Substack tested Last year, this allowed Substack bestsellers (the company’s top users) to stream videos, engage with a live audience, and even collaborate with other bestsellers. Well, the function is open to any Substack publisher who wants to go live. The only basic requirement besides the need for an account is to have at least 10 free subscribers.
Publishers that go live will be able to read comments as they come in, similar to Twitch. You can also collaborate with other publishers by asking them to join a call. Currently, Substack only supports up to three people in a single call.
After your stream ends, you will receive a copy of the VOD as well as some AI-generated notes. The VOD can be posted as a standalone post to ensure readers and fans who missed it can experience the stream at their own pace. The VODs are made public by default when shared as a post, but they can also be used via a paywall. Substack’s AI can generate clips that you can share to attract viewers to watch the main VOD if you’re interested in promoting your content elsewhere.
Substack claims that its bestsellers are happy with the feature, which allows them to connect with their readers and viewers better than before. The full impact of live video on Substack still remains questionable until more publishers try it out. Considering how many ways there are to stream live videos these days, it’s far from certain that this will catch on here either.
