Mastodon looks to newsletters to help revive the open social web
Key takeaways
- Mastodon, the open, decentralized alternative to Big Tech apps like X and Threads, is betting that email could help solve the open social web s biggest problem: audience growth.
- Instead, users can simply enter their email address to start getting updates from the creator.
- Because Mastodon accounts are portable, creators could still take their audience with them if they ever wanted to move to a new server.
Mastodon, the open, decentralized alternative to Big Tech apps like X and Threads, is betting that email could help solve the open social web s biggest problem: audience growth.
With the software s latest release, the social networking platform is introducing email newsletters, a feature that will allow writers to send their posts directly to subscribers inboxes, even if those subscribers don t have or want a Mastodon account.
The feature could allow Mastodon to evolve beyond being just another X alternative, and provides a way for creators to build portable audiences on the decentralized web, reducing their dependence on other social platforms. By tying the functionality to email, a communication system that s stood the test of time, Mastodon may appeal to those who want to support creators outside of Big Tech ecosystems without requiring them to sign up for a new social network.