Substack’s Evolution: Navigating the Influx of New Users and Content

As users migrate from platforms like Meta and X, Substack faces challenges and opportunities in maintaining its unique writing-focused community

Recently, Substack has seen a huge influx of new users, and with it, there seems to be a fair amount of negativity in the notes feed about it. I understand where some of these users and their comments are coming from, but I also find it slightly surprising, you’d think the platform’s sudden success in gaining more users would be something writers in particular would feel positive about. The types of gripes I’m referring to include: “This notes section is beginning to feel a lot like Twitter” or, one I’ve seen a few iterations of: “My timeline is suddenly full of pictures.”

But, is this a bad thing? Maybe, maybe not. It depends on how Substack and its long-term users react to these changes.

To be honest, I'm not surprised seeing people jumping ship from Meta and Twitter / X, particularly since the latter’s overnight reincarnation as the world’s most expensive 4chan knockoff. With Meta I anticipated it years ago, it just took seven years longer than I expected… Turns out others seem to have far more tolerance and patience with Silicon Valley’s bullshit than I ever did. For me it was Facebook that was first to go after the Cambridge Analytica scandal made it impossible for me to ignore the issues with the platform. Since then, I’ve dipped in and out of various social media spaces, often reluctantly. WhatsApp became a necessity when travelling, Instagram a professional requirement rather than a personal choice. The digital world exerts pressure whether we like it or not, and resisting it entirely isn’t always realistic.

What’s happening now is another migration. People are searching for new spaces, particularly as platforms like X and Meta continue making questionable choices regarding moderation, advertising, and user experience. Substack is one of the places they’re landing. That raises questions. Does this influx mean Substack risks becoming something else entirely? Does it lose the focus on long-form writing? Is it going to be overrun with influencers and image-heavy content?

The truth is, platforms evolve. And Substack is no exception. The good news is that it’s still largely in the hands of the users. The algorithm works by showing you what you interact with—if you follow serious writers, you’ll be shown more serious writers. If you engage with clickbait, you’ll get more clickbait. It’s a self-filtering system.

There are valid concerns, though. Some traditional writers worry about Substack losing its niche appeal, becoming a refuge for those fleeing other platforms and dragging along the worst aspects of social media. That could happen, but it doesn’t have to be a bad thing. New users bring fresh perspectives, new voices, and new readers. A bigger audience means greater opportunities for engagement and, for those looking to make a living from writing, greater financial potential.

Let’s be honest—the writing industry is tough. Traditional outlets underpay, undervalue, and undercut their writers. Substack’s appeal is that it puts control back in the hands of creators. But that comes with responsibility. If you’re expecting to just write and have people find you, you’re in for a rude awakening. Writing is only half the job; the other half is making sure people actually see it. That means leaning into the changes on the platform.

The introduction of Notes was a game-changer. It gives writers a way to promote their work without relying on outside platforms. And now, Substack is investing heavily in growth, offering new promotional tools and even a creator accelerator fund. Writers who ignore these tools are doing themselves a disservice. There’s no escaping the reality that independent writers have to be their own marketing teams. Whether it’s engaging with Notes, cross-promoting with other writers, or simply making your work easy to share, promotion is part of the deal.

Of course, there are still big questions around Substack’s long-term sustainability. The 10% cut the platform takes is fair in the grand scheme of things, but as more writers join, will that model hold up? Some argue for a bundled subscription model like Medium, but that risks diluting the direct financial relationship between writers and readers. One of the strengths of Substack is that it allows direct support—people subscribe because they genuinely value the work, not because it’s part of an all-you-can-read package.

Substack’s minimal reliance on advertising is a massive plus, but it also means maintaining the platform gets expensive. Growth costs money. Scaling costs money. And at some point, we might see changes to how revenue is structured. That’s something to keep an eye on.

There’s also the question of moderation. Substack has faced controversy over its hands-off approach to content regulation, particularly regarding extremist and hateful content. Some users have left the platform over this, while others argue that freedom of expression must come first. It’s a fine line, and one that Substack will need to navigate carefully as it grows.

But here’s the thing: Substack isn’t Twitter. It isn’t Meta. It isn’t even Medium. It’s a platform built on the idea that writers should own their work, their audience, and their income. If the community wants to keep that at the core, then regular users need to play an active role in shaping it. That means supporting good writing, engaging with thoughtful discourse, and making use of the platform’s evolving tools instead of resisting them.

Substack is changing. That’s inevitable. But change isn’t inherently bad. The key is making sure that change works for the people who actually care about writing. If the influx of new users is handled right—both by Substack itself and by the community already here—this could be a turning point that strengthens the platform rather than weakens it.

So rather than lamenting the changes, lean in. Engage with the tools. Promote your work. Build your audience. Because, like it or not, in the digital age, writing alone isn’t enough—you have to make sure people see it too.

What do you think? Hit the comments:

My writing is free, but (Ko-fi) fuels me!