Why Substack Comes First

My new approach to creating content: long-form first, social media second.

After nearly two years away from social media, I knew one thing for certain.

If I came back, I didn’t want to use it the same way I had before.

This time around, I’m taking a different approach to both my personal and professional social media accounts.

My goal isn’t to post more.

My goal is to post better.

I want to focus on the quality of what I share rather than the quantity. I want to add value instead of adding more noise to an already crowded feed.

Instead of starting with social media, I’m flipping the process around.

The long-form content comes first.

From now on, Substack will be the home base for my writing. It gives me the space to go deeper into topics, explain my thinking, share facts and opinions, and have conversations that simply aren’t possible in a short social media post.

I’ll actually be using two different Substacks.

rayldavis.substack.com will be my personal publication. This is where I’ll write about a variety of topics that interest me—technology, business, current events, productivity, observations, and whatever else I find worth exploring.

touchesoftech.substack.com will be dedicated entirely to technology. That’s where I’ll share articles about websites, business technology, digital tools, troubleshooting, and ways technology can help individuals and small businesses.

Once a long-form article is published, I’ll create shorter companion posts across my social media platforms. Those posts won’t try to tell the entire story. Instead, they’ll highlight a few key points and point readers back to the full article.

Social media becomes the distribution channel—not the destination.

Will I still occasionally post something directly on social media?

Absolutely.

Not every thought needs to become a full-length article. Sometimes a quick observation or update is enough.

But when I have something I truly want to explore, it’ll start on Substack first.

This is also going to be a no-pressure process.

I’m not committing to posting every day or every week just for the sake of staying active. If something is on my mind, I’ll write about it. If I don’t have anything meaningful to say, I won’t force it.

Both publications will be free to read, with an optional paid subscription for anyone who simply wants to support my work. Nothing I’m doing today requires a paid subscription.

At the end of the day, my goal is simple.

Create content that provides value.

Write about things I’m genuinely interested in.

Help people learn something new.

And use social media as a tool instead of letting it become the destination.

Enjoyed this article?

Follow Touches of Tech on Substack for more technology articles delivered directly to your inbox.

For Ray's thoughts on technology, business, life, food, fitness, travel, and everything in between, check out The Deep Dive on Substack.