Substack is the writing platform everyone’s talking about 2024.

But once you’ve decided to join Substack, you might face a dilemma: should you create multiple newsletters for different topics, or use Substack Sections to organize your content within a single publication?

Let’s dive into the pros and cons of each approach to help you make the best decision for your writing career.

1. Substack Sections

Substack Sections is a feature that allows you to create different content categories within a single newsletter.

Think of it as creating separate rooms in your house, rather than building entirely new houses.

Each section can have its own identity, including a unique logo and description, while still being part of your main publication.

You’ll be able to subcategorize your content, without the need for a new subscriber base.

Pros of Substack Sections:

1. Simplified management: With Substack Sections, you’re handling everything under one roof. This means less administrative work and a more streamlined approach to your content.
2. Unified subscriber base: Your readers can choose which sections they want to follow, but they’re all part of the same community. This can lead to cross-pollination of ideas and interests.
3. Flexible organization: You can easily add, remove, or reorganize sections as your content evolves.
4. Customizable reader experience: Subscribers can tailor their content preferences, receiving only the topics they’re most interested in.
5. Cohesive brand identity: All your content lives under one main publication, one domain, one name, reinforcing your overall brand.

Cons of Substack Sections:

1. Limited design options: While you can add unique logos to each section, the overall design is tied to your main publication.
2. No separate domain names: Sections are part of your main publication’s URL structure.
3. Potential for confusion: If not managed carefully, multiple sections could become overwhelming for some readers.
4. You can only subcategorize once, meaning you can’t create subsections under one section.

2. Multiple Substack Publications

On the flip side, you have the option to create entirely separate newsletters, each with its own unique identity.

They each get a name, a (sub)domain, design, branding, subscriber base, welcome mails, etc.

This approach is more like having multiple storefronts, each catering to a different audience.

Pros of Multiple Substack Publications:

1. Complete separation of content: Each publication can have its own theme, design, and subscriber base.
2. Targeted branding: You can create distinct brand identities for different aspects of your work or interests.
3. Niche focus: Each publication can cater to a specific audience, potentially increasing engagement.
4. Flexible growth: You can experiment with different content types or topics without affecting your main publication.
5. Custom domain options: Each publication can have its own unique URL.

Cons of Multiple Substack Publications:

1. Increased management overhead: You’ll need to maintain separate subscriber lists, designs, and content calendars for each publication.
2. Potential audience fragmentation: Your readership might be split across multiple publications, potentially reducing overall engagement.
3. More complex analytics: Tracking performance across multiple publications can be more challenging.
4. Risk of burnout: Managing multiple publications can be time-consuming and may lead to content creation fatigue.

Making the Choice: Sections or Multiple Publications?

To decide between Substack Sections and Multiple Substack Publications, consider the following factors:

1. Content Diversity

If your topics are closely related or fall under a broader theme, Substack Sections might be the way to go.

For instance, if you’re writing about personal development, you could have sections for productivity, mindfulness, and career growth.

However, if your interests are vastly different (say, tech reviews and poetry), Multiple Substack Publications might make more sense.

This allows you to cater to distinct audiences without confusing your readers.

2. Audience Overlap

Consider how much overlap there is between the audiences for your different topics.

If there’s significant overlap, Substack Sections can provide a more cohesive experience for your readers. They can easily explore related content within your publication.

On the other hand, if you’re targeting completely different demographics with each topic, Multiple Substack Publications might be more appropriate.

This allows you to tailor your messaging and content strategy for each specific audience.

3. Branding Strategy

Think about your long-term branding goals.

If you want to establish yourself as a multi-faceted expert under a single brand, Substack Sections can help you achieve this. You can showcase your diverse expertise while maintaining a unified brand identity.

Conversely, if you’re looking to build separate brands or personas for different aspects of your work, Multiple Substack Publications offer more flexibility. Each publication can have its own unique look, feel, and voice.

4. Management Capacity

Be honest about how much time and energy you can dedicate to your newsletters.

Substack Sections are generally easier to manage, as you’re working within a single publication. This can be particularly beneficial if you’re just starting out or if writing is a side hustle.

Multiple Substack Publications require more overhead in terms of management. If you have the time and resources to maintain separate newsletters effectively, this could be a viable option. Just be prepared for the additional workload.

5. Growth and Monetization Strategy

Consider your long-term goals for growing and potentially monetizing your newsletters.

Substack Sections can be advantageous if you want to offer paid subscriptions, where premium members get access to exclusive sections., for example. This can be an effective way to upsell your existing audience.

Multiple Substack Publications might be preferable if you want to experiment with different monetization strategies for each topic. For example, you could have a free tech review newsletter that drives affiliate revenue, alongside a paid creative writing publication.

6. SEO and Discoverability

Substack Sections can be beneficial for SEO, as all your content contributes to the authority of a single domain. This can potentially improve your visibility in search results over time.

Multiple Substack Publications, while potentially diluting your SEO efforts, can increase your chances of being discovered by different audiences. Each publication can be optimized for specific keywords related to its niche.

7. Reader Experience

Think about the experience you want to create for your readers.

Substack Sections offer a more integrated experience, allowing readers to easily explore different facets of your content within a single publication. This can lead to higher engagement and cross-topic discovery.

Multiple Substack Publications provide a more focused experience for readers who are interested in specific topics. This can lead to higher engagement within each publication but may limit cross-pollination of ideas.

Real-World Examples

To illustrate these concepts, let’s look at a couple of hypothetical scenarios:

Scenario 1: Sarah, the Lifestyle Guru

Imaginary Sarah writes about various aspects of modern living, including fashion, home decor, and personal finance.

She decides to use Substack Sections for her publication “Modern Living with Sarah.”

Her sections include:

• Style & Beauty
• Home & Garden
• Money Matters
• Wellness & Self-Care

By using Substack Sections, Sarah can cater to readers interested in all aspects of lifestyle content while allowing them to customize their experience.

A reader primarily interested in fashion can focus on the Style & Beauty section, but might occasionally explore financial tips from the Money Matters section.

This is a good setup because much of the content is similar or overlaps, it fits the general niche, and the subcatorization makes it easy for readers to explore the topics.

On top of that, each subscriber can decide to unsubscribe from individual sections to not get every email from Sarah.

Scenario 2: Mark, the Multi-Niche Creator

Mark has diverse interests that don’t necessarily overlap or interest the same people.

He decides to create Multiple Substack Publications:

1. “Tech Trends with Mark” – Focusing on the latest in technology and gadgets
2. “Mark’s Fantasy Corner” – Dedicated to fantasy literature and writing tips
3. “Outdoor Adventures” – Chronicling hiking trips and outdoor gear reviews

By creating separate publications, Mark can tailor his content, tone, and marketing strategies to each distinct audience.

His tech enthusiasts won’t be bombarded with fantasy writing prompts, and his outdoor adventurers won’t have to sift through gadget reviews to find hiking tips.

It’s also easy for Mark to focus more on one publication in the future if that takes off, or delete the one that doesn’t resonate with readers.

Making Your Decision

Ultimately, the choice between Substack Sections and Multiple Substack Publications depends on your unique situation.

Here’s a quick guide to help you decide:

Choose Substack Sections if:

• Your topics are related or fall under a broader theme
• You want to maintain a unified brand
• You prefer simpler management
• You aim to cross-promote content to a single audience
• You’re just starting out or have limited time for management

Choose Multiple Substack Publications if:

• Your topics are vastly different with little overlap
• You want to create distinct brands for each content type
• You have the capacity to manage multiple newsletters
• You aim to target completely different audiences
• You want to experiment with different monetization strategies for each topic

In the end, your choice isn’t set in stone.

You can always start with one approach and switch or expand later as your needs evolve, although this might create some technical expertise in terms of content redirection later.

The key is to choose the strategy that best serves your content, your audience, and your personal goals as a writer.

Whether you opt for Substack Sections or Multiple Substack Publications, Substack is the place to be for online writers 2024. And you should definitely check the platform out if you haven’t so far.