"Strategies vary depending on the publisher, but it's clear that Substack now represents a new way to reach audiences they're struggling to find elsewhere - and to build tighter communities that can eventually convert into subscribers. All publishers that have launched Substack newsletters have made most of them free to access - even the paywalled publishers. For most, it is still an experiment - a low-risk way to test new voices, formats and audiences without overhauling their core businesses."
"By choosing topics that are strong but not central to its core readership, it can attract fresh, engaged communities on Substack, strengthen its brand and expand its reach without risking subscribers downgrading from the main service, he added. The Economist's free Substack subscribers can get the main newsletter every week. But those who pay $9 per month or $90 per year for an Off The Chart's Substack subscription offering get access to the full archive, as well as bonus content and the commenting feature."
Major publishers including Allure, Daily Mail, The Economist, Financial Times, The New Yorker, New York Magazine and Reach have launched Substack newsletters. Publishers are using Substack to reach audiences that are harder to find elsewhere and to build tighter communities that can convert into subscribers. Most publisher Substacks are free to access, even from paywalled outlets, serving as low-risk experiments to test new voices, formats and audiences without overhauling core businesses. The Economist launched a data journalism newsletter with a paid tier for archive access, bonus content and commenting. Emphasis is placed on keeping journalism distinctive, deepening direct reader relationships and protecting brand discoverability amid AI-driven changes.
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