Blogging For Beginners
Blogging isn’t easy. But it also isn’t that hard either… especially in 2026.
Most of you know me as FSO Tara/Tee… the creator of For Stackers Only! FSO went from a few followers on Twitter to 30k+ followers on Twitter, 14k+ people in this community, and 7k+ subs to this email list alone (with a few of them paid)! FSO went from an idea in 2018 to an email list in 2019 to over 14k people today in 2026.
Over the years, I have used multiple platforms to build FSO and its cult following to what it is today. I have gone through the trials and tribulations of what platforms to use, how to use them effectively, and how to best connect to YOUR community.
I always get questions about the products I use, how I use them, and why I chose to use them.. so I figure.. Why not put together something simple (like an email lol) to help others in growing their communities online like I have done before? Exactly.
Starting out I used Mailchimp. Very simple for people that just want to send simple emails and keep their community together. Why I left: my community got really big and it got expensive trying to communicate with 14k+ people with only 7k+ wanting weekly emails.. It was a lot. And it didn’t have as many features as I wanted at that price.
Then I switched over to ConvertKit. Worth the price in the beginning but as time went on, I realized I had to spend a lot of time there. They have so many features it will make your head spin. In my honest opinion, ConvertKit is an excellent option. I stopped using it because it had too much for what I was looking for in a mass email/blogging platform. It allows segmenting (which allows you to set up multiple email lists basically to send certain groups of people on your email list certain emails). Good for some businesses but not what I needed for mine.
I really just wanted something more direct, that allowed me to send basic emails to my people, for a low price (or free). In comes Substack. Before I found Substack, I used Convertkit + I created a personal blog of my emails so that people could go back and see emails before they had been subscribed. It was great, just time consuming. Then I stumbled on Substack and saw that not only could you send emails to tens of thousands of people for FREE, they archived them all as “posts” on a basic blog. And you could also add your own personal domain name too. It was a match made in heaven. Substack also allows users to post content within their posts like podcasts, video, and gifs. They allow you to host a podcast on your blog/post. AND they allow you to keep your posts free or charge a monthly/yearly fee for your most dedicated community members. It’s all editable and up to you. It’s like Shopify, but for blogging. If you’ve used Shopify you’ll know it has its pros and cons but overall very editable and easy to sell products on. Substack is easy and free to host your blog on. Just add in Youtube if you have content and edit it down for Substack and you have another free avenue for content. I started tweeting less and writing on Substack more. Both are free. Substack brings me more revenue vs simply tweeting the same thing. But don’t think I am dunking on Twitter. Twitter is where I have the most followers, where 99% of my email list came from, and where most people find my Substack.
For payment processing: STRIPE. STRIPE. STRIPE. I’ve had my issues with PayPal and I keep an account for when I can’t avoid it but rarely use it. If you don’t listen to anything else I’ve written just listen to this: Use Stripe. Stay away from Paypal. I’ve used Stripe for the last 10 years and have never had a major issue where my money was locked up for months like with Paypal.
For selling physical/digital products: Shopify. Just like Stripe, I’ve used Shopify for the last 10 years and haven’t had a significant issue that I can remember to even write about. Very easy to use and set up for any new business owner. Everything physical from FSO, I sold through Shopify. I started selling my digital downloadable content through Gumroad at first until Shopify offered a digital download option. Now I can sell hoodies and ebooks on the same platform.
Use these platforms to YOUR advantage and never let them just use you. It should be reciprocal. I get to reach my community and Substack/Twitter/Convertkit/Mailchimp/Shopify get traffic to their servers. Reciprocal.
Why I don’t use TikTok/Instagram/Youtube yet: I’m stretched thin but that’s on the way. I’ve been stacking content for all 3 for the past 2 years. I plan on editing for Youtube first then clipping for Instagram and Tiktok 2nd. Writing is a passion of mine and easy to do. Video will be mastered next especially with the advancements of Generative AI. Stay tuned.
The ‘too long, didn’t read’ is that you should always utilize the free before you pay. And know that there are pros and cons of free vs paid. Know that when you grow you will have to pay to have more options. BUT you can slide with a large community AND still get paid if you’re strategic and don’t mind sacrificing a few features.
And lastly, If you have something to say, WRITE ABOUT IT.