How To Create Video Posts on Substack & What is Substack TV
You’ve been asking…
- “Do I need a video post for Substack TV?”
- “What happens if I embed a video inside a podcast post?”
- “Is Substack TV even available on my TV?”
- “Is this worth doing if it’s still in beta?”
…you’re not alone.
Today’s Monetize Your Mission Mastermind (Feb 2, 2026) was basically a group therapy session for Substack video confusion - and honestly, the takeaway is way simpler than people are making it:
Make video posts. Keep it intentional. Don’t overcomplicate it.
The quick truth (so you can breathe)
- A Video Post is not the same thing as a Podcast Episode post.
- If you want your content to have the potential to show up on Substack TV, you’ll want actual video posts (not just a video stuck in the middle of a regular post).
- Substack TV is currently in beta, and it’s not available everywhere yet - so treat this like early positioning, not a guaranteed traffic faucet.
How to create a Substack Video Post (step-by-step)
Here’s the exact flow I walked through on the call:
- Go to your Dashboard
- Click Create New
- Select Video Post
- Choose the correct Section (this matters if you have multiple sections)
- Click Select File → upload your video
- Add your title (SEO-friendly is a bonus)
- Add your post text (you can paste something you already wrote — no need to reinvent your life)
- Add an image
- Set your settings:
- Decide how to send it:
- Send to everyone (full email list)
- Or publish to app only (depending on your settings/options)
Important: Video Post vs Podcast Post
If you create a video post, you’re posting a video-first piece of content.
If you create a podcast episode, that’s a different post type - even if it contains video somewhere in the body.
That difference matters when you’re thinking about Substack TV.
The “2 posts for 1 piece of content” strategy (this is the power move)
This is what I’m doing now:
- One post = video version
- One post = audio podcast version
Yes, that can feel like “two posts”…
but it’s actually two distribution channels and two chances to get seen, shared, and discovered.
It also gives you:
- another opportunity to tag people on Substack
- another opportunity for engagement
- another “surface area” for Substack’s internal discovery
And if Substack TV grows into something bigger later? You’re already positioned.
The “bells and whistles” you get with Video Posts
This is where Substack starts acting like a mini content studio.
Inside a video post, you can generate:
- Shorts (portrait or landscape)
- Clips
- Subtitles
- Transcript (copy it into your favorite AI and repurpose like crazy)
This means you can go live (or upload a video once) and turn it into:
- Substack Notes content
- YouTube shorts
- Instagram reels
- LinkedIn posts
- and more
And you don’t have to pay for extra tools like CapCut just to get basic clips out.
Auto-upload to YouTube (super important setting)
When you upload a video, you’ll see the option to auto-upload to YouTube.
My suggestion:
- connect it if you want the workflow
- but set uploads to Private first, so you can fix:
Make your images pinnable (simple visibility hack)
If you add a Pinterest-style image inside your post, you can make it clickable:
- Click the image
- Click the link icon
- Paste the post URL
Now when someone pins it (or clicks it), it takes them back to your Substack post.
That is quiet, long-term traffic.
Substack TV: what you really need to know (no drama)
Here’s the clearest version:
- Substack TV is currently available on Apple TV and Google TV devices (not the same as apps on your phone). Apple TV Google TV
- It is not on Roku (at least right now).
- If you don’t have the compatible device, you can still watch on a big screen by screencasting from your phone or laptop.
- Because it’s beta, availability can vary by country (we had UK confusion on the call).
Bottom line: Don’t let device drama stop you. The strategy still wins: create video content now so you’re ready later.
Why Lives are a visibility cheat code on Substack
Lives are powerful because:
- Substack pushes them harder (it’s real-time & community-driven)
- you can’t fake a live with AI the way you can with generic content
- the replay becomes a video post you can clip into shorts
If you want a super simple rhythm:
- Pick a consistent day/time (train your audience)
- Go live with a loose outline (no rambling required)
- Use the clips/shorts all week to point back to the full replay
The real growth lever: people & synergy
One of the best reminders from the group:
- Tagging
- cross-posting (restacking)
- collaborating with writers at similar audience size
Substack is one of the few platforms where real humans still matter - and supporting each other actually moves the needle.
(Also: Pat Flynn’s book Superfans got mentioned as a great resource on building true fans.)
Get it here from Amazon (*Affiliate Link)
Your simple “do this this week” plan
If you do nothing else, do this:
- Post one video post
- Generate 2–4 shorts
- Post one short to Notes daily
- Link people back to the full video replay
- Repeat weekly
Consistent beats chaotic. Every time.
If you want help setting up your Sections (so video & audio are clean and intentional), that’s exactly what we do inside the You World Order - come join us there!
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How To Create Video Posts on Substack & What is Substack TV
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