Introducing direct messaging on Substack
Strengthening relationships among writers and readers
Starting today, you can send direct messages to other writers and readers on Substack. This highly requested feature allows you to start private, one-to-one conversations with anyone in the Substack network.
Substack is built on the strength of our network. From recommendations to guest posts, Notes to Chat, we’ve heard incredible stories about the connections writers have made through the platform—and, in turn, how these connections helped writers grow. We hope DMs will make it even more seamless to spark and strengthen these relationships.
How DMs on Substack work
Direct messages live in the Chat tab on the Substack website and app, and appear alongside chats from your subscribed publications. You can start a DM from any writer or reader’s profile page, from the Chat tab, or by hitting “Share” on a post or a note. When you receive a DM, you’ll be notified in the app and by email.1
By default, you’ll only receive DMs from users you’re connected to. Other messages will go to a Requests folder for you to accept or reject. Users you’ve blocked or banned will never be able to message you, and you can report any messages that violate Substack’s Content Guidelines.
We first tested DMs with a small group of writers. During this trial period, we found three great ideas for how you might use DMs to grow your Substack:
Build subscriber loyalty
Engaging personally with readers is one of the best ways to retain them. Try adding a “Send a message” button to your next post—this can be a nice way to solicit news tips, collect questions for a subscriber mailbag, or simply encourage readers to share how they found your work.
DMs can also serve as a perk for paying readers. From your settings, you can limit DM requests to just your paid or founding subscribers. Others will then see a lock icon and a call-to-action to subscribe.
Connect with fellow writers
We hope DMs will make it even easier to build relationships with other writers on Substack.
, who hosts the popular AI podcast The Gradient, wrote: “I used DMs almost immediately after [the beta] launched to contact a writer I really admire about doing an interview on my podcast—we’d run into each other on Substack Notes previously, so it kind of made sense to use the platform itself to get in touch. The episode will be coming out soon!”So next time you see a writer you’d like to collaborate with—or just read a post you truly love—consider sending a friendly DM to say “hello”!
Learn more about how writers can collaborate to grow.
Cultivate reader community
DMs can also help bring together your reader community, which may already be flourishing in Chat or the comments.
, who curates a vibrant Chat community on her fashion Substack What I Put On Today, told us:“I’m excited about DMs because they allow me to connect with my community directly and easily. Substack is a better place to create a community, because people are able to talk to one another, whereas other platforms, like Instagram, can feel one-sided.”
Readers can share posts with each other via DM as well, which may introduce even more people to your work.
Learn more about how writers are using Substack Chat to nurture reader community
We’re looking forward to seeing the different ways you use DMs to build new connections, and we’ll improve the product as we learn. Let us know how you plan to use DMs, in the comments below!
To learn more about using DMs, check out our support article.
These notifications are customizable. We only send emails when you have outstanding unread messages or message requests, and these emails can be toggled off from your user settings. To keep up with your DMs, you can also enable push notifications from your app settings.
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