Substack is introducing direct messaging, permitting customers to have non-public one-on-one conversations, the corporate announced immediately. DMs might be accessed within the Chat tab on the Substack app and web site. By default, customers will solely obtain DMs from folks they’re related to. Different messages will go to a Requests folder the place you may select to both settle for or reject them.
After launching an X (previously Twitter) clone last year called Notes, Substack is now copying one more function from the social community. A couple of months after launching Notes, the corporate began permitting customers to follow each other. Though Substack is greatest often known as a publication platform, the corporate has slowly been altering its platform to develop into extra of a social community over the previous yr, and the brand new DMs function takes this transition a step additional.
Substack says DMs was a extremely requested function amongst customers, and plenty of customers have shared their pleasure on the announcement submit. However not everybody could also be within the addition, as a person commented asking if DMs might be turned off, noting that they didn’t need folks to contact them straight. Substack responded and stated customers can disable DMs by going into their settings and selecting “Permit message requests from” to “Nobody.”
The corporate examined DMs with a small group of writers and located that they can be utilized to construct subscriber loyalty, join with fellow writers and domesticate a reader group. Substack says it hopes DMs will strengthen the connections writers make on the platform.
Picture Credit: Substack
If writers wish to encourage their readers to message them straight, they will add a “Ship a message” button on new posts. Substack says this may also help writers do issues like solicit information suggestions or accumulate questions.
The launch of DMs comes a couple of days after Substack updated its peer-to-peer recommendation system, permitting writers to curate and share a listing of publications for his or her readers to subscribe to. The thought behind the change is is enable writers to assist different writers in increasing their attain and doubtlessly getting extra subscribers and followers.
Substack has had a controversial begin to 2024 after saying it wouldn’t ban Nazi newsletters. Substack CEO Hamish McKenzie said although Substack bans posts with “incitements to violence,” the corporate will persist with a “decentralized strategy to content material moderation.” In response, notable writers like Casey Newton and Ryan Broderick determined to go away Substack.
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