In this guide, we’ll walk you through the tools that you have to add polish and personality to your website and to organize your posts, creating an easy-to-navigate experience for readers.
My branding has colors and fonts. I can set the color codes but the font selection is pretty limited. It would be great to support Google Fonts at least. No need for fancy custom fonts, but one should be able to use the name of a Google Font (which is distributed via CDN across the globe, without a serious performance hit).
Fonts allow giving a true character and feeling on top of the colors. I wish substack adds this feature.
Me too. I don't like slab or mono at all, so I guess classic or fancy will have to do. I feel like I'm choosing eh upscale of Comic Sans just to be different.
Useful stuff for sure. But a plea to you Substack boss honchos: fix up your searchabilty. How come peeps can search on google for my exact post title, a phrase or even a Newsletter name, and get absolutely NO success. I can't even get a result using Substack's own search function to search for my own posts.
I know it might sound stupid, but one of the few reasons considering NOT to use substack is the wordmark being so small and that there is no option to make it bigger.
Right? My guess it's cause of mobile UI, so they had to make it fit in small screens, but I'm still baffled that I can't see it with a proper size when on laptop or desktop
You know what would be useful? A feature called Categories in which readers could consult a list of topics they might be interested in (like a pet care Substack might offer categories for Dogs, Cats, Little Critters, Animal Rescue, Pet Selection, etc.
I need to know how Elle Griffin is able to display two rows of "Most Recent Posts" right below her hero post. Also, how she gets 4 post columns in all her groups on the home page. If you look at my homepage all I get is an option for "Most popular" and they are super tiny. Also, in my groups they only run 3 columns across the page.
No I didn't get a response but have since figured out how to fully customize homepages. This original comment was a year ago and I don't think all the features were rolled out yet.
BTW, a hero post is just a regular post you write as a welcome of sorts. Then, you pin it to your homepage so it always sits at the top. Readers know to click on it and read it.
If you'd like to see examples, go look at my pubs and you'll notice a "welcome/start here" in the center. Those are what we call hero posts.
What I can't find is how people set the font size and the page width? For example, the font size and page width of this post. I have minuscule fonts and a narrow column that is completely at odds with those of other writers. There is nothing in the font styles and layout of the site design settings. What am I doing wrong? Any suggestion?
Man, figuring out all this stuff about email sections and when to let people unsubscribe is a real brain-twister. I keep worrying that if I mix things up too much, everyone will just bail on all the emails they get. It's like, how do you balance giving people options with not overwhelming them, you know? It's tricky trying to come up with a game plan for this feature. For more info visit https://archive.ph/.
I added a page to my nav bar. I have my settings to move all archives to paywall after a certain time. Although this article states that a page doesn't go into the archive, my stand-a-lone page is going into the archive and then become unavailable to free viewers. Am I simply misunderstanding how the Page feature works, or am I doing something wrong setting it up?
Thank you for the helpful information. I want to be able to choose a list of my most important publications that should be displayed in an appropriately labelled section on my home page. This list is not chronological and is not easily ordered based on the number of likes, views, comments, etc. Is there a way of calling viewer attention to such a list, and creating a custom list like this on the home page? Thanks again.
And for anyone who wants more design options, Canva delivers fantastic results. But I think you guys already recommend that anyway.
I have a post here about Canva, and if anyone would like help with it, I’m starting 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐯𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 – 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐛 𝐨𝐧 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟔.
The doors to the course are already open, and there’s an early-bird price available.
I built million websites but substack drives me crazy. Why are my damn post texts not showing up on my substack website?!?! Why must the layout (profil vs. website; backends profil vs. backend website) look so identical?!?!? I´m freaking out. Can´t be that hard.
My branding has colors and fonts. I can set the color codes but the font selection is pretty limited. It would be great to support Google Fonts at least. No need for fancy custom fonts, but one should be able to use the name of a Google Font (which is distributed via CDN across the globe, without a serious performance hit).
Fonts allow giving a true character and feeling on top of the colors. I wish substack adds this feature.
Me too. I don't like slab or mono at all, so I guess classic or fancy will have to do. I feel like I'm choosing eh upscale of Comic Sans just to be different.
Useful stuff for sure. But a plea to you Substack boss honchos: fix up your searchabilty. How come peeps can search on google for my exact post title, a phrase or even a Newsletter name, and get absolutely NO success. I can't even get a result using Substack's own search function to search for my own posts.
Substack really screwed the pooch on this one.
I know it might sound stupid, but one of the few reasons considering NOT to use substack is the wordmark being so small and that there is no option to make it bigger.
I am not sure if it is still an issue for you, but we are talking about a wordmark. Many Substackers, instead of a wordmark, upload a graphic.
I'm battling with this issue six months into substack. It seems that everyone has the same problem
Why can I not fix this!! I have seen a few Substacks with nicely sized wordmarks? It must be possible?!
Right? My guess it's cause of mobile UI, so they had to make it fit in small screens, but I'm still baffled that I can't see it with a proper size when on laptop or desktop
Many Substack creators try to upload an entire graphic — or even a complete image — instead of using a proper wordmark.
https://5minutedigitalshortcuts.substack.com/p/the-power-of-a-classic-wordmark-why
You know what would be useful? A feature called Categories in which readers could consult a list of topics they might be interested in (like a pet care Substack might offer categories for Dogs, Cats, Little Critters, Animal Rescue, Pet Selection, etc.
Talk to me about wordmarks
Many Substack creators try to upload an entire graphic — or even a complete image — instead of using a proper wordmark.
https://5minutedigitalshortcuts.substack.com/p/the-power-of-a-classic-wordmark-why
More fonts and a bigger wordmark. Then Substack will be the perfect choice for everybody. It is really that simple
Many Substack creators try to upload an entire graphic — or even a complete image — instead of using a proper wordmark.
https://5minutedigitalshortcuts.substack.com/p/the-power-of-a-classic-wordmark-why
I need to know how Elle Griffin is able to display two rows of "Most Recent Posts" right below her hero post. Also, how she gets 4 post columns in all her groups on the home page. If you look at my homepage all I get is an option for "Most popular" and they are super tiny. Also, in my groups they only run 3 columns across the page.
Did you ever get a response? I don't even see "hero" on as an option for me. And recent posts is always posted.
I missed your reply, sorry!
No I didn't get a response but have since figured out how to fully customize homepages. This original comment was a year ago and I don't think all the features were rolled out yet.
BTW, a hero post is just a regular post you write as a welcome of sorts. Then, you pin it to your homepage so it always sits at the top. Readers know to click on it and read it.
If you'd like to see examples, go look at my pubs and you'll notice a "welcome/start here" in the center. Those are what we call hero posts.
https://wildhoodwanted.substack.com/
https://unstackit.substack.com/
“Pages are standalone posts hidden from your homepage that do not populate in your archive”
If they are hidden how do people see it?
You can publish the page you created with a link on your homepage.
Go to Settings, then Pages and navigation, then to Homepage links and select Edit.
What I can't find is how people set the font size and the page width? For example, the font size and page width of this post. I have minuscule fonts and a narrow column that is completely at odds with those of other writers. There is nothing in the font styles and layout of the site design settings. What am I doing wrong? Any suggestion?
does anyone know how to show an image in the "archive" view? i can't seem to see any images in my post in the "archive" view. thanks in advance!
Go into your post, click edit, then go to settings. You should have a picture in the social preview if you don't, upload one.
I am trying to make it work, but the whole design concept is horrible.
Man, figuring out all this stuff about email sections and when to let people unsubscribe is a real brain-twister. I keep worrying that if I mix things up too much, everyone will just bail on all the emails they get. It's like, how do you balance giving people options with not overwhelming them, you know? It's tricky trying to come up with a game plan for this feature. For more info visit https://archive.ph/.
For the pages:
I added a page to my nav bar. I have my settings to move all archives to paywall after a certain time. Although this article states that a page doesn't go into the archive, my stand-a-lone page is going into the archive and then become unavailable to free viewers. Am I simply misunderstanding how the Page feature works, or am I doing something wrong setting it up?
Thank you for the helpful information. I want to be able to choose a list of my most important publications that should be displayed in an appropriately labelled section on my home page. This list is not chronological and is not easily ordered based on the number of likes, views, comments, etc. Is there a way of calling viewer attention to such a list, and creating a custom list like this on the home page? Thanks again.
You can organize your homepage by using tags. Choose a tag (can also be a sentence). You can organize your homepage in the homepage settings.
I just started following you. You give sound advice. I like your posts and content.
And for anyone who wants more design options, Canva delivers fantastic results. But I think you guys already recommend that anyway.
I have a post here about Canva, and if anyone would like help with it, I’m starting 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐯𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 – 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐛 𝐨𝐧 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟔.
The doors to the course are already open, and there’s an early-bird price available.
So if you’re interested — come on board!
Here is the link to my post:
https://5minutedigitalshortcuts.substack.com/p/create-with-confidence-why-canva
I built million websites but substack drives me crazy. Why are my damn post texts not showing up on my substack website?!?! Why must the layout (profil vs. website; backends profil vs. backend website) look so identical?!?!? I´m freaking out. Can´t be that hard.