How to Beat Twitter Throttling Substack: Introducing y.gy

By Maya Kyler on October 22, 2023

Twitter (now known as X) has become an indispensable platform for writers and content creators to share their work and engage with their audience. However, as of a few months ago, there have been concerns about Twitter throttling or deboosting links to certain websites, including Substack. This has caused frustration among many writers who rely on these platforms to share their content and build their readership. In this blog post, we'll explore the issue of Twitter link throttling and introduce a new solution to bypass this problem using our link shortener here at y.gy.
Twitter has implemented a link throttling mechanism to combat spam, misinformation, and malicious links. While the intention is to protect users, it has had unintended consequences for legitimate users. Substack, a popular platform for independent writers, has been particularly affected by this throttle. Writers who post Substack links on Twitter have noticed reduced visibility and engagement, which can negatively impact their ability to connect with their audience.
The throttling process appears to be URL-specific , meaning that Twitter may automatically deboost or restrict the visibility of links to specific domains. In the case of Substack, it seems that Elon Musk has decided he doesn't want Twitter users navigating off-Twitter to Substack, leading to a frustrating experience for writers who want to share their Substack blog posts with their followers.
To address this issue and ensure that writers can freely share their Substack content without encountering Twitter's throttling, we've built a link shortener and link tracking service here at y.gy. Our URL shortener serves as an intermediary between your Substack links and Twitter. By using y.gy to shorten your Substack URLs, you can effectively bypass Twitter's domain-specific throttling.
Here's how you can start using y.gy to share your Substack content without limitations:
  1. Visit y.gy: Go to the y.gy website (https://y.gy)
  2. Sign Up: Create an account if you don't already have one. It's a straightforward process that requires an email address and password.
  3. Shorten Your Substack Link: Once you're logged in, simply press "Create Link" and then paste in your substack URL. Y.gy will generate a shortened link for you.
  4. Optional: you can use open graph (og) tags to add a preview description, title, and image when you share the link on external platforms like Twitter.
  5. Optional: if you don't want Twitter bots to see or access your link, you can set a CAPTCHA, a password, or a click-through preview page.
  6. Share on Twitter: Copy the shortened y.gy link and share it on Twitter like you would with any other link.

Benefits of using y.gy for posting

Using y.gy to share your Substack links on Twitter (or other social media!) comes with several advantages:
  1. No Throttling: Twitter's link throttling won't apply to y.gy links, ensuring your content is visible to your followers.
  2. Improved Engagement: With your Substack links no longer restricted, you can expect better engagement and more visibility.
  3. Customization: Y.gy allows you to customize your shortened links to make them more user-friendly and brand-appropriate. You can even use a custom domain if you want to!
  4. Analytics: You can track the performance of your links with built-in analytics, giving you insights into how your audience interacts with your content.

Conclusion

Twitter's link throttling has posed a challenge for writers and content creators trying to share their Substack content on the platform. With the introduction of y.gy, writers now have a solution to bypass this issue and ensure their work reaches their audience without restrictions. By using y.gy to shorten Substack links, writers can regain control over their content's visibility and engagement on Twitter, ultimately helping them build a more significant online presence. So, if you're a writer looking to share your Substack blog posts hassle-free, give y.gy a try and get your engagement back!.

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