We occasionally get asked: “Why can’t I take my followers with me off the platform, like I can take my subscribers?” Understandable. We’re massive believers that publishers should own their relationships with their communities.

But a follow on Substack is a middle ground between “I’m interested” and “I’m committed”. A follow says to a publisher “I want to get to know you more, but I’m not yet ready to give you my email address.” A follower is not yet a fully signed up member of a publisher’s community.

That’s a good deal for the publisher because it gives them the start of a relationship that, once trust has been established, might become a subscription. And it’s a good deal for readers because it allows them to hear more from a large number of publishers while retaining control over who gets privileged access to their email inbox.

(To hear more from me in your inbox, subscribe to my substack! But I’m happy with just a follow, too… Maybe I can win your subscription one day.)