers and little interaction. Zero easy way to export the subscriber list, so I started from square one here. It’s been a fantastic move.
This is very insightful, Wes, as always.🙏 I notice that on your LinkedIn Profile, you don't have a photo of yourself but you have it on Substack. Is this part of the strategy? Is there a particular reason for not having a photo on the LinkedIn profile or is it just a matter of preference?
LinkedIn has changed massively in the last year! I have 127,000 real followers and use to get 500,000 impressions and on the low end 50,000. Now I get under 1000 consistently. It’s a love/hate, mostly hate with me and LinkedIn!
Playing devil’s advocate: we’ve complained about Twitter/X, Facebook, LinkedIn, and every other platform as they get large, impersonal, governed by the algorithm, and controlled by the needs of the owners to make money.
How do we know that Substack won’t suffer the same fate? There are no guarantees.
This post nails something I’ve been feeling but hadn’t quite put into words: the difference between broadcasting and belonging. LinkedIn felt like I was always standing on a stage trying to prove something. Substack feels like I’m at the firepit telling stories to the people who already brought a chair.
I’m writing a memoir called Barefoot and Bulletproof—small-town mischief, memory, and the slow fade of place and people. Substack’s been the first platform where I don’t have to translate or tone it down. Just tell it straight.
Appreciate your honesty here, Wes. Following along—and nodding the whole way.
This is super useful and well thought about - thank you so much.
I recently found Substack. It's been great reading what people are writing. Have found social media platforms too much or just not as real.
Do you have a Buy Me A Coffee button?
I moved my newsletter from LinkedIn to Substack last year. LinkedIn felt like I was writing into the void with 600 subscribers and little interaction. Zero easy way to export the subscriber list, so I started from square one here. It’s been a fantastic move.
Interesting. I still post on Linked In while I build on Substack.
Tell me, how do you build the image boxes you use? Is that in Canva?
This is very insightful, Wes, as always.🙏 I notice that on your LinkedIn Profile, you don't have a photo of yourself but you have it on Substack. Is this part of the strategy? Is there a particular reason for not having a photo on the LinkedIn profile or is it just a matter of preference?
Very informative. I've been doing the same transition from LinkedIn to Substack.
LinkedIn has changed massively in the last year! I have 127,000 real followers and use to get 500,000 impressions and on the low end 50,000. Now I get under 1000 consistently. It’s a love/hate, mostly hate with me and LinkedIn!