In 2025, going viral is not it.

Raise your hand if you’ve spent way too long trying to figure out how to go viral on Instagram or TikTok so that you can get a handful of email addresses for your newsletter list 👋

While getting a lot of likes on your social media content is a dopamine hit, it doesn’t increase your email open rates or convert followers to loyal clients. And while you’re distracting yourself doing “content research” (doomscrolling) to try to figure out the algorithm’s magic formula to make your content pop off, someone with barely any social media presence at all is taking all your potential clients.

I know because that person is me.

*(working on my substack newsletter at the Murakami Library in Tokyo)*

I’ve been running my own business as a ghostwriter and editor for the past four years and it wasn’t until this year that I started growing my social media. But seeing how much success I could have without once going viral made my approach to running my social media very different.

I knew I could use the social Internet to connect with more clients and find more leads, but I also knew that I wanted to engage with social media more intentionally.

Enter Substack.

Substack is one of the best newsletter platforms for innovative business owners for a bunch of reasons. Unlike a regular email newsletter, clients can discover your Substack through the platform’s algorithm. But if you ever want to leave, you can take your newsletter subscribers with you.

Over this past year, I went all in with my Substack, Internet Bedroom, which I used to explore ideas for the book I’m (almost finished) writing and connect with other readers and writers. It’s my little creative corner of the Internet where I get to say and do what I want and when I connect with readers, that connection actually feels genuine and lasting.

Need more convincing? Here are my top reasons why business owners and creatives should consider opening up shop on Substack in 2025:

Actually Connect with Clients

I’m not going to get into the Substack algorithm in this blog post, but over the past year, Substack has really figured out the magic code to connect you with the right readers and clients organically.

Instead of building connections based off virality, like most other social media platforms, Substack puts the value and quality of your newsletter first.

Personally, I’ve never thought to myself: “I want to buy from or hire this person because of the great job they did emulating that TikTok meme.”

But I have discovered creatives, innovators, and industry leaders who are actually sharing their vision and connecting authentically with their followers (and potential clients) on Substack.

Stop Creating Content & Actually Showcase your Expertise

I am so over the content creation rat race. I’m really not at all interested in finding trending audios or setting up my camera to film myself doing another meme to promote my business or my creative work.

With Substack, you can escape the content creation trap by writing an engaging newsletter that actually showcases your expertise.

Passive Income Potential

Unlike a regular email newsletter where you’re likely paying to send out emails, Substack offers a paid subscription feature.

You can create posts for paid subscribers only and maybe generate some (semi-) passive income month to month. I made all of my content for my newsletter free but still managed to grow to over $1,200 in recurring annual revenue.

Not bad for not really trying!

Connection over content is going to be key for 2025.

That’s why I just opened up a new gig on my Fiverr to help you get your Substack newsletter up and running ASAP.

Click Here to Get Started

After a lot of experimenting last year, I’ve also decided to host my own business newsletter on Substack. My newsletter, Captive Audience, is geared towards creatives and business owners who want to create more than content to connect with their audience, and it launches tomorrow on Substack!

Follow any of my social media channels so you don’t miss the launch!