Alternatives to social media for discovering content.
Before deleting the Substack app, I worried about not finding new stuff to read, but then I realized I already don’t find it by scrolling anyway, since, well… the feed is just a sea of Substack Notes, not Posts.
Still, I had to think about it when someone asked me this very topical question.
I feel compelled to add that I’m not against short-form content. There’s plenty of good stuff in the feed, it’s just becoming more and more buried. At least, the stuff I’m interested in reading seems to be. Also, I sort of maybe kind of have a big problem with a creator’s viability being completely tied to the whims of one platform and one algorithm??
Perhaps I’m a cynic.
Anyway, so how exactly am I finding new Posts from creators since deleting the Substack app?
The short answer is: folks I already subscribe to are really great about sharing work they like from others. And I trust their recommendations. If I’m being honest, that helps me find stuff that tickles my fancy far more than scrolling does. Also, I know Seth Werkheiser has a bunch of ideas for promoting and finding great work without social media. He'd be a good resource if this is something you're interested in deep-diving further.
Creators like Austin Kleon, Brendan Leonard, and many others curate and publish fantastic lists of weekly things to check out. People forward me stuff they’ve read and loved. When out with friends, I’m starting to hear a lot of “I read this thing on Substack… I can send it to you.”
In response to the question Josh asked, I’m not saying I have it all figured out. But I’m trying something new, and so far it’s going pretty good. Getting rid of the app isn’t really about Substack, anyway. My main goal is just to give my attention span and my nervous system some breathing room.
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Josh gets a pass this time, but I think future questions should begin with addressing me by "Hey Bear"...
Our Daily MAP Year Prompt
54/365
Where do you actually find the things you love to read these days? Is it intentional, or are you over-inundated by feeds, channels, and sources you don't really love all that much?
What's one thing you could do to trim the fat?
onward.
Be the friend who sends this to someone who might like it.