I'm moving to substack

I'm officially making the move to Substack!!

This has been the subject of about a year of deliberation, spinning around my head in circles.

I have a feeling my thought process on this might be of interest. So I'm going to share a bit about that today too.

I'll caveat this whole post by saying that any plan I make is a learning process and, therefore, subject to change. Learning and iteration are key, right?

"What exactly does moving to Substack mean?" you wonder.

Over the next few weeks, I'll be moving most of my publishing activities to Substack, including my old self-published content, my current Dear Nikki podcast episodes, and my new content, which consists of continuing the podcast and a blog.?

I believe in consolidating activities to achieve the greatest impact. I could keep publishing via LinkedIn and on other websites. I have several goals I want to accomplish, including a dedicated space for me to share my own content in a way I haven’t been able to: real examples, case studies from my previous work, and my thoughts/opinions on things I see. It's going to be a new and improved type of content than you've normally seen from me.

Already excited and want to know all the details? Join me on Substack.

What prompted this move?

There are a number of factors that contributed to this decision. All of them have been growing more forceful since I first started to consider them. I’m operating in complete full transparency and vulnerability here, which you will see in my upcoming content, so please always feel free to share any questions you might have.?

1. My contract writing has slowed down considerably, and I love writing too much to give it up

If you know me, you know I’ve been writing for various companies, namely dscout, for the past five years. With everything going on in the product and tech world, my contract writing has slowed down. In this admittedly scary time for me, I made a big decision. Instead of writing for other companies, I decided to write for myself (and you!) directly. I love writing so much, and the last thing I want to do is give that up as it is so meaningful (and I’ve been told my articles are helpful), so I am going out there on my own to continue producing amazing and actionable content for you.

2. Social media sucks. And it's getting suckier.

My style and goals simply don't match what social media platforms want from users today. That means my capacity for growth and discovery via social media is severely limited. The ever-changing algorithms are a nightmare, and having to follow those “rules” just doesn’t feel fun. I hate it when a post goes out, and I forget to add the link in the comments because you won't get any traction if you put a link in your LinkedIn post.

I also hate the fear-mongering, politics, and bad advice that are rife on social media. It makes me so sad and frustrated to see it.

Moreover, I often spend at least two full days planning my LinkedIn content and ensuring everything makes sense. In that time, I could create much more meaningful content for you that is so much more in-depth and concrete.?

Relying on only owned media is tricky because growth depends on organic sharing and word of mouth. And so I've kept up with LinkedIn... but even with the quality of my posts, the returns have slowed to a trickle. It seems that only controversial and fear-based posts are getting the big push up the algorithms. And I just don’t have the patience for that.

For now, I've decided to continue to post on LinkedIn. But I won't be devoting creative energy to those posts. Rather than simply announcing new articles or episodes (blah...), I've developed templates to use so I can quickly republish "valuable" pieces of content without sinking hours into making them totally new. I’ll also be sharing links to my substack and membership on LinkedIn so you can join into the real fun.

3. I've been looking for a more reliable growth engine.

Audience growth just doesn't happen with any reliability on social media anymore because we all have so little control over who sees our content.

Substack has a growth engine built into it. Some months back, they rolled out tagging and cross-posting. Recommendations allow you to showcase other writers and have writers showcase you back. It’s about building trusted relationships and community – and I’m all for that, which brings me to…

4. I really do just want to write, podcast, and host my membership

Unlike social media platforms that are ad-supported, Substack makes money when its writers make money. As far as Silicon Valley goes, that's a risky strategy (and there is reason to believe Substack is still trying to figure it out). But what that means for writers is that Substack's goals and its writers' goals are aligned.

Substack wants its writers to make money because that's how it makes money. Most social media platforms don't care whether their users make money, they care about views and user engagement because that's how they make money.

And truly, all I want to do is write, podcast, and host my user research membership. I think my work fills a gaping hole among user researchers (and those who conduct research) who feel lonely and overwhelmed in the space - usually faced with impostor syndrome - and I try to help them climb out of that hole. Obviously, I don't know how the money situation will play out yet—but I have some confidence that it will pay off.

5. I’ve been inspired by others

There are some other fantastic writers on Substack who I have been hugely inspired by, such as:

• The Pragmatic Engineer
• Lenny’s Newsletter
• The Full-Stack Researcher

I see the type of content they are sharing, and I think to myself, “I want to do just that.” I want to share impactful content directly with you through stories and real past experiences I’ve had. Through this medium, I will share behind-the-scenes moments as a user researcher, sharing real work because that’s where the learnings come from.?

I hope I can live up to the amazing writers I look up to on this platform, and I’m certainly excited to try.

Already excited? Join me on Substack.

A few pre-meditated Q&As

Why are you charging for the content when I could get it for free before?

Let me tell you, for empaths with a people-pleasing complex, pricing is an absolute nightmare. I have always prided myself on having multiple tiers of content for people to self-select into. However, this thing that I do every day is my business, and I do need to get paid for my content. A reason you could get all my content for free before is that companies paid me to write as a contractor, and while I will still put out limited content to these companies, I do need to make sure I pay myself.

Since I’ve been around the block, I have a lot to share, and I share it as transparently and vulnerably as I can, which makes my content different than what you might see online. I promise you it’s valid and reliable - and has been tested. I tend to write content based on all the times I went to look for an article to help me through a problem. Since I write through that perspective, I make my content as simple and actionable as possible - I want every piece of writing to lead you to your next step. I also want my pets to live comfortable lives ??

Just like what I have strived for in the past, my Substack will have a free and paid subscription. You can check out all those details here.

How will this differ from your previous content/stuff I can find online?

Well, there will be some differences, but it will also be quite similar in that I will still be bringing you the best possible content I can - filled with actual examples, stories, guides, and concrete actionable walk-throughs that you can read and immediately implement.?

I’ve been a user researcher for the past decade just about. Do I have the most experience in the world? Nope. Am I the most qualified? Nope. Am I the best user researcher ever? Likely not! But what I do know is that I love sharing with people so that they learn. I have a knack for story-telling and giving people what they need to take action on something they may have struggled with in the past. People tell me regularly that they appreciate my content and that it has helped them through many struggles.

I aim to continue doing just that – helping user researchers (and those who conduct it) feel more confident and creative while falling in love with the craft of user research.?

Plus, as I mentioned, I am hugely transparent and vulnerable with my work and content, which means I share mistakes, actual stories, and real case studies, which you will see in my upcoming content on Substack.

What about your bi-weekly newsletter?

I will still run my user research bi-weekly newsletter for the foreseeable future. At first, I was going to try to roll it into my other content on Substack, but the logistics were really holding me back, so I am not including it yet, and it will serve as a separate area. I will, however, be sharing free and paid substack content within the newsletter, which you can access if you sign up for my substack.?

If anything changes, I will always give my newsletter subscribers a huge heads-up.?

What about your user research membership?

I am hugely excited about my user research membership and growing it to its full potential - I put a lot of time and effort into my membership and am hugely determined to keep it going for years to come. In being part of my user research membership, you will get access to all my paid substack content plus every other amazing thing that already comes within the membership. I highly recommend it, if I do say so myself.

And finally, a note on the politics of Substack...

Every time they announce a new feature, I'm impressed by how writer-centric their development has been. And that says quite a lot to me.

Every social media platform has drawbacks and involves political compromise. Substack's commitment to writers says a lot about the little-p politics driving the business. And I feel (mostly) comfortable moving forward with them.

Want to see what all the fuss is about?

Join me on Substack.