LinkedIn is changing fast. Substack is exploding. And most still feel stuck.
If you want to be seen and paid to be you in 2026, you need a simple and reliable PATH that works and unstucks you.
That’s exactly what we talked about in my latest podcast with LinkedIn expert and consultant Melanie Goodman from The Link Tank™️.
And honestly… it might change how you think about growth forever.
🤫Psst.. if you’re a skimmer, Melanie and I are inviting you to our first ever LinkedIn-Substack Flywheel in March. Wanna come?
The big 2 in 2026
Before we go deeper, here’s something you need to understand.
The big 2 in 2026 are simple.
Newsletters are becoming the new newspapers and magazines. LinkedIn is becoming the new professional town square. A place to meet and have a good hang.
Newsletter readership has grown massively in the last few years. Millions of people now read newsletters daily.
Email still drives a huge part of online sales. For many it’s even the #1 driver, as for me. And most marketers say email gives the highest return of all channels.
$36 per $1 spent!
Why?
Because when someone joins your newsletter, you own that connection. No algorithm stands between you and your reader.
LinkedIn does something different. As the most trusted social media platform on planet earth, it gives you discovery. Visibility. Credibility.
Put both together and you have something powerful.
Why you should listen to this episode with Melanie
Melanie is a true LinkedIn powerhouse with more than 40,000 (!) followers.
She built her business there. She built her Substack from it. And now she monetizes both.
In the episode we talk about:
Why she never sounds salesy
How to invite people naturally
How to monetize your expertise
How to build a real flywheel that lasts
If you want real growth in 2026, don’t skip this one!
🎧 Want more subscribers and clients?
Press play and take notes. This conversation is packed.
Start with this episode and then join our LinkedIn-Substack Flywheel Bootcamp
Or keep reading…
The truth no one tells you
Most people treat LinkedIn and Substack like separate worlds. I did too! I don’t want to lie.
But I know from helping so many professionals in 2025, they aren’t. They work best together.
Melanie knows this from her clients, too. And she’s living proof! She built more than 24,000 Substack subscribers in just months after her account got restricted!
I know what you think. But she didn’t import a list or run ads.
She used LinkedIn as her (professional) discovery engine and Substack as her home base.
That’s the flywheel.
People discover you on LinkedIn. They subscribe on Substack. They become loyal readers and clients. Then some move back to LinkedIn and follow you there too.
It goes both ways. And that’s where real growth starts in 2026.
Why this works so well right now
LinkedIn gives you visibility. Substack gives you ownership.
On LinkedIn, you build credibility and reach. On Substack, you own the relationship and the email list.
Melanie calls Substack a mini website for your expertise. You can publish. Sell.
Book clients. Build recurring income.
(You heard me right… doesn’t need to be all about paywalling and paid subscribers. You can also earn money beyond paid subscriptions as so many do so well already.)
LinkedIn alone can’t do that easily. Substack’s closed system alone is harder to discover.
Together they’re powerful.
Like peanut butter and jelly for your business, as I love to say.
The reality of building an audience in 2026
Here’ssomething else you need to accept.
If you’re not exceptional at at least one core channel, building a (writing) business (even if you might not feel like a writer, as Melanie also stated, is very hard.
You can’t master everything at once. You can’t be everywhere.
If you’re a solo creator or small team, focus on one to three channels max. If a platform doesn’t drive people to your main channel (e.g. Substack or LinkedIn), it’s a distraction.
Choose one main engine
Most successful creators have one main engine. One place where most of their energy goes.
It could be a Substack newsletter. A LinkedIn page.
Over time you can grow more. But you need a strong core first.
If your main engine is a newsletter, you need discovery (beyond Substack Notes). That’s where LinkedIn becomes essential.
LinkedIn brings people in. Your newsletter keeps them and makes them customers, clients, raving fans who want to buy from you.
🎧 Listen to today’s Online Writing Club Show
Listen now and learn the exact flywheel strategy that built her audience.
And that’s exactly why we created the LinkedIn-Substack Flywheel Bootcamp 2026
Melanie and I decided to stop just talking about this. We’re teaching it LIVE.
For the first time ever, we’re hosting THE FIRST EVER LinkedIn + Substack Flywheel Bootcamp.
This is the only live experience that shows you exactly how to grow on both platforms with one clear PATH, 2 addcited women who love their fave platforms and you seeing results, fast.
Bootcamp dates: March 10 to March 13
Time:
Right now we have an EARLYBIRD with 55% OFF.
We wanted to make this a no-brainer. There’s even a 6-installments plan. If you’d like to attend but money is an issue, please send me a DM or email kristina@onlinewritingclub.com
And yes…
If you join as one of the next 10 people, you will get a special surprise from us.
We can’t wait to show you what’s possible.
Because the goal is simple:
Get seen. Earn more.
Build something you own. And thrive in 2026.
🫶🏻It’s your turn!
Don’t put all eggs in one basket. Use LinkedIn to get seen. Use Substack to build something you own.
If you’d like to join the Bootcamp, let us know in the comments, please!
And tell us:
Are you already posting on LinkedIn or still thinking about starting?
Are you already posting on Substack or still thinking about starting?
Would you like to combine both worlds?
Share your LinkedIn profile/Substack site with us in the comments and let’s connect!
