Please! This is all good advice but where’s Blue Sky in all of this? I am a professional member with The Authors Guild and hundreds of members are setting up writing-related accounts on Blue Sky presently, especially using Starter Packs. I am still not experienced with Blue Sky yet but the site is certainly growing and evolving as I write! Please consider advising? I’m preparing several articles to relaunch full-time here on Substack in a few weeks ahead. I certainly would appreciate the promotional guidance for my new and yet unused accounts on Blue Sky!
I think this is more about NoteStack that Substack now. I feel like the writing and editing tools are being ignored in favor of being the one size fits all social media app that will take and chase people on other apps.
Social media people are less likely to read longform content than those searching out longform content. So just having a following of people that don't read, is pointless to the writer. But, we're not about the writers anymore, right?
Exactly! I came to Substack because I though readers wanted to, well, read. But apparently not! Right away I was advised by a couple of friends that my stacks were too long. That they should be no longer than 900 - 1300 words! I have plenty of followers, that I can't reach because they receive nothing from me, like subscribers do (and I do not charge anything). They think it's a way of supporting my work, but it doesn't feel that way.
I agree I am sick of the long, on and on stories of self pity or alcohol addiction . Or just boring rambling. I am sympathetic to self pity and problems with alcohol but writing shorter pieces would encourage me to read to the end.. I haven't found a good way to engage short or long however!
I, too, am sick of endless pleas for "compassion" for: Domestic abuse, Narcissist "victims", lives ruined by drugs and alcohol abuse, and people who want to have the secrets to happiness, lasting relationships, wealth and fame spelled out for them--as if we all wouldn't have those things if it were that easy. It's time for readers as well as writers to broaden their intellectual and spiritual horizons.
You gotta know we’re all deluged with ‘content’ every minute of the day. It takes valuable time to read the good stuff, never mind the drivel you have to cull…
In general these seem like good tips, but I have found that my website drives more subscribers to my Substack than social media. After I email my newsletter out each month, I add a portion of it to the blog on my website. It has been helpful to do so, because if a reader enjoys my blog, they are able to sign up for my newsletter from the embed on my website. While the Substack network seems to be the primary way new subscribers find me, my website is the second best source for interested readers to find my work, much more than social media sites.
Curious if others have noticed a drop in engagement when mentioning Substack on Instagram, whether in Stories or captions, etc.? Any mention of "Substack" or even "newsletter" seems to tank my view count, etc.
Exactly. It kills ypur visibility to post links to other platforms, and since my visibility on Substack is near zero after I've been working on it for almost two years, it doesn't make sense
Can I also add some advice for Bluesky and Threads users?
I first blew my newsletter up with Twitter threads made of some of my newsletter's stories. Substack interviewed me about it here: https://on.substack.com/p/grow-series-7
Until recently, I had no idea if this approach would work as well on the new crop of Twitter-like platforms - but a few weeks ago, I got my answer, when one of my multi-'tweet' stories went viral on both Bluesky and Threads, and got me over a thousand free signups in three days: https://substack.com/@everythingisamazing/note/c-117127783
It's pretty much the same technique as I used before: tell a good story with plenty of "wow!" moments, make it addictive with foreshadowing, and somewhere in there, put a link back to your Substack.
Dear Substack team: I'd be happy to write a follow-up post for you or do another interview, if you want further details!
I plan to do this by getting creative. For those who are serious about their Substack, a one-time fee of $50 lets you direct your domain name straight to Substack. I’m currently using this for www.industrialpsych.org, and for my local school board blog www.educatetecumseh.org. Both links go straight to Substack so I don’t even need to bother building a website.
I used Namecheap for the domain but I think I use Wix to point the URL to Substack. It was pretty easy, I think it took a day to completely switch to Substack from my former Wix website. AI can be really helpful with directions on setting it up, but there’s also a really good Substack help guide too
Substack hobbled our effort to transition audiences to the platform, so we stopped building on Substack and returned to promoting stand-alone web sites.
You want people here, but you are making it harder and harder with low subs to even get seen here? Even hiding post with your own links. So what's the point of even move a following from one place to another?
I mean you started Notes because Twitter banned your links, why become the same?
Thank you very much! I found these tips very helpful. I am quite new to social media and don't use Facebook and X. However, I've recently joined BlueSky mainly to try to promote my Substack there. So, I was wondering if you can give any tips for how to promote one's work on that platform?
Good advice here! I try to get people back to my profile on Instagram by doing a mention of myself in my CTA ( @ ). It takes people right to my profile where I have a CTA to my Substack. I also wanted to mention PINTEREST. I create pins for my Substack posts and do get traffic from them. A great hook and CTA with the right image - people will click! Posts with links aren't downgrades on Pinterest - the links are the whole point!
I’m about to go all-in on Substack. Amazing platform.
Apart from the lack of support! Nowadays I can only get a useless AI, and even when it claims to forward something, you never hear back.
Excuse me? The above link is clickbait. WTF is it doing on SS?
@tara you'd better go find someplace else to peddle your bs.
Please! This is all good advice but where’s Blue Sky in all of this? I am a professional member with The Authors Guild and hundreds of members are setting up writing-related accounts on Blue Sky presently, especially using Starter Packs. I am still not experienced with Blue Sky yet but the site is certainly growing and evolving as I write! Please consider advising? I’m preparing several articles to relaunch full-time here on Substack in a few weeks ahead. I certainly would appreciate the promotional guidance for my new and yet unused accounts on Blue Sky!
Anything owned by Meta is pushing right wing propaganda and they treat left wing pages like trash.
Bluesky is a HUGE upgrade.
I dumped Facebook and Twitter (both terrible) and moved to Bluesky. Also an author.
Congratz on upcoming re-launch! I am thinking the Twitter/X advice above may also apply to Blue Sky.
Hi Julia, maybe this article about Bluesky may help.
https://open.substack.com/pub/businessandmarketing/p/bluesky-fad-or-real-success?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=1rpbvi
Thank you!
I thought about that, too.
TikTok down ranks videos that promote outward bound traffic. X/Twitter does the same. There's really not a great way to do this.
Yup. Also, I’d rather target audiences on the Notes app than just anyone who won’t read my content.
I think this is more about NoteStack that Substack now. I feel like the writing and editing tools are being ignored in favor of being the one size fits all social media app that will take and chase people on other apps.
Social media people are less likely to read longform content than those searching out longform content. So just having a following of people that don't read, is pointless to the writer. But, we're not about the writers anymore, right?
Exactly! I came to Substack because I though readers wanted to, well, read. But apparently not! Right away I was advised by a couple of friends that my stacks were too long. That they should be no longer than 900 - 1300 words! I have plenty of followers, that I can't reach because they receive nothing from me, like subscribers do (and I do not charge anything). They think it's a way of supporting my work, but it doesn't feel that way.
I agree I am sick of the long, on and on stories of self pity or alcohol addiction . Or just boring rambling. I am sympathetic to self pity and problems with alcohol but writing shorter pieces would encourage me to read to the end.. I haven't found a good way to engage short or long however!
Those aren’t my topics. LOL
You can control what is in your notes feed to only those you follow or subscribe.
I, too, am sick of endless pleas for "compassion" for: Domestic abuse, Narcissist "victims", lives ruined by drugs and alcohol abuse, and people who want to have the secrets to happiness, lasting relationships, wealth and fame spelled out for them--as if we all wouldn't have those things if it were that easy. It's time for readers as well as writers to broaden their intellectual and spiritual horizons.
You gotta know we’re all deluged with ‘content’ every minute of the day. It takes valuable time to read the good stuff, never mind the drivel you have to cull…
I only subscribe to those I want to read. Many are people I actually know.
In general these seem like good tips, but I have found that my website drives more subscribers to my Substack than social media. After I email my newsletter out each month, I add a portion of it to the blog on my website. It has been helpful to do so, because if a reader enjoys my blog, they are able to sign up for my newsletter from the embed on my website. While the Substack network seems to be the primary way new subscribers find me, my website is the second best source for interested readers to find my work, much more than social media sites.
This is great advice to add to this convo! I am going to follow your advice!!!
Curious if others have noticed a drop in engagement when mentioning Substack on Instagram, whether in Stories or captions, etc.? Any mention of "Substack" or even "newsletter" seems to tank my view count, etc.
Exactly. It kills ypur visibility to post links to other platforms, and since my visibility on Substack is near zero after I've been working on it for almost two years, it doesn't make sense
HOLY! Thank god you said this. I’ve been going crazy wondering why my last few posts are TANKING. This is why!!!!
Facebook throttles outbound links
Can I also add some advice for Bluesky and Threads users?
I first blew my newsletter up with Twitter threads made of some of my newsletter's stories. Substack interviewed me about it here: https://on.substack.com/p/grow-series-7
Until recently, I had no idea if this approach would work as well on the new crop of Twitter-like platforms - but a few weeks ago, I got my answer, when one of my multi-'tweet' stories went viral on both Bluesky and Threads, and got me over a thousand free signups in three days: https://substack.com/@everythingisamazing/note/c-117127783
It's pretty much the same technique as I used before: tell a good story with plenty of "wow!" moments, make it addictive with foreshadowing, and somewhere in there, put a link back to your Substack.
Dear Substack team: I'd be happy to write a follow-up post for you or do another interview, if you want further details!
Who’s ready to network? Let’s promote each other
I plan to do this by getting creative. For those who are serious about their Substack, a one-time fee of $50 lets you direct your domain name straight to Substack. I’m currently using this for www.industrialpsych.org, and for my local school board blog www.educatetecumseh.org. Both links go straight to Substack so I don’t even need to bother building a website.
What host did you use for this? GoDaddy wasn't allowing me to direct my domain to Substack.
I used Namecheap for the domain but I think I use Wix to point the URL to Substack. It was pretty easy, I think it took a day to completely switch to Substack from my former Wix website. AI can be really helpful with directions on setting it up, but there’s also a really good Substack help guide too
Thank you!
Getting a notification of @followers in a Facebook post immediately makes me leave or mute that page 😅 so spammy
Substack hobbled our effort to transition audiences to the platform, so we stopped building on Substack and returned to promoting stand-alone web sites.
You want people here, but you are making it harder and harder with low subs to even get seen here? Even hiding post with your own links. So what's the point of even move a following from one place to another?
I mean you started Notes because Twitter banned your links, why become the same?
Thank you very much! I found these tips very helpful. I am quite new to social media and don't use Facebook and X. However, I've recently joined BlueSky mainly to try to promote my Substack there. So, I was wondering if you can give any tips for how to promote one's work on that platform?
There's always a helpful Substack post somewhere. https://thecuriousdetour.substack.com/p/how-to-add-your-substack-domain-on
Thank you! I'll check it out
Good advice here! I try to get people back to my profile on Instagram by doing a mention of myself in my CTA ( @ ). It takes people right to my profile where I have a CTA to my Substack. I also wanted to mention PINTEREST. I create pins for my Substack posts and do get traffic from them. A great hook and CTA with the right image - people will click! Posts with links aren't downgrades on Pinterest - the links are the whole point!
Looking forward to paid subscriptions soon!!