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Is Substack the Right Fit for B2B Marketing and Content?

  Unreal Digital Group  ·  2 minute read

Substack is booming—and it’s not just indie journalists and podcasters fueling the growth.

Recently, the platform announced a $100 million funding round at a $1.1 billion valuation, a big milestone after hitting 5 million paid subscriptions in March (up 2 million from the year prior).

It’s clear Substack is doing something right—in fact, some say it’s reshaping how content is created, distributed and monetized. But as more eyeballs land on a shiny, growing platform, there’s one question that’s top of mind here: Does Substack belong in your B2B marketing mix? 

Our answer: Yes and no.

Let’s break it down.

What Makes Substack Interesting for B2B Content Publishing & Marketing

Substack isn’t just a newsletter platform. It’s part blog, part inbox, part social feed—and it’s built for people who want to publish fast, connect authentically and be discovered without paying to play.

For B2B brands and marketers, that’s intriguing for a few reasons:

  • It gives your content another domain to live on (hello, AI discoverability)
  • It’s showing up in generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity
  • It’s built, led and supported for human consumption

It’s not a full-blown marketing automation platform—but that’s kind of the point.

When Substack Does Make Sense for B2B

If you’re looking to stretch your content further or reach an audience that’s tired of traditional marketing emails, Substack could be worth exploring.

Here’s where it shines:

1. Executive Thought Leadership
Substack is a great place for founders, leaders or SMEs to riff on trends, share opinions or pull back the curtain—without the red tape of corporate brand guidelines.

2. Side-Car Content Brands
Want to test a new voice, POV or editorial concept without overhauling your main site? Substack’s perfect for launching something adjacent.

3. Editorial Testing Ground
Try out new content themes, formats or ideas before rolling them into your core strategy. If it flops, no big deal. If it takes off, even better.

4. Nurturing Niche Audiences
Create targeted content for early-stage buyers, partners, channel leaders or vertical audiences who need more tailored insights than your main newsletter offers.

5. Built-In Discovery
Substack’s growing network effect means your content can be found on the platform. That’s a big deal in the AI era, when visibility isn't just about search engines anymore.

When Substack Might Not Be Worth It

Now for the caveats.

Substack isn’t built to be a marketing machine. It’s intentionally simple, which means:

1. No segmentation or scoring
You won’t get HubSpot-level insights or list building. Tags are your only targeting.

2. Limited integrations
You can’t plug it into your full funnel without some hacks. It’s more content distribution than lead gen.

3. You need a strong voice
Substack works best when it’s honest, opinionated and personal. If your brand’s not ready to sound off, it’s going to be hard to stand out.

4. It could be redundant
If your marketing automation platform is already doing its job—and doing it well—Substack might be more of a nice-to-have than a need-to-have.

So… Should You Use It?

Substack isn’t a silver bullet, but it is a smart tool for B2B brands looking to:

  • Publish faster
  • Get discovered in new ways
  • Build audiences outside traditional email workflows

If your content feels buried, buttoned-up or underutilized, Substack might be exactly the playground you need. But if your content engine is firing on all cylinders already? You’re probably okay sitting this one out—for now.

Want to See This in Action?

We’re helping B2B brands use platforms like Substack to boost visibility, drive discovery and bring fresh content ideas to life. Reach out to chat about how Unreal can help you create bold, buyer-focused content that gets seen and drives results.