Substack Aims to Enhance the Reader Experience, Prioritizing More Than Just Writers

Substack wants to enhance the reading experience on its platform to make it more enjoyable and beneficial for readers, according to co-founders Chris Best, Hamish McKenzie, and Jairaj Sethi as stated in a post on Thursday. While Substack is primarily known as a platform for writers to grow their newsletter audiences and earn a living, the co-founders envision Substack as a better platform for actually consuming content.

In the co-founders’ view, the internet has resulted in a chaotic and stressful reading experience that prioritizes ad revenue. They acknowledge the existence of niche reading products but argue that large tech companies show little interest in maintaining their quality. As a result, readers are left with an overwhelming number of pop-ups and a media landscape dominated by major social media platforms that leave them frustrated and less informed.

Nevertheless, the co-founders believe it is still possible to create a better reading environment online. They outline a vision that includes fast-loading content, uncluttered pages, easy navigation, and a business model that empowers readers to support writers and their work directly. They aspire to create a social reading experience that is not distracting and leverage trusted peer recommendations to help readers discover the best content regardless of its source.

Substack plans to introduce new features and improve its reading apps over time to enhance their usefulness and enjoyment. The goal is to provide readers with not only a serene reading space, but also a community where they can interact with like-minded individuals. Users will be able to establish a home for their cultural interests and build an audience, even without having a publication. The connections within this community will be represented by subscriptions that prioritize trust rather than simply measuring time spent or capturing attention.

Substack has already implemented various features to encourage users to engage directly on its platform, such as mobile apps, the ability to add RSS feeds, and “Notes” resembling tweets. While the company hasn’t provided further details or a specific timeline for these changes, their focus on enhancing the reading experience for Substack users is not unexpected. The co-founders aim to transform individuals into proud “Substack readers” rather than simply identifying them as Substack writers.