---
source_url: "https://getdoolen.substack.com/p/substack-vs-linkedin"
title: Substack vs LinkedIn - by Jon Doolen - GetDoolen Substack
mirrored_at: 2026-08-27T01:02:38.317Z
host: getdoolen.substack.com
cited_in_42a: true
mirror_canonical: "https://index.42a.ai/getdoolen.substack.com/p/substack-vs-linkedin"
---

> **Original source:** https://getdoolen.substack.com/p/substack-vs-linkedin

I was asked recently, _“Why don’t you just post your daily newsletter exclusively on LinkedIn?”_

Fair question.

LinkedIn is where a lot of my community is, and it’s one of the best platforms on the planet for professional relationships.

But my answer was simple, I don’t post my newsletter **exclusively** on LinkedIn because **Substack gives me full control**, no algorithm deciding who sees it, and it also lets my subscribers **listen** to my content like a podcast.

That’s the headline.

Now let’s break down the real differences.

**What LinkedIn Is Built For…**

LinkedIn is a professional town square.

It’s built for:

Networking and visibility

Conversations in the comments

Career growth and credibility

Reaching people outside your current audience

If your goal is to get discovered, LinkedIn is a powerhouse.

**The upside:** you can reach thousands of people who don’t know you yet.

**The tradeoff:** you’re playing on rented land, and the algorithm is the landlord.

**What Substack Is Built For…**

Substack is closer to a direct line.

It’s built for:

Owning your audience and distribution

Consistent delivery to subscribers

Long-form writing without performance pressure

Building a library of work over time

**The upside:** if someone subscribes, your writing shows up, period.

**The tradeoff:** growth is slower unless you promote it elsewhere.

**The Algorithm vs The Inbox…**

Here’s the big difference in plain terms.

**LinkedIn**

Your post may reach 5% of your audience, or 50%, depending on what the algorithm decides that day.

You can write something valuable and still get buried if it doesn’t “hit” fast.

**Substack**

Your newsletter goes directly to subscribers.

Nobody is filtering your delivery because your post didn’t get enough likes in the first 30 minutes.

LinkedIn is great for reach, Substack is great for reliability.

**Control, Content, and Long-Term Value…**

When I publish on Substack, I’m building an asset.

My writing isn’t competing with someone’s vacation pics, breaking news, or a trending hot take.

It doesn’t disappear down a feed in a few hours.

It becomes part of a searchable body of work.

LinkedIn is fantastic for momentum.

Substack is fantastic for permanence.

**The “Listen Like a Podcast” Piece Matters**

This is a big one for me.

A lot of people want leadership content but don’t always have time to sit and read.

They’re commuting, walking, working out, driving between appointments…

Substack makes it easy for subscribers to **listen** to posts like audio, which turns written leadership lessons into something you can take on the go.

That’s not a small feature, that’s accessibility.

**So Which One Is Better?**

Neither is “better.”

They’re different tools.

**LinkedIn is the megaphone.**

**Substack is the home base.**

LinkedIn helps me meet new people and start conversations.

Substack helps me serve the people who _asked_ for the content, consistently, with no middleman.

And honestly, I like having a place where my work isn’t being graded by an algorithm like it’s a high school popularity contest.

(I already survived high school once, I’m not going back.)

**My Real Strategy…**

I don’t see them as competitors.

I see them as partners:

**Substack** is where I publish the full newsletter and build the archive.

**LinkedIn** is where I share highlights, summaries, and discussion starters to bring people into the bigger conversation.

That way I keep my control, my subscribers get consistent delivery, and I still show up where the people are.

If you’re building content, ask yourself:

Do I want **reach** or **reliability**, or both?

Do I want to own my distribution, or rely on a platform to “allow” it?

Do I want my audience to **find me**, or do I want to **serve them directly**?

If you want both, use both, just give each platform the job it’s best at.

And if you’ve ever wondered where your best work should live, here’s the simplest answer:

**Put your work where you have control, and promote it where you have attention.**

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