Why The On Network Chose Ghost for our Website and Newsletter
The On Network migrated from Substack to Ghost to gain more control, better SEO, and an open-source foundation, without sacrificing stability or simplicity. Here’s why we made the switch.
When we set out to build the new On Network website and newsletter hub, we weren’t just looking for another publishing platform — we wanted a foundation.
Something open, durable, and built for long-term independence. After testing nearly every platform out there, we chose Ghost.
Open Source at the Core
At its heart, Ghost is open source.
That means we’re not locked into anyone’s walled garden, subscription scheme, or algorithm.
Thecode is public, flexible, and community-driven, not controlled by a company that could pivot, censor, or disappear. For a network built around self-sovereignty and resilience, that mattered.
Hosted for Stability
While Ghost can be self-hosted, we opted for the official hosted version (Ghost Pro). Why? Stability. We wanted all the benefits of open source without the headaches of server management, security patches, or database maintenance.
With Ghost Pro, we get rock-solid uptime, automatic updates, and professional support — all while staying true to open infrastructure principles. It’s open source, without the operational burden.
Effortless Migration from Substack
Moving from Substack to Ghost was surprisingly simple. The built-in import tools made it possible to migrate our entire archive and subscriber base with just a few clicks.
Every post, every reader — all transferred seamlessly. Within days, we were live — and new subscribers started joining right away.
Clean Design, Simple Workflow
Ghost’s minimalist design fits our publishing philosophy perfectly: no clutter, no distractions. The editor is fast and intuitive. Formatting, tagging, and publishing happen in seconds. We spend less time tweaking and more time creating.
It’s a creator-first platform that respects both the writer and the reader.
Exploring the Social Web
We’re also experimenting with Ghost’s new Social Web feature — the early foundation of an open, federated publishing layer built on ActivityPub. It’s still developing, but it hints at a future where newsletters and blogs can connect directly across the open web.
No middlemen, no centralized platforms.
That’s exactly the direction we want to go.
SEO and Performance
We connected our site directly to Google Search Console to track performance and indexing. Ghost gives us full control over meta tags, URLs, and structure, the kind of SEO flexibility Substack never offered. This means faster indexing, better visibility, and more organic reach, all while owning our content and data.
Consolidating the Network
We also brought together niche websites: Bitcoin, AI, Off-Grid, Robotics and Survival and others, under one main Ghost-powered website. Each maintains its focus, but they now share a consistent design, navigation, and subscriber experience.
Readers can explore across topics without jumping between platforms.
Final Thoughts
Ghost checked every box: ✅ Open source and future-proof ✅ Hosted and maintenance-free ✅ Fast migration from Substack ✅ Simple, clean publishing experience ✅ SEO-friendly and open-web ready For us, this wasn’t just a platform switch, it was a strategic move toward greater autonomy, performance, and connection. The On Network exists to help people build resilience, digitally, financially, and practically.
Ghost helps us do that.
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