Media

Substack Goes Full TikTok Mode

Ken Metral

31 Mar 2025 — 2 min read

Credit: Substack, Inc.

Substack is no longer just a home for long-form newsletters. The platform is taking another deliberate step into social media territory with the launch of a vertical video feed inside its mobile app. The new TikTok-style interface is technically a redesign of its existing Media tab, introduced in 2024—but make no mistake, the intent is clear: Substack wants in on the short-form video game currently dominated by TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.

The new feed includes scrollable videos from creators you follow as well as algorithmically recommended content. It blends several formats of short-form video—from clips posted via Substack Notes (its microblogging tool reminiscent of Twitter), to snippets pulled from longer video posts, and soon, previews of podcast episodes.

This move isn't coming out of nowhere. Substack has been steadily building up its multimedia arsenal over the past few years. Native video support came in 2022, expanded functionality followed in 2023, and live video streaming was added in 2024. Now, with short vertical video, the company is making its most consumer-facing push yet into the social media space.

And it's working—at least for creators. According to Substack, 82% of its top-earning writers now use multimedia in some form, a significant jump from just over 50% last April. Supporting short-form video could push that number even higher and attract a new wave of creators who think in clips, not essays.

There’s also a strategic layer to the timing. The temporary reprieve that spared TikTok from a U.S. ban under President Trump is set to expire in April. If enforcement resumes, creators and audiences alike may be searching for alternatives—opening a potential lane for Substack to offer not just a home for written content, but a credible vertical video destination.

By revamping its app to spotlight video, Substack is trying to future-proof itself as more than just a newsletter platform. It's positioning as a hybrid between a creator tool, a media hub, and a discovery engine—part TikTok, part Twitter, part YouTube, and still, part Substack.

The lines between platforms are blurring—and Substack clearly doesn’t want to be left behind.

Hooters Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

Hooters of America, the iconic restaurant chain known for its wings and distinctive uniforms, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Texas in a move to address its mounting $376 million debt. But the company isn't closing up shop—instead, it’s restructuring and selling all 151 of

OpenAI Raises $40B in Historic Round, Hits $300B Valuation

OpenAI just made history. On Monday, the company announced it had closed a staggering $40 billion funding round—one of the largest private raises ever—pushing its post-money valuation to an eye-popping $300 billion. According to a blog post on OpenAI’s website, the round was led by SoftBank, with

Rocket Buys Mortgage Firm Mr. Cooper in $9.4 Billion Deal

Rocket Companies is continuing its aggressive expansion in the real estate space with the announcement of a $9.4 billion all-stock acquisition of Mr. Cooper Group Inc., one of its largest rivals in the mortgage industry. The move comes just weeks after Rocket revealed a $1.75 billion all-stock deal

Google’s AI Drug Startup Isomorphic Labs Raises $600M

Isomorphic Labs, the artificial intelligence-driven drug discovery startup spun out of DeepMind, has secured $600 million in its first-ever external funding round. The financing, led by Thrive Capital with participation from Alphabet and its venture arm GV, marks a significant milestone for the Alphabet-owned company as it scales its efforts

Read more

Hooters Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

OpenAI Raises $40B in Historic Round, Hits $300B Valuation

Rocket Buys Mortgage Firm Mr. Cooper in $9.4 Billion Deal

Google’s AI Drug Startup Isomorphic Labs Raises $600M