When you hit "Publish" on Substack, your content immediately begins its journey to your audience and appears on your publication. This action triggers a series of automated steps designed to maximize your post's reach and visibility.
Substack acts as your distribution hub, ensuring your writing reaches your subscribers' inboxes and is accessible on your dedicated publication page.
Immediate Distribution to Your Audience
Upon publishing, Substack ensures your content is delivered efficiently to your subscriber base through multiple channels:
Email Delivery
Your post is sent directly to the email inboxes of your subscribers. For free publications, this means all subscribers receive the post. If you operate a paid publication, paid posts are typically sent exclusively to your paid subscribers, while free posts are sent to everyone.
Push Notifications
For subscribers who use the Substack app, the platform utilizes its app editor to send push notifications. These alerts pop up on their mobile devices, instantly notifying them of your new post and encouraging immediate engagement.
Publication Visibility
Simultaneously, your post becomes live on your Substack publication's website. This serves as a permanent archive for your content, allowing new visitors to discover it and existing subscribers to revisit it at any time. For free publications, your post will appear as a free, publicly accessible article on your publication's main page.
Control Over Web Publishing
Substack provides you with control over how your content appears on the web. While free posts typically default to public visibility, you have the flexibility to manage this. For instance, if you're using the Substack app editor, you can often tap a toggle to explicitly ensure your post is published to the web, giving you direct control over its public availability. This is particularly relevant for managing visibility of paid content or drafts you decide to make public later.
Post Type and Distribution Overview
The distribution method can vary slightly depending on whether your post is designated as free or paid:
| Post Type | Email Notification | App Push Notification | Public Web Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Post | Sent to all subscribers | Sent to app users | Visible on your publication's website |
| Paid Post | Sent to paid subscribers only | Sent to app users | Optional (often for paid subscribers only, unless specified) |
Practical Considerations
Publishing on Substack is more than just hitting a button; it's a strategic step in building your audience and engaging your community:
- Audience Engagement: Immediate notification through email and push alerts drives traffic and encourages early interaction with your content.
- Content Accessibility: Your publication page serves as a centralized hub, making it easy for readers to browse your archive and share your work.
- SEO Benefits: Publicly visible posts on your Substack site are discoverable by search engines, helping new readers find your content and grow your audience organically.
In essence, hitting "Publish" on Substack transforms your draft into a broadcast, leveraging multiple channels to deliver your message directly to your audience while simultaneously making it discoverable on the web.
