Substack’s Video Surge Sparks Growth and Identity Debate Among Core Writing Community

Substack’s recent push into video content is beginning to pay off, with a notable increase in embedded video usage across its platform. According to analytics firm Subalytics, video posts made up 6% of all Substack content during the first 10 days of March 2025 — the highest ever recorded.

While that may seem modest, it represents a 135% increase over the past year. Still, video posts remain a small fraction of total output, with fewer than 91,000 video-embedded posts out of the 2.8 million created between February 2024 and February 2025.

Substack Writers Debate Video Expansion and Its Impact on Platform’s Core Identity

Despite the rising adoption of video, some Substack writers are voicing concern about the platform’s shifting identity. Critics argue that the video push might not reflect what the core creator base wants. Literary agent and newsletter writer Kate McKean, for instance, expressed skepticism, stating that Substack doesn’t feel like a video-first platform and comparing it to failed video pivots by other media companies. These creators fear that if Substack leans too heavily into video, it could alienate those who built their followings on the strength of the written word.

While resistance exists, data shows that many of Substack’s most successful creators are embracing video. By February 2025, 82% of the platform’s top 250 earners had published at least one audio or video post — up from just over half in April 2024. Creators who were initially reluctant, like author Courtney Maum, now regularly include video in their content when it enhances clarity or entertainment value. However, many emphasize they’re using video selectively, not simply to align with platform trends.

Substack Embraces Video to Empower Creators Without Abandoning Its Writing-First Roots

Substack is responding to concerns by clarifying that video isn’t meant to supplant writing but to enrich it. A company spokesperson pointed to creators like Patti Smith and The Ankler as examples of how video can deepen storytelling rather than distract from it. Substack’s stance is that it aims to empower creators with more tools rather than redefine the platform’s identity. The company insists it remains fundamentally a platform for writers, albeit one with more format flexibility.

In an effort to accelerate growth in video content, Substack is now recruiting creators from other platforms, such as YouTube and TikTok. One major initiative, the TikTok Liberation Prize, awarded $25,000 to influencer Aaron Parnas to promote Substack through video.

Since winning, Parnas has focused heavily on creating long-form video content specifically for Substack while also cross-posting to YouTube. For creators like him, the platform’s format flexibility is a strength. However, the balancing act between broadening capabilities and maintaining its writer-first ethos remains Substack’s central challenge as it evolves.