I may have lied to you, unintentionally.
A while back I told you that I was migrating my website hosting from Ghost to Substack. Which I did, and I plan to continue writing there.
But, I’m also keeping my main website going as well.
Why would I keep two separate blogs going?
That’s the question I kept asking myself.
My personality likes to simplify things when possible. So, my intent was to move everything to Substack.
But, then I got to studying what some of my lifestyle business idols do.
The main person I looked at was Justin Welsh.
I’ve consumed Justin’s content for a while now. Starting with his blog and last year I joined his community. Even this week I watched a recorded version of a webinar he had led.
Justin uses the exact content playbook that I’m going to share with you today.
Studying how he leverages it led me to the same decision.
Going forward I’ll have my main website and blog (at JonathanMillsPatrick.com), but I’ll also have my new Substack (at JonathanMillsPatrick.Substack.com) blog.
The reason I’m doing this, and the reason Justin does it, is simple - segmentation.
Having separate content allows me to segment my audiences and write content on each site that is targeted at those segmented audiences.
How it looks for Justin:
JustinWelsh.me = actionable frameworks and step-by-step systems to start, grow, and monetize their personal brand and online business.
Unsubscribed.co = philosophical insights and a private community to overcome high-level challenges like burnout, finding fulfillment, and making strategic, long-term decisions.
Those are two distinct types of written content targeted at two distinct ICPs (Ideal Customer Profiles).
Because I attract two distinct types of audiences myself, I decided to use a similar structure. Like this:
JonathanMillsPatrick.com = early-stage entrepreneurs and founders who need help getting their business off the ground. Here I provide more of a “behind-the-scenes” look at how I run my business.
JonathanMillsPatrick.Substack.com = more established businesses who need go-to-market advice to reignite a stalling growth engine.
Now, a cautionary tale.
It can be hard to keep up with some much content production. On top of writing for both sites, I’m back to heavily producing content for my YouTube channel.
In fact, soon I’ll be rolling out my 30-day Founder Blueprint series. If that sounds interesting, be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel.
If this structure resonates with you, and you feel like you can keep up with the content production, below are more details about how you should think about a dual blog approach.
🚀 The Foundation – Your Website Blog
Your website blog is the undisputed anchor of your entire online presence. It is your home base—the one place where you have ultimate control over your content, branding, and monetization.
Ownership and Control is Paramount
When you publish content on your own domain (e.g., yourname.com/blog), you own the platform. You control the design, the user experience, the data, and, most importantly, the terms of service. This autonomy is crucial for establishing long-term brand authority and mitigating the risk of platform changes affecting your business.
The SEO Powerhouse
Your website blog is the single most important tool for attracting organic traffic from search engines. You have the power to:
- Target specific, high-value keywords.
- Build a robust network of internal and external links.
- Create comprehensive Pillar Content and long-form guides that establish your authority on a subject.
This consistent, free influx of search traffic is indispensable for sustainable growth.
An Integrated Marketing Hub
A blog on your own site integrates seamlessly with your business objectives. It serves as the top of your marketing funnel, allowing you to:
- Use lead generation forms to build your main email list. For example, I use Kit.
- Showcase your products, services, and portfolio.
- Retarget visitors with ads based on their behavior.
Your website is where casual interest is converted into valuable leads and customers.
✉️ The Expansion – Substack as a Strategic Complement
While your website is optimized for broad discovery and conversion, Substack offers a distinctly different, yet equally valuable, set of benefits centered on direct audience connection.
Simplified Publishing and Built-In Monetization
For the creator, Substack removes the technical headaches of web design, hosting, and managing payment systems. Its robust, built-in system makes offering paid subscriptions incredibly simple. This lowers the barrier to entry for launching a dedicated premium content stream.
Community Building and Niche Authority
Substack excels at fostering community through its native comments section, private discussion threads, and dedicated subscriber spaces. This can transform passive readers into an engaged community, leading to:
- Higher loyalty and retention.
- Valuable feedback and content ideas.
- Word-of-mouth growth driven by a passionate fan base.
- Substack has an excellent recommendation engine, where other authors can recommend your blog, that may make it easier for readers to find your content.
Diversified Content Formats
Substack is perfectly suited for content that might not fit your website's typical format, such as:
- Longer, philosophical essays or personal reflections.
- Serialized fiction or deep-dive reports.
- Audio notes or integrated podcasts.
It allows you to experiment with voice and tone without disrupting your main blog’s content strategy.
🔗 The Synergy – Why Both Are Better Than One
Combining the SEO power and flexibility of your website with the deep engagement and simple monetization of Substack creates a content marketing engine far greater than the sum of its parts.
Reach Different Audiences Effectively
- Website: Attracts the discovery audience—people searching for information, solutions, and guides via Google.
- Substack: Cultivates the dedicated audience—people who value your voice enough to subscribe directly to their inbox and potentially pay for premium access.
Strategic Content Differentiation
The key to making this dual strategy work is don't duplicate, differentiate. Offer distinct value on each platform:
For example, you can publish the framework for a new strategy on your website and publish a personal case study and Q&A on implementing it exclusively on your Substack.
Cross-Promotion and Risk Mitigation
Use each platform to amplify the other:
- On your Website: Include a clear call-to-action (CTA) on your website blog posts inviting readers to "get my exclusive weekly commentary" by subscribing to your Substack.
- On Substack: Link back to relevant, SEO-rich guides on your website to drive traffic to your core products and services.
This cross-pollination diversifies your audience sources, ensuring that if one platform (like a social media network) changes its algorithm, your business remains stable and accessible through two distinct content streams.
💡 Implementing Your Dual Blog Strategy – Best Practices
To successfully manage two publishing platforms, focus on efficiency and clear positioning:
- Develop a Unified Content Calendar: Plan content themes and publishing dates in one central calendar to avoid overlap and ensure consistent output across both channels. I used a Content Planner in Notion to manage this for me.
- Define Your Value Proposition: Clearly articulate to your audience why they should follow you in both places. "Follow my website for step-by-step guides, subscribe to my Substack for my personal opinions." Or vice versa.
- Prioritize Consistency: Maintain a regular publishing schedule for both. If your website blog publishes monthly, ensure your Substack newsletter goes out weekly (or vice versa).
- Leverage Email Marketing: Use your website's email sign-up forms to promote your Substack, and use your Substack's welcome email to promote your website's best resources.
🏁 Takeaway(s)
Embracing a dual content strategy with a primary website blog and a complementary Substack publication is not about doubling your workload—it’s about doubling your impact.
By leveraging your website for long-term SEO gains and business integration, and utilizing Substack for intimate audience engagement and flexible monetization, you create a resilient, powerful content marketing ecosystem designed for both reach and revenue. It is an investment in securing your place as an authority in your niche, regardless of where the digital landscape shifts next.