Substack, the popular platform for newsletter writers, has launched a feature called Notes. Notes are short posts shared with subscribers and other readers on the Substack website and app. They are similar to tweets but with some key differences.
Read on to see Substack Notes compares to Twitter, both in terms of similarities and differences.
Substack Notes vs. Twitter: Similarities
Substack Notes have one key feature similar to Twitter: they are both platforms for sharing short-form content with an audience. Both platforms allow users to post short-form content, like quotes, comments, images, and links. They also offer like, reply, and retweet (restack, in Substack’s terminology) buttons, which allow users to engage with each other’s content.
Both platforms welcome creators who want to build a following, engage with their readers, and monetize their work. Substack Notes is an extension of Substack’s newsletter service, which lets writers charge for subscriptions to their email newsletters.
Twitter also has a subscription feature called Subscriptions that allows users to bill subscribers for exclusive tweets and other perks.
Substack Notes vs. Twitter: Differences
If you know how Substack Notes work, you’d agree that despite these similarities, Substack Notes also has some fundamental differences from Twitter. Here are some of them…
1. Character Count
While Twitter imposes a 280-character limit on tweets for non-Twitter-Blue subscribers, Substack Notes has no such restriction. Writers can express themselves more freely and fully on Notes than on Twitter, without splitting their thoughts into multiple tweets or using threads.
2. Supported Content
The supported content options available on Notes underscore Substack’s focus on writers. Writers can only share text and images. Twitter, on the other hand, also supports video, GIFs, and polls.
3. Content Quality and Diversity
Substack Notes are mostly written by professional or semi-professional writers with newsletters on Substack. Thus, Notes are more polished, informative, and insightful than the average tweet. They also tend to be focused on specific topics or niches that appeal to the author’s subscribers.
Twitter has diverse content creators and topics, from celebrities and politicians to memes and jokes. Tweets are more entertaining, spontaneous, and unpredictable than notes. Notes’ curated content tilt also means the platform may not be as well-suited to breaking news or time-sensitive topics as Twitter is.
4. Ads and Monetization
Substack Notes are ad-free. Unlike Twitter, which leans heavily on ads and promoted tweets to generate revenue, Substack’s sole revenue stream is newsletter subscriptions.
Why Substack Notes Isn’t a True Twitter Alternative
Given these differences, it is clear that Substack Notes isn’t a true Twitter alternative. It can not compete with or replace Twitter as the go-to platform for short-form content and social interaction.
Substack’s Notes feature is an extension of its newsletter feature, allowing writers to share snippets of content with their readers and engage with them regularly.
It may appeal to writers looking to build relationships with their readers or those seeking an ad-free platform. It is not, however, a viable alternative to Twitter for anyone who wants the full range of features of Twitter.
Seeing Substack Notes for What It Is
Substack Notes has much to offer writers and readers, but it is not a true Twitter alternative. It does not have the same features and content diversity as Twitter.
However, it does provide writers a platform to share more detailed thoughts and engage with their readers, which can be a valuable addition to their regular newsletters.
