Readers who use Substack to publish their content may wonder if they can allow comments on their posts without requiring readers to subscribe. The answer is yes, Substack allows writers to enable comments on a per-post basis, and they can choose whether to allow comments from everyone or only paid subscribers.
Enabling comments can be a great way to engage with readers and build a community around your content. However, it’s important to consider the potential downsides as well, such as the risk of spam or abusive comments. Writers should carefully weigh the pros and cons of enabling comments on their posts before making a decision.
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Understanding Substack
Substack is a platform that allows writers to create and monetize newsletters. It gives writers the freedom to publish their content without the need for a website or a publisher. Substack offers a variety of features that enable writers to connect with their audience and grow their subscriber base.
One of the key features of Substack is the ability to enable comments on posts. By default, only paid subscribers can comment on posts. However, writers can choose to allow anyone on their mailing list to comment on their posts, even if they are not a paid subscriber.
Another feature of Substack is the ability to create private Substacks. A private Substack is a publication that can be hosted alone or readers can request to subscribe to read the posts. Writers can choose to approve or decline each subscription request.
Substack also offers moderation tools that allow writers to manage comments on their posts. They can see previously reported or deleted comments on their publication, as well as comments that have been removed by Substack’s anti-spam tools. If writers do not want their readers to be able to report comments, they can uncheck the “Enable comment reports” setting in their publication’s settings dashboard.
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Commenting on Substack
Substack is a platform that allows writers to create and distribute newsletters to their subscribers. One of the features that Substack offers is the ability to enable comments on posts. This feature can be useful for writers who want to engage with their readers and create a sense of community around their content.
Commenting Process
To enable comments on a Substack post, a writer needs to go to the post editor and click on the “Settings” button. From there, the writer can choose to enable comments for everyone, paid subscribers only, or disable comments altogether. If a reader wants to leave a comment, they can do so by typing their comment in the comment box below the post and clicking the “Submit” button.
Non-subscriber Comments
Previously, only paid subscribers to a publication could leave a comment on a Substack post. However, Substack has recently introduced a new feature that allows writers to enable comments for anyone on their mailing list, even if they’re not a paid subscriber. This means that readers who have signed up for a writer’s newsletter but have not yet subscribed can also leave comments on a post.
It’s important to note that comments from non-subscribers will not count towards a writer’s total number of comments. Additionally, writers have the ability to moderate comments and remove any that they deem inappropriate or spammy.
Overall, enabling comments on Substack posts can be a great way for writers to engage with their readers and create a sense of community around their content. By following the simple steps outlined above, writers can easily enable comments and start receiving feedback from their readers.
Subscription and Its Benefits
Substack is a platform that allows writers to create and publish newsletters, and readers to subscribe to them. The subscription model on Substack is a way for writers to monetize their content, while providing readers with exclusive access to their posts and other benefits.
Access to Posts
When readers subscribe to a Substack newsletter, they gain access to all the posts published by the writer. Depending on the subscription plan, readers may also receive additional benefits such as early access to new posts, exclusive content, and more.
Commenting Privileges
One of the benefits of subscribing to a Substack newsletter is the ability to comment on posts. Commenting allows readers to engage with the writer and other subscribers, share their thoughts and feedback, and ask questions. However, commenting privileges may not be available to all subscribers, as it is up to the writer to decide whether to enable comments or not.
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Exploring Free Commenting
Substack allows readers to comment on posts even if they are not subscribed to the publication. This means that writers can engage with a wider audience and get feedback from potential subscribers. There are two ways readers can comment on Substack posts without subscribing: through public posts and free trials.
Public Posts
Public posts are free to read and anyone can comment on them. This is a great way for writers to engage with a wider audience and build a community around their work. Readers can leave comments on public posts without subscribing to the publication. However, writers can choose to disable comments on public posts if they prefer.
Free Trials
Another way readers can comment on Substack posts without subscribing is through free trials. Substack allows writers to offer free trials to potential subscribers. During the free trial, readers can read and comment on all posts without subscribing. This is a great way for writers to show readers what they can expect from the publication and encourage them to subscribe.
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Substack’s Policies on Commenting
Substack allows publishers to enable comments on their posts for anyone on their mailing list, even if they’re not a paid subscriber. Publishers can choose whether to allow comments on a per-post basis. From the post editor, they can click on Settings and choose one of the following options:
- Everyone: Any reader will be able to leave a comment on the post. If they do not have a Substack profile, they’ll be prompted to create one.
- Paid subscribers only: Only paid subscribers to the publication can leave a comment on the post.
Moderation
Substack has a “hands-off approach” to content moderation, meaning that they will only intervene in cases where there is a clear violation of their community guidelines. Publishers can moderate comments on their posts by removing comments or moderating comments reported by readers. They can also see previously reported or deleted comments on their publication, as well as comments that have been removed by Substack’s anti-spam tools.
If publishers do not want their readers to be able to report comments, they can uncheck the “Enable comment reports” setting in their publication’s settings dashboard.
Community Guidelines
Substack’s community guidelines prohibit any content that is illegal, promotes hate or violence, harasses or threatens others, or violates others’ privacy. They also prohibit any content that is spammy or misleading, or that impersonates others.
Publishers are responsible for ensuring that their content and comments comply with Substack’s community guidelines. Substack reserves the right to remove any content or comments that violate their guidelines, and to suspend or terminate publishers who repeatedly violate them.
In summary, Substack allows publishers to enable comments on their posts for anyone on their mailing list, but they are expected to moderate them according to Substack’s community guidelines.
How to Subscribe to Substack
Subscribing to a Substack newsletter is a simple process. Readers can subscribe to a Substack newsletter by entering their email address and clicking on the “Subscribe” button. If the publication has payments enabled, readers will be presented with subscription plans.
There are four types of subscription plans on Substack:
- Free: Free subscribers will receive free posts via email and the Substack app.
- Monthly: Subscribers will automatically be charged each month and will receive access to all paid content.
- Yearly: Subscribers will automatically be charged each year and will receive access to all paid content.
- Founding: Founding members are the first subscribers to a publication and receive special benefits.
Once a reader has subscribed to a publication, they will receive new posts via email and in the Substack app if they have downloaded it. They can also manage their subscription and update their payment information in the “My Account” section.
Overall, subscribing to a Substack newsletter is a quick and easy process that allows readers to stay up-to-date with their favorite publications.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Substack is a platform for independent writers to publish their work and build a community around their writing. Readers can subscribe to writers’ publications to receive new posts via email or on the Substack website. Here are some frequently asked questions about commenting on Substack posts.
Can Non-subscribers Comment?
Yes, non-subscribers can comment on Substack posts if the writer has enabled comments for everyone. From the post editor, the writer can choose to allow comments from everyone, only paid subscribers, or disable comments altogether. If a non-subscriber wants to leave a comment, they will be prompted to create a Substack profile.
How to Comment as a Subscriber?
If a reader has subscribed to a writer’s publication, they can leave a comment on any post that allows comments. To do so, they need to sign in to their Substack account and navigate to the post they want to comment on. They can then type their comment in the comment box and click “Post Comment.” The writer will receive a notification and can choose to respond to the comment or publish it for others to see.
That’s it for the frequently asked questions about commenting on Substack posts. Remember, the ability to comment depends on the writer’s settings, so not all posts will have comments enabled.