If you’re a writer, podcaster, or creator in 2025, you’ve probably faced the dilemma:
Should I build on a platform like Substack or Medium, or launch my own site?
The quick answer is: you don’t have to choose.
The better answer is: you shouldn’t rely on a platform alone.
Your own website — under your own domain — should always be your foundation.
But if you’re not ready to manage that yet, or if simplicity is what you need in the moment, publishing on Substack or Medium is a perfectly fine place to start.
The key is this: if you attach your own domain name from the start, you’ll never be locked in. Whether you grow on Substack, Medium, or elsewhere, your domain remains the signpost your audience can always follow back to you.
The draw of platforms
Substack and Medium have undeniable advantages:
- Frictionless setup. You can publish your first post in minutes.
- Built-in audience. People are already there, browsing, reading, subscribing.
- Network effects. On Substack, your work can be recommended by other writers. On Medium, it can surface through tags and curation.
For early-stage creators, this is gold. You can focus on creating and growing without wrestling with tech setup or marketing from zero.
But those benefits should be treated as a launchpad, not a home base.
The part nobody tells you
At some point, most successful creators hit a ceiling, and it has nothing to do with talent or ambition; it’s about control.
- Your brand lives on someone else’s domain.
- Your audience lives in someone else’s database.
- Your income streams are limited by someone else’s business model.
And remember: platforms have lifecycles.
Medium, for example, is still a major publishing site, but its traffic dipped below 100 million monthly visits this year, and some writers have left over earnings and policy changes. That could signal decline, or it could be a temporary dip before a resurgence.
The point isn’t to predict winners and losers. It’s to make sure your work isn’t tied to their fate. With your own domain, you can stay on a platform if it’s serving you — or leave tomorrow without losing your audience.
The hybrid strategy
Here’s the sweet spot:
- Start where growth is fastest. Launch on Substack or Medium, enjoy the network benefits, and get traction.
- From day one, connect your domain. Point your domain to your Substack, or run your own site and cross-post. Either way, you anchor your brand to something you control.
- When you’re ready, bring your audience “home.” Make your site the hub — while still using platforms for discovery.
That way, you get the best of both worlds: the reach of a platform and the independence of your own web presence.
The ebb and flow of real life
This isn’t just about strategy, it’s about reality.
Many creators move back and forth between platforms and their own sites based on time, focus, or even mental health.
- When life is busy, a platform like Substack or Medium is simpler. You just have to write, publish, and let the platform handle delivery.
- When there’s more bandwidth, you can invest in your own domain: grow SEO, expand monetization, and fully customize the experience.
The difference is: with your own domain as the anchor, you’re never starting from scratch.
Real-world examples
1. Early success, later reality check — The Intuitive Writing School
Jacqueline Fisch moved her blog to Substack for a year, enjoying a spike in views. But when numbers dropped and she suspected inflated metrics, she returned to her own site. Control and SEO benefits mattered more long-term.
https://theintuitivewritingschool.com/
2. An intentional “reset” — Jay’s Blog
Jay Clouse already had 64,000 subscribers but joined Substack to experiment as a beginner again. His .blog domain remains the anchor, so he can explore freely without losing home base.
https://www.jay.blog/
3. Freedom from distractions — Jan-Lukas Else
After years on Medium, Jan-Lukas left because of platform changes, competition pressures, and limited customization. Now he publishes first on his own site — then reposts — keeping control.
https://jlelse.blog/
4. Prioritizing mental health — The Borderline Crisis
For Chanél, Substack’s feature churn worsened her imposter syndrome. She moved to WordPress, kept her domain, and found a calmer creative environment.
https://theborderlinecrisis.blog/
5. Choosing simplicity — Paws and Reflect
Haley Young migrated from WordPress to Substack to escape tech stress. Crucially, she pointed her pawsandreflect.blog domain to Substack, preserving her brand identity — and her ability to move again.
https://www.pawsandreflect.blog/
6. Ethical alignment — Home with the Armadillo
Andrea Grimes left Substack for political reasons. With her own domain, she could switch to WordPress without losing her audience.
https://homewiththearmadillo.blog/
7. The startup perspective — Wisp CMS
For startups, Medium risks “customer leakage” — readers get diverted to competitors. Owning the domain keeps attention, branding, and control in-house.
https://www.wisp.blog/
Why the domain matters
From solo creators to startups, the domain is the single most important asset you own online:
- It’s portable — take it anywhere, regardless of platform.
- It’s brandable — short, memorable, and true to your identity.
- It’s yours — no algorithm or pivot can take it away.
For content creators, a .blog domain makes that purpose instantly clear. It’s recognizable, often more available than a .com, and says exactly what you do.
But whether it’s .blog, .com, or something else, the point is the same: the domain should belong to you, not the platform.
Looking ahead
The internet will keep shifting. Platforms will rise, pivot, and fall.
Your audience will find you in different ways over the years.
The one thing that should never change is where they know to find you.
So grow fast where you can, but plant your flag on a domain you own.
And if you’re a creator, make it unmistakable: put your work on yourname.blog.
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