What I wish I knew: 10 principles for Substack growth
If you’re like me (still figuring it out), here’s what you need to know
A quick heads-up: this article caters specifically to fellow Substack creators and can be found in the Writers’ Corner of my publication. If you’re here for markets, politics, culture, or my usual content, expect more on that very soon!
“If my writing is solid, it’ll grow itself,” or, “My unique perspectives will bring readers to the table”—basically any derivation of “If you build it, they will come”—is how I convinced myself to just write the damn article and post it that first time. I’d been ruminating on the idea of launching a Substack for at least a month by then.
Now, two months in, I’m realizing just how little I knew at the outset. I could easily fill pages with the mistakes I’ve made, the vital role of branding, and how email marketing isn’t nearly as intuitive as I’d hoped. And someday, I’ll dive into all of that (I still have plenty of learning to do myself). But today, I want to share something broader—a list of ten reminders I keep coming back to. Universal principles, if you will.
For those in the early innings of the creator journey on Substack, these are principles you either can learn upfront or, as I often did, through trial and error. Even if you’re already established, you might find a few valuable nuggets here. This is by no means an exhaustive list (and there’s no particular order), but I hope these insights offer a foundation for sustainably growing your own publication.
Leverage the Recommendations feature to unlock subscriber growth. Many creators on the platform are open to recommending your publication if you do the same for theirs. But to do this the right way, be mindful of your ideal reader's interests and ensure that any publications you choose to recommend align with their tastes and preferences (see points 5 and 6 for more on "suitability"). ~15% of my new subscribers have come just through this channel.
Utilize the platform’s Notes feature. Like, comment, and engage in discourse… genuinely!1 When I receive a notification of someone liking or replying to one of my notes, I almost always check out that person’s profile; I presume others do the same. You’ll quickly learn that Notes (if done well) can be a growth hack. Personally, my goal is to post at least one thoughtful Note and spend 30-45 minutes engaging on Notes each day. I can’t quantify exactly how much of my growth is attributable to this, but I’m fairly certain it’s not insignificant—ballpark, let’s say 15-20%.
Reach out to your close friends and family, ask for their email, and explain that you are subscribing them to your newsletter. Worst case scenario, they unsubscribe, in which case you should absolutely not take it personally. The best case scenario is that they resonate with your work and feel compelled to share it with others. ~30% of my subscribers are people I know in real life, and they are some of the most engaged with my writing! They’re also more inclined to share your work with others.
Make a habit of mentioning other Substack creators in your notes and posts (using the “@” function). I’ve been trying to do this increasingly often, especially if I’m working on something that is heavily researched. If you can find a perspective on Google, chances are that perspective also exists on Substack. Find it, and mention the writer in your work. It will be appreciated, become grounds for connecting with said writer, and ultimately increase visibility for the both of you.
Audience size ≠ profitability. There’s only a loose correlation between the two. This goes for any content creation platform; the profitability lies in your audience’s degree of engagement and the robustness of your calls to action, both of which share no direct relationship to your number of subscribers. The takeaway? Garner a readership base for whom your content is suitable. Subscribers who uniquely stand to benefit from your specific value proposition. In start-up vernacular, this is called “product-market fit,” which leads me to the next point…
Followers ≠ subscribers.2 But followers aren’t meaningless, either. I view each new follower as a potential subscription lead, but only if it’s a good fit. What I mean by this is when I’m browsing the page of another account on Substack, I may follow them instead of subscribing if I’m not all that interested in their publication(s), but still wish to keep tabs. I assume this is how others treat it as well. It never hurts to DM a new follower, introduce yourself, and if nothing else, establish a new connection. You never know when or how a random connection will eventually pay dividends.
Be authentic to a fault.3 The only sustainable path to connecting with your audience is if you are unapologetically yourself. If you seek to eventually monetize, you will only be able to grow your monthly share of readers’ wallets to the extent you grow your share of their hearts and minds. This requires connecting with them at a fundamental human level by continuously telling your personal story and weaving your personality into your content. Consider laying out your mission statement, your “why,” or your general backstory so that your audience has a clear understanding of who the human is on the other side of the words they read and what that human is seeking to accomplish.
Do not obsess over the numbers. It’s a waste of time and will drive you crazy. Yes, your numbers should be intermittently observed and leveraged to inform your strategy. But over-analyzing and obsessing over the numbers will crush your spirit and ultimately corrode the soul behind your creativity. Establish your formula for longevity and adhere to it, day in and day out. That being said…
Being agile is an absolute must. Never marry yourself to your ideas, as you will inevitably experiment with ideas that don’t pan out. Strategic mishaps should never come as a shock. The more honest you are with yourself and the more you listen to the market, the more agile you’ll be when the writing on the wall is telling you to course-correct. Eat your humble pie, learn the lesson, and adjust accordingly. Being unafraid to fail and being willing to pivot your strategy are two sides of the same coin.
Show gratitude every step of the way—to subscribers, followers, peers, partners… everyone. Aim to build a community that feels inclusive by reminding people that you couldn’t have achieved any of this without each and every one of them. Feel it, because it’s true! Always, always, always thank the humans whose eyeballs could be anywhere else but are on your cute little blog. They chose to read your words. And when other creators bring value to your operation, sing their praises. At worst, you’ll make their day; at best, they’ll return the favor and help expand your reach. To that end…
I’d like to conclude with a very special thanks to several Substack creators who have each been uniquely valuable in my journey as a writer so far. These individuals have built impressive presences as creators, with content aimed at helping others do the same! Here they are (again, in no particular order):
As always, THANK YOU for subscribing, reading, and continuing to engage.
If you’re a writer and you found this article helpful, you may also be interested in a previous article of mine on writing with ChatGPT:
Thanks for the mention!
Wow, thank you so much for the shoutout William! I love the tips you mentioned here! I feel like the more I spread love and mention other creators, the less I focus on numbers lol. Substack is definitely more fun that way! Keep up the great work! :)