I broke Substack
Why communication mediums matter more than I thought
Hi fellow writer,
To be frank,
I’m writing this email as a band-aid solution, one day late for the usual publication.
I was planning to start the year with my most extensive guide yet…
But then Substack told me:
And this was when I was only 40% done.
Apparently, Substack doesn’t want me to write long tutorials here.
I guess I’ll have to switch back to OnlyFans…
Jokes aside, while this sucks now, I’ll make sure to record a video instead until next week.
What I learned:
I underestimated the differences between communication mediums
I originally planned to make this post a guide about creating LinkedIn carousels.
It was a specific guide with:
Step-by-step instructions
Screenshots of me
Examples
Writing it was tiresome.
But I didn’t give up until Substack told me the email would be cut off due to the file size.
I realised:
I’d been trying to play soccer with a bowling ball.
(That’s possible, but much harder, and barely enjoyable!)
I tried to turn the carousel guide into a newsletter just to publish a newsletter, not because the newsletter was the best medium to share the guide.
This ended up not working.
Next time, I would approach it from the reader’s end:
“How would I prefer to consume this information, and how can I create it the fastest?”
But I didn’t end my reflection there.
The best mediums for sharing information
All mediums have their advantages and disadvantages.
The three main ones:
Text:
Text excels at rapid distribution and conciseness.
Because it’s consumed at the reader’s own pace, it empowers them to think more.
Text is supreme for: idea validation, sharing aspirational thoughts, general guides, ultra-concise information.
I’d recommend text for:
Validating ideas
Sharing dense, thought-provoking information
Video:
The easiest to consume.
Because you’re occupying multiple senses of the watcher, video is the most engaging medium.
It’s supreme for building trust, conveying complex ideas and actionable, specific step-by-step guides.
I’d recommend video for:
Specific guides
Sharing your own reflections to build trust
Audio:
The most comfortable to consume.
Audio is great for building trust with your audience, while formats like podcasts allow for in-depth conversations.
It’s a worse version of video in every aspect except for one:
Ease of consumption.
Audio can be listened to while multitasking.
It excels at middle-bandwidth content that makes the listener think.
I’d recommend audio for:
Daily updates that are consumed on-the-go
Broader strategy advise / guides
Conversations
(But use video where you can)
So….
If you’re sharing thoughts: Write
If you’re sharing guides: Visualise
If you’re sharing interactions: Talk
Debrief
That’s it for today, fellow writer!
I’m making this promise to you though:
The content of this newsletter will level up - and I’m excited to have you along!
At the end of 2023 I want to:
Work less than 5 hours a day.
Have created an income myself to travel the world while following my curiosities.
If that sounds like something you want to achieve too, I won’t disappoint you.
See you next week!
Nils