The hottest Digital Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Business Topics

Inside The New York Times Business Model: How Bundling Saved Journalism

Huddle Up • 166 implied HN points • 25 Feb 26
💼 Business Digital
  1. The New York Times built a bundle of products — like games, cooking, and Wirecutter — that now drive most user engagement and make news one piece of a larger offering.
  2. Moving readers onto bundled subscriptions instead of news-only plans dramatically improved economics, producing far more subscribers, revenue, free cash flow, and a higher market valuation.
  3. That bundling playbook is being copied across media because diversifying subscription products gives publishers a clearer path to sustainable growth and survival.

Reclaiming Our Senses in a Digital World

In Bed With Social • 59 implied HN points • 19 Oct 24
🎭️ Culture Digital
  1. We often focus too much on sight and sound in our digital lives, forgetting the other senses like touch, smell, and taste. It's important to reconnect with these senses to enjoy life more fully.
  2. Digital tools can help us pay attention to the world around us in new ways, like listening to global radio stations or exploring colors differently. This can enhance our understanding and connection to our environment.
  3. By engaging with objects and experiences that require physical interaction, we can create meaningful connections with the world. This shift from high-tech to high-touch helps us feel more grounded and aware of our surroundings.

Shoutout Thread 📢

Writers' Library • 8176 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Digital
  1. The post is about celebrating Substack writers and creators.
  2. Readers are invited to share what they've been inspired by on Substack.
  3. Creators are encouraged to participate and make use of multimedia tools for publishing.

Why fashion influencers are pivoting to Substack

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 274 implied HN points • 12 Dec 25
🪞 Fashion & Beauty Digital
  1. Fashion influencers are moving to Substack to earn more money through subscriptions and reliable audience reach. This shift helps them avoid the unpredictability of social media algorithms like Instagram’s.
  2. YouTube is becoming a big player for creators, allowing them to earn through memberships and ads as they publish content like audiobooks. This helps authors gain a following while generating revenue.
  3. The focus for media publishers is shifting from growing their audience size to keeping readers engaged longer. By increasing how many articles a visitor reads, they can boost revenue and encourage subscriptions.

📰 The New York Times vs. OpenAI

How They Make Money • 1552 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
💼 Business Digital
  1. The New York Times dominates in digital media and subscription race.
  2. The NYT shifted from ads to subscriptions, investing in digital content and various products.
  3. The lawsuit between The New York Times and OpenAI challenges AI training on copyrighted material, impacting AI and journalism.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Blogging sure has changed in its Silver Age

The Intrinsic Perspective • 4805 implied HN points • 18 Oct 24
🎭️ Culture Digital
  1. Blogging today is producing a lot of high-quality content, similar to the Silver Age of comics. Many new writers are sharing well-crafted stories and essays online.
  2. While there's more professionalism in blogging, it's mostly about improving styles and strategies rather than creating new ideas. Writers know how to make their content appealing and consistent.
  3. Just like in comics, the lack of true innovation in blogging can be felt. We need fresh voices and unique stories to take blogging to the next level.

Inside Big Cabal Media’s Ambitious Plan to Build Africa’s Next Great Media Company

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 224 implied HN points • 24 Nov 25
💼 Business Digital
  1. Big Cabal Media started as two blogs and has grown into a big company with 100 employees across different countries. They now do events, research, and even movies.
  2. Tomiwa Aladekomo believes in diversifying revenue sources to help the company succeed in the changing media landscape.
  3. The company faces common challenges like social media traffic drops and AI trends, as well as unique issues specific to African media.

The Travel Cords Edition

Why is this interesting? • 844 implied HN points • 10 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Digital
  1. Having the right travel cords can make your trips much smoother. When everything you need is ready to go, it reduces stress while traveling.
  2. A good tech pouch is useful to stay organized. It keeps all your cables and tech gear in one place so you won't lose anything.
  3. Choosing practical gadgets, like a portable charger and multi-port charging station, can save you a lot of hassle. They help you stay powered up on the go.

Forthcoming Book, Latest Interviews, and AI Armageddon

SINGULARITY WEEKLY • 1356 implied HN points • 02 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Digital
  1. There are concerns about the risks and impact of advanced AI technology on society.
  2. Multiple experts are calling for a halt to the development of powerful AI systems due to potential negative consequences.
  3. The rapid advancement of AI technology is causing panic and hysteria as global leaders struggle to address the potential threats posed by AI.

Every traditional media outlet is launching a creator division

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 499 implied HN points • 12 Aug 25
💼 Business Digital
  1. Media companies are starting creator divisions to work with independent creators. This means more opportunities for people to share their content and ideas.
  2. TikTok influencers are becoming a new form of news anchor for younger audiences. They deliver news quickly in a way that fits with how younger people consume content.
  3. Creating a successful newsletter doesn't always require a strong personal brand. For example, some people focus on the quality of their content instead of promoting themselves.

Okta’s Ric Smith: Your AI Agent Is Roaming The Office Hallway. Do You Know What It's Doing?

Big Technology • 125 implied HN points • 25 Nov 25
🕹 Technology Digital
  1. Companies are quickly implementing AI agents but often forget to set rules and limits for them. This can lead to risks in the workplace.
  2. It's important to think about how these digital workers interact with employees and the environment. Proper governance can help keep things under control.
  3. Having clear boundaries for AI agents can help organizations make the most out of these technologies while minimizing potential problems.

10 SEO Myths Killing Your Business

Nail It and Scale It • 99 implied HN points • 01 Jul 24
💼 Business Digital
  1. SEO takes time and money to see real results. If you're looking for quick fixes, SEO might not be the best choice for your business.
  2. AI can help with some parts of SEO, like on-page optimization, but it can't do everything. Good content and backlinks still require a lot of manual effort.
  3. SEO isn’t a one-time task; it's an ongoing process. You need to keep optimizing and updating your site regularly to maintain good search rankings.

The Exhaust of Attention

Justin E. H. Smith's Hinternet • 501 implied HN points • 02 Jul 25
🎭️ Culture Digital
  1. Attention can be tracked through data like email 'opens', but we can't be sure how many are real readers. It’s a way to see if people care about what we write.
  2. The idea of 'attention exhaust' shows how our interest lingers after we engage with something. It's like a leftover trace that reminds us we cared at some point.
  3. Measuring attention is evolving from old methods that seemed magical to more precise digital ways. But we still sometimes look for value in forgotten things, showing the need to care for what gets overlooked.

3 Essentials That Will 2x Your Landing Page Conversion Rate

Nail It and Scale It • 59 implied HN points • 15 Jul 24
💼 Business Digital
  1. Make sure your landing page clearly explains what you're offering right away. If visitors can't understand it quickly, they're likely to leave.
  2. Build trust by showing strong brands you've worked with, sharing positive customer reviews, or highlighting any expert endorsements. This makes visitors feel more secure about their decision.
  3. Keep the action simple. Have one clear button for what you want visitors to do, and ensure the page loads quickly without distractions. The easier it is, the more likely they will take action.

The diminishing returns of commodity news content

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 399 implied HN points • 04 Jun 25
📰 News Digital
  1. News content that simply repeats information is losing its value. Outlets need to focus more on original reporting and deep analysis to stay relevant.
  2. Many successful YouTube journalists started at Vox, where they learned to tell stories creatively through video. Their experience helps them connect better with online audiences.
  3. Artists have mixed feelings about AI. Some feel it steals their work, but others see it as a helpful tool to create faster and tackle misinformation quickly.

The Innovation Bargain

The Absent-Minded Professor • 314 implied HN points • 23 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Digital
  1. Innovation always comes with tradeoffs - think about whether they are worth it.
  2. The Innovation Bargain is about freedom and limitation - new technologies enable us but also limit choices.
  3. Understanding the Innovation Bargain is crucial in our technology-driven society - be mindful of the impact of technology on human flourishing.

🚀 What did they take from us, exactly?

Faster, Please! • 731 implied HN points • 20 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Digital
  1. Innovation has faced many challenges due to strict regulations and negative attitudes towards progress. This has slowed down our technological advancements and kept us from realizing exciting future possibilities.
  2. There were two major periods of optimism in history that drove technology forward—after World War II and during the digital revolution. During these times, people felt hopeful and invested in new ideas and inventions.
  3. To bring back that spirit of progress, we need to focus on supporting innovation and overcoming barriers that limit potential. It's important to keep believing in a better, more advanced future.

Why the largest creators are bypassing traditional book publishers

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 374 implied HN points • 03 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Digital
  1. Many big creators are skipping traditional book publishers. They can earn much more money by self-publishing their books instead.
  2. Companies are starting to focus more on engaging their subscribers through mobile apps. This helps keep people interested and less likely to cancel subscriptions.
  3. Creators like Kai Cenat are making huge money through platforms like Twitch. This shows how individuals can now earn as much as, or more than, traditional celebrities.

Emailing the Dead

Opaque Hourglass • 239 implied HN points • 20 Aug 23
🎭️ Culture Digital
  1. Consider emailing a deceased person with a simple hello or a request, as a way to reach out and possibly connect with their surviving loved ones.
  2. The act of sending an email to the deceased could offer a small but meaningful connection between the sender, the departed, and those left behind.
  3. Although the recipient may not physically receive the message, it might provide a gateway for emotional connection and remembrance for those grieving.

Supply AND Demand

Knowledge Problem • 235 implied HN points • 05 May 23
🔬 Science Digital
  1. Market value is determined by the interaction of supply and demand, allowing for price discovery.
  2. The traditional assumption in the electricity industry of fixed supply catering to demand is becoming obsolete due to digital technologies enabling flexible demand.
  3. Digital technologies and dynamic pricing are empowering consumers to have more control over their electricity bills and contribute to a greener future.

Semafor proved the haters wrong

Simon Owens's Media Newsletter • 399 implied HN points • 23 Oct 24
💼 Business Digital
  1. Semafor has grown significantly in just two years, with over 80 staff members and 750,000 newsletter subscribers. They stayed focused on key topics, keeping their costs low while attracting a valuable audience.
  2. Costco's magazine is more popular than many big-name publications because it delivers useful tips and highlights its vendors. It shows how a focused approach can yield success.
  3. Political Wire's successful subscription model offers extra content and perks for loyal readers. Building a strong community can really help in retaining subscribers.

The Email Archivist

escape the algorithm • 219 implied HN points • 22 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Digital
  1. In 2013, Miranda July started We Think Alone, a unique newsletter where celebrities shared personal emails, prompting subscribers' introspection.
  2. Through We Think Alone, participants were encouraged to view their emails with new curiosity, marking a shift from inbox anxiety to introspective value.
  3. Email archives, though rarely revisited, hold value in preserving memories and providing moments of reflection, prompting the reconsideration of digital communication.

The blackmirror in your pocket is great for ads

42 Slash • 196 implied HN points • 16 Jul 23
💼 Business Digital
  1. Vertical ads are more effective than square ads, with higher CTR and lower costs.
  2. Consumers are more willing to engage with vertical content, making it a valuable marketing tool.
  3. Using vertical formats in ads can provide better results, especially in reaching audiences through mobile devices.

Building the next generation of media brands on Substack

Substack • 593 implied HN points • 10 Apr 24
🕹 Technology Digital
  1. Substack has introduced new themes and search options to help creators customize their publications. This means writers can make their sites look different and more engaging.
  2. Improved search features allow readers to find specific content quickly. Now, they can easily search for topics or authors across all posts.
  3. The Bulwark, a successful Substack publication, moved its entire site to Substack to take advantage of these new features and saw a significant increase in subscribers and revenue.

Structured Missingness

Cybernetic Forests • 179 implied HN points • 08 Oct 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Digital
  1. Archives can only preserve what exists, leading to the structured missingness of information when elements are erased or decayed.
  2. In Machine Learning, the concept of 'structured missingness' refers to the impact of absent data on the neural network's connective contours.
  3. Diffusion models accelerate decay and obliterate information in images, creating patterns of missingness that merge the analog with the digital.

Brief: Pentagon's new AI chief is former Google Trust & Safety exec who previously helped guide U.S. special operations

All-Source Intelligence Fusion • 569 implied HN points • 14 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Digital
  1. Radha Iyengar Plumb, a former Google Trust & Safety exec, will become the Pentagon's new Chief Digital and AI Officer in April, replacing Craig Martell.
  2. Iyengar Plumb has had a diverse career, transitioning from a professor to roles at RAND, the National Security Council, Google, Facebook, and now the Pentagon.
  3. Executives like Iyengar Plumb moving between tech companies like Google and roles in the defense and intelligence community highlights the intersecting realms of technology and national security.

Applied Digital, Defense Semiconductors, and 1998

Mule’s Musings • 96 implied HN points • 09 Jun 25
🕹 Technology Digital
  1. Applied Digital focuses on combining technology with government projects. This partnership can lead to innovation and improved efficiency in services.
  2. Defense semiconductors are crucial for national security. They help in developing advanced technologies used in defense systems.
  3. Understanding the history of technology and its applications, like in 1998, gives insight into current trends and future developments. Learning from the past is important for progress.

Oldie But a Goodie

Thoughts on a Typewriter • 137 implied HN points • 08 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Digital
  1. Quality things are timeless and can be enjoyed by different generations
  2. It's great when kids appreciate and enjoy the same things their parents used to love
  3. Old stuff that is good quality remains desirable and enjoyable, whether analog or digital

Uploading Instagram Videos with 94% LESS CPU

Byte-Sized Design • 58 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Digital
  1. Instagram improved video uploading efficiency by compressing videos first to progressive encodings and then converting them to adaptive-bit-rate videos, saving 94% of resources.
  2. The challenge for Instagram was to support various video formats for different devices while minimizing resource consumption and CPU usage.
  3. Insightful optimization was achieved by realizing that progressive and adaptive bit rate encodings could use the same codec, streamlining the encoding process to focus on scalability.

The Unremitting Monedey

The Lifeboat • 160 implied HN points • 13 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Digital
  1. Selling virtual items, like gems in games, raises questions about morality and customer responsibility. People should manage their finances wisely, even in digital spaces.
  2. Entertainment in the form of virtual games can distract people from their real-life struggles, but there's concern about the exploitative aspects of selling virtual goods.
  3. The workplace can feel mundane and draining, leading to a desire for escape or change. Many people face the struggle of balancing personal happiness with their jobs.

Signal Integrity fundamentals

Only Wonder Knows • 117 implied HN points • 09 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Digital
  1. High speed digital design is not black magic, but engineering magic.
  2. In high speed designs, the generator sees only the cable, not the load, to determine current.
  3. Proper termination with load impedance equal to cable characteristic impedance prevents signal reflection.

The long, slow death of the TV schedule

How To Measure Ghosts • 117 implied HN points • 19 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Digital
  1. Linear scheduled TV viewing is declining, with younger audiences preferring streaming over traditional TV channels.
  2. Traditional TV business models are facing challenges and potential changes, like rebundling and collaborations among broadcasters.
  3. PSBs are adapting to the shift towards streaming by implementing new services, like Freely, to maintain relevance and audience attention.

I'd like an AI mediator, please

techandsocialcohesion • 39 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Digital
  1. Imagine the potential of AI mediators to assist in conflict resolution alongside human mediators, offering objective perspectives and solutions.
  2. Digital technologies have the power to enhance inclusion in mediation and peace processes by addressing barriers like distance, language needs, and limited access to information.
  3. Social media analytics and digital technologies are increasingly being integrated into peace agreements to address harmful social media content and amplify voices for peace.

Sora-eal? 🤯

Sector 6 | The Newsletter of AIM • 39 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Digital
  1. OpenAI has launched a new text-to-video tool called 'Sora', and it's getting a lot of attention online. People are excited about what it can do, similar to how they reacted to ChatGPT.
  2. Sora can create unique videos based on prompts, like one showing animals riding bicycles in a race. These creative examples are already impressing many.
  3. It also allows for wild ideas, such as a woman walking in Mumbai during a snowstorm, showcasing the tool's imaginative possibilities.

Winner takes all? Blockbusters’ effect on competition in platforms

Platform Papers • 39 implied HN points • 14 Feb 24
💼 Business Digital
  1. Digital platforms have to decide between focusing on blockbusters or long-tail content strategics based on their benefits. Blockbusters can drive significant traffic and users but may also intensify competition by monopolizing user attention.
  2. On crowdfunding platforms, blockbusters can have positive spillover effects by attracting attention and increasing funding for other projects. Related blockbusters have a stronger effect on a project than unrelated ones.
  3. For platforms or businesses, promoting blockbusters strategically can lead to increased user participation, spillover benefits, and competitive advantages. Leveraging blockbusters can drive growth and attract new users to a platform.