Why I'm done playing the algorithm game
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Yesterday, I wrote a newsletter about the merits of running a paid newsletter on Kit and Substack. A reader asked why I’m using Substack if I already run this newsletter on Kit. They also wanted to know why I’m creating a Telegram group, which I teased in that newsletter. I started my email list on MailChimp back in 2015. I moved to ConvertKit in 2016 as it’s a better fit for creators. I use ConvertKit (now Kit) because it’s connected to Become a Writer Today via landing pages and forms. I spent a few years building that website with a team of writers. When people visit my site, I offer them a book to join my newsletter. It still gets traffic today, but it’s not my primary focus (more on why in a moment). I sometimes run Facebook Ad campaigns and send traffic to a landing page connected to Kit. They also hook me up with sponsors, and I attract subscribers organically via the Kit Creator network. I also use Kit to email students of my courses. Except for organic growth, none of this is possible on Substack. In 2020, I experimented with Substack. Then, I turned off my paid publication, exported my subscribers, and moved them to this email list. I’m using Substack again because I like how the platform is evolving. Many creators are active on it, and it’s a friendlier place than other networks, like X. You can also take your audience by exporting your list. I’ve done this at least twice. I’m publishing and syndicating content from my list to Substack. It only takes an extra five minutes per newsletter. In other words, it’s not either/or. It’s both! So why I am I creating a Telegram group for creators? I’ve gone viral a few times since I started creating online. It’s fun, but I’m suspicious of algos. I invested heavily in SEO for years. Then, in 2023–4, Google changed its algo and killed the web traffic of smaller publishers. I watch 80% of my web traffic disappear. Like hundreds of other publishers, I let a team of writers go because of Google’s changes. SEO today is nothing more than an algo, and algos are unreliable. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. I’m more interested in building an algo-proof audience. Today, that’s an email list and, potentially, a private Telegram group. It’s my form of digital insurance. My goal for Telegram is to share snackable insider content that helps creators earn a living. It’s also a nice way to get feedback from readers via polls, quizzes, and other content types. ​Join here​ Write on, |