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The Substack team is signing off for today! We invite you to keep chatting and we will region the conversation with you all next week.

In the meantime, please visit our Support Center and Resource Center with your questions:

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And, if you'd like to join us and write with fellow writers, we are now hosting Writing Hour on Tuesdays: https://lu.ma/writing-hour

See you next time!

Katie + Bailey + Kelsa + Rose + Jasmine + Chris + Hannah + Kevin + Maggie

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Hi everyone!

(I was massively late for the last Office Hours and I don't think anyone saw what I wrote, so with the danger of sounding like an equally massive bore, I'm copying & pasting:)

Here's an idea I've put into action that you could steal if you think it might work for you.

I've been working in seasons of maybe 10-ish weeks of stuff, with a clear beginning and end. This has been helping me enormously in three ways:

- refreshing what I'm doing by having a few different themes for each season, within the overarching focus of the newsletter (in my case, the science of curiosity, awe & wonder). New season = new themes, new niche audiences to try to get the attention of, new stuff for me to learn & write about, etc.

- gives me a proper break occasionally! I'm always running a bit behind because of other writing commitments and a between-season break gives me a chance to get a little ahead of myself again and just...not write? (Just occasionally, not-writing is super nice.)

- getting new paid subscribers! At the end of the season I sing & dance about the benefits of a paid subscription, just to my free list, giving it a proper push with time-limited discounts and everything. So if you work in seasons, it'd allow you to have maybe 3 or 4 chances every year to push for paid subscriptions and solely focus your time & energy around that goal for around a week. And each time you can experiment with a slightly different way to attract them in, with different types of writing, different offers etc....

None of this is original & new. It's what podcasters, NPR, Netflix shows etc have been doing for ages in many different ways. But it's working well for my newsletter, so I thought it might work for yours too. Please adapt/steal wildly from me if you like the sound of it!

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Hey Substackers, just wanted to share a pro tip that I've found *really* helpful: use Google Translate to copy edit your work before publishing. Google Translate (and many other programs and word processors) has a free 'read aloud' feature. I use this to check for typos, missing words, and other small mistakes, since often my ears will catch what my eyes miss. I discover errors every time.

To get it to work, copy and paste your text into translate.google.com. You can ignore the translation; simply click the "Listen" button below the English-language text. Google will read your stuff back to you. Listen along, and fix any problems you find on the way!

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Very excited this week as my newsletter has officially crossed 100 subscribers. Was hoping to get 100 subs before my first year writing was out and I've hit that goal.

Two wishlist items for the Substack team:

1) The ability to set distinct SEO titles and descriptions, separate from the social title/description.

2) The ability to set a description for podcast episodes that shows up in the feed/podcast apps--right now it just pulls from the post subtitle, which is unideal for those who might want to share more robust shownotes.

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Hi everyone! If you're interested in being part of the fiction writers Zoom call tomorrow, we'd love to have you. We removed the Zoom info from the post to try to forestall any random Zoombombers but if you drop us an email or hop over to the Discord (both in the post linked in the announcement above) we'll get the info to you. And I encourage all fiction writers who are interested in our community to subscribe to our Substack, https://fictionistas.substack.com , as we send out the Zoom info in email (as well as occasional other information pertinent to fiction writers). We also would love to have guest posts about writing on Substack, the art of fiction, etc.

Oh and if you can't make it tomorrow, we will be doing them regularly, so subscribe to find out when we'll be doing it again!

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Hi everyone, I have a question and a *protip*. Question: have there been any updates from the Substack team about best ways to help get Google to index our newsletters?

And the protip: many of you likely already know this but when you post your newsletter to Facebook, post the link to the newsletter in the first comment (this is true in LinkedIn as well). Facebook's algorithm downranks links in posts so the workaround is posting it in the comment. I've done this my last few posts and it's been really helpful at driving more traffic!

If you're not familiar with my substack, I write Dad Stories, a collection of parenting "unwisdom" as my friend describes it (honestly, the most accurate thing anyone has ever said about me). I tell humorous stories about parenting, stories about my crazy dad, etc. Check it out please! dadstories.substack.com

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Oh hey, I love these threads! No real question, just a bump on last week's "please implement a referral system" :)

I am getting started on a scrap art business, I just got my welding machine to work from the trunk of my car, and am excited to get that started again, and magnetfishing for scrap in rivers to clean them up. Hop on board if you are interested in that journey, I love this hobby.

Oh, and I love the new magazine theme!

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Hi all! I was wondering - I am more than willing to commit to up to, say, 10 substacks. To reading them, commenting on them, supporting them as possible, etc. Would anyone else be interested in doing the same? And I don't mean you not contributing and expecting everyone else to follow you and comment on you with you not doing the same. I would love to have an actual micro community within substack. I think we could help each other grow.

My substack is https://wholehealth.substack.com/ - I focus on wellness, spirituality and healthy food. I'm also writing a fictional book so will eventually put bits about that in my newsletter also.

Is anyone interested in actually growing our substacks together?

And my second thought - is Clubhouse totally dead? Would anyone like to do a weekly room to talk about how we're doing? I saw that there's a clubhouse group or room but it's not used. I'm not sure if clubhouse is still relevant enough. Thoughts? Double thanks!

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Hello! 👋🏾

Just wanted to encourage folks out (including me) there to keep posting, collaborating, cross posting, and sharing. You never know how things will turn out. I was nervous about most recent newsletter but everything turned out great and I got compliments from some folks I respect.

https://theflare.substack.com/p/make-sure-youre-protected

As always, happy to collaborate. Email me at theflare@substack.com

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I’m new to Substack and am glad to say I’ve gotten 300 subs in 2 weeks (1.5M followers on TikTok) - for now, I’m keeping the free benefits the same as the paid in hopes that the people who can pay WILL pay. Is anyone else trying this approach? Does it work? It seems to be working for me so far.

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Happy New Years! This year I am writing about how writers should think about social media for their publications. You want to focus on writing, but you also have to think about growing. My goal is to save writers time and advise them on how they should treat social media in their workstreams. HTTPS://NewsletterToSocials.substack.com

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This week I'm trying a thread for the first time! Today I did a post on tips for layering clothes on cold weather hikes -- with a gear guide for first time buyers. Sunday I'm doing a companion thread to answer any questions people may have had in the post.

Any thread masters here have tips for me? Appreciate any and all advice

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Hey, everyone. Still quite new here (5 subscribers), so I hope that gives the rest of you perspective lol!

I describe my newsletter, "Writers' Haven, by Christine Wolf" this way:

"I'm a writing coach exploring writers' real lives, shared through essays, interviews, tips, & raw vulnerability. Paid subscribers receive bonus content, access to my memoir-in-progress, and your name on the 'Substack Supporters' page when it's released."

I've added a category (separate newsletter) for the memoir-in-progress, which I'd like to make exclusive for paid subscribers. Is there a way to do that, or am I off my rocker?

Also, I'm looking to interview and write inspirational profiles about Substack writers for my newsletter. To lmk if you're interested, please shoot an email to christine (at) christinewolf (dot) com with a link to your Substack. Thanks everyone.

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Here we goooooo!

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Hey everyone!

Just here to shamelessly plug a few writers I'm digging:

1. Holy Wr*t by Michael Reed - smart, clever, and whimsical Bible-based short stories.

I found this on Fictionistas, which lists a ton of fiction authors who share their work via Substack.

2. Guest author Noah David Elkins, writing on my own newsletter Shelf of Crocodiles.

Check out his thoughts on the trailer-park ghetto called Frogtown, not far from where he grew up in rural Oklahoma, and why Flannery O'Connor would have a lot to say about the hardscrabble denizens who live there.

https://crocodileshelf.substack.com/p/flannery-oconnor-goes-full-frogtown

Noah's a riot, and his approach to self-reflection, faith, and Southern culture is as genuine as at gets.

He even met Joe Exotic when the guy was running for state governor, before he was famous.

Happy writing, editing, posting, plugging!

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Really appreciate the new update that allows us to toggle images to fill the full screen width! Would love to be able to move images around and allow text to fill space to the side of an image. Or place two images side by side. Just hoping for a little more freedom in how visuals can be placed in a post.

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Just a note to say thanks to Substack for the Health program, and to encourage anyone who qualifies for it to apply. If you're paying for your own health insurance in the USA, it's found money: $500. Every little bit helps! Thanks!

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Hello! I have been writing A Small Drop of Ink since April 2021, and am thrilled that my readership has grown so much. Some months ago, I investigated setting up a paid subscription, but after long conversations with Stripe, I learned that I cannot do that because I don't have a mobile phone. Seems rather unfair, and wonder if there are any alternatives in the works. Stripe's reply to my comment was "why don't you just buy a mobile phone!" But the thing is this. I'm 92 years old and really have no use for one, and also don't feel I can afford the expense. In spite of what people think, most writers don't make big bucks during their active careers. In fact, all too often they are expected to donate their talent and services. I don't expect to make a lot from Substack, but a little would help.

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I find my subscribers are pretty shy. They rarely, if ever, respond to prompts to share thir own thoughts or experiences in the comments. Any advice out there on how to create a more participatory vibe?

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The finish line

That last point has been pivotal for me in how I understand what matters to the people, I’ve found that people seem most engaged when the topic allows them to share something about their own experience. By contrast, I’ve found that when they’re asked to share opinions about things in the news, they’ve been less engaged.

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Hey, all. Just checking in. A couple of updates, which are helping me keep going as we proceed through what is here in Upstate NY a very cold, isolated winter. (Thanks, Omicron!) One, I got the heads up from my friend E Jean that my newsletter has been climbing the Faith newsletters leaderboard. I started out at #25 this fall when I originally went paid, and now I'm up to #18! Woot! I have no idea how these things get figured (though I'd be curious to know), but since I'm still not great at promotion generally it's heartening to know that more eyes can find me that way.

Two, I wrote a post for MLK Day on Monday. It was a step aside from what I generally do with the newsletter, but also relevant. And it was definitely a piece that came straight from my heart. It seems to have really resonated with people, and has now gotten more opens and views than anything I've ever sent out. You can read it here, if you like. https://ashasanaker.substack.com/p/a-dangerous-unselfishness

It's not the sort of thing I would transition to doing every time, but it's worth remembering that vulnerability, authenticity, and heartfelt communication can really win the day.

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Hi fellow Substackers!!

My February newsletter (which drops on the 1st) is A Love Letter to Dark Chocolate, and features an interview I did yesterday with Dr. Pam Taub of UCSD who's an expert on the cardiovascular benefits of dark chocolate. There will be two recipes as well. Hope you will join me, and share with your friends!

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What do you guys think about the various comments here (https://join.substack.com/p/how-do-you-turn-views-into-signups) and will you leave your own comments?

Thanks!

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Hey Substack people! One of my favourite elements of Substack is that I own the mail list. I got a notification that X person unsubscribed. (She was one of those people that subscribed to ALL my stuff, and was getting repeats. Even my Mum doesn't want to hear from me that often.) I just like knowing that detail because I'm a stats addict. Maybe a little too much. :D

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Thanks to everyone for the energy each week. I started substack this year and am approaching it with the intention to just write for me first. My writing flies largely under the radar by choice, meantime, it's nice to learn all the ways I *could* eventually promote my work. Peace and love to substack BTW

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Recently coming up to substack really helped as a beginner cause got to learn many exiting things just want my newsletter to gain traffic..

As it intakes millions of thoughts to right one newsletter,

By the way

<3 Substack

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I've been missing these discussions so often because I keep missing where it is that we talk. I finally found it!

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I have gotten conflicting advice re a VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE

Some people on this board have said that one must INDEX ONE'S newsletter on Google chrome to maximize, or at least facilitate, the dissemination of your name and your work on the internet.

Other people have said that this is unnecessary and that nowadays our newsletters are automatically indexed.

So what's the story. Should we index on Google (And I have no idea how that is accomplished) or is indexing on google superfluous.

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Good morning Substack. I have a feature question today -- I like to embed videos of my hikes in posts. Right now, I can only make the embed feature work with Youtube. Is there any plan to add compatibility for other alternative video platforms like Rumble in the future?

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I see a lot of the same questions. Here is what I have been doing, hope it helps. I promote the hell out of my newsletter. I cross promote with other newsletters, companies, and organizations. I write consistent content that is both unique and entertaining. I interact with my readers. I spend money when needed and I always explore new ways to grow. If you need any further help, you can hit me direct at info@shaungold.com.

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When people switched to their own domain, did readers find that confusing. I mean since we go right in people's inbox, I would think it wouldn't matter.

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I'm curious how much people grow using only Substack. I'm not a social media person at all. My Facebook is just close friends and family, and I don't use other social media. I tried posting on reddit forums for the topics I write about, but I found that to be something draining for me and didn't really get results. I publish regularly, twice a week, but I've had no new subscribers for months. I'm just doing this for fun, so I don't want to devote a lot of time outside of the writing itself. It's not a big deal if I don't grow a lot, but I wonder how other people who don't promote outside of Substack are doing with subscriptions.

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There's something curious that just happened to me this week. Usually Gmail puts my emails into its Promotions tab, but for reason, this time it put one of my daily emails into its Primary tab. The response was surprising, my opens and my open rate multiplied by three for this email as a result. What can be done for emails to end up in the Primary tab, be it from Substack's or from a writer's input, especially since that effectively means Gmail automatically prevents the audience I have accrued on Substack from even knowing that they've suscribed?

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Going Paid Question: Are there any Substacks whose paid subscriptions offer membership perks beyond access to further Substack content? Indeed, are off-platform membership perks frowned upon/permitted by Substack? E.g. Sending paying subscribers a physical zine from time to time? (Yes, I realise a zine isn't likely to be feasible due to prohibitive production & postage costs!)

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Hi everyone! Just wanted to thank the Substack team for the new full width feature on photos. That was the feature I never knew I needed, and I LOVE the way it makes my posts look. I use photos and gifs as "chapter" breaks in my stories and toggling to full width is just so much better looking than having an image just float there. Again, THANK YOU, Substack team!

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I am doing the very same right now. I've written eight books, one traditionally published and seven short books self-published through Amazon. I did not find that Mailchimp was particularly help in promoting my work. So, it is time to change. Thanks.

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Hey there my substack peeps!

I just posted my 4th book summary, this time a marketing classic Positioning! Check it out, maybe it helps you to position your Substack better! :)

https://eightyfour.substack.com/p/positioning-ries-trout-summary

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I have another question: my mother says a "newsletter" is several bite-sized news items in one newsletter, I say it can be thematic (I write in depth about how to draft a contract and other issues you need to be aware of to be commercially savvy) - who's right?

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Hi fellow Substackers!!

I writing and sharing a free deep dive analysis on a company called Toast this weekend. The company provides an operating system for the restaurant industry to automate billing, inventory management etc... Will be my first free post in a while to thank all my subscribers paid and free for their continued support.

My substack is https://goldenlake.substack.com/ where I focus on company analysis in the energy, software and crypto sectors.

Don't have a question for now. Good luck to all in this amazing journey! God bless!

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Hi all! I don't have anything to add this week. But I wanted to pop on and say hello to everyone — I'm so grateful for the Substack staff and this community. Keep at it!

And, of course, I should mention that if you like chill, instrumental music, would love for you to check out my newsletter for my original work.

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are there any poets among you?

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My question is about traffic - it's so hard to get! What have some of you done to drive traffic successfully? TIA

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Crap salad! The Fictionistas are FAMOUS now!!

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How do you set up categories at the top of your homepage? I see this at the top of https://katemcdermott.substack.com/ (great newsletter, btw) and would like to organize my posts this way as well.

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SORRY I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS:

QUESTION 3 (Questions 1 and 2 posted few minutes ago)

Sorry, as usual I am percolating with questions.

ISSUE: Some people say one must get indexed on google; more rcently, someone on the board said indexing on google is no longer required and that we are automatically indexed. PLEASE ARBITRATE.

1) Some people in this forum said it was imperative to have one’s newsletter indexed on google to get a decent measure of circulation. However, more recently, someone on this forum said that we were now all automatically indexed on google, contending, “Your site is being indexed in Google. To see which pages are starting their road to ranking, go to this url site:https://davidgottfried.substack.com It takes some time to start ranking for keywords, etc. I have an article if you check my substack.”

Please arbitrate between the two conflicting opinions. Should we get indexed on google or is indexing now an automatic process.

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Besides substack, where else do you post your writing? Medium to me has been only useful for SEO but looking for other avenues to drive new readers to subscribe.

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Hi! I write a story-recipe newsletter called “Food & Fodder” where I pair creative nonfiction essays with recipes. Has anyone had success by promoting somewhere other than Instagram/Facebook? I’ve also promoted at the signings for my book (“No Regrets” published by Indie Publisher in NYC). Thanks!

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Hi there, thanks for this, great to see such support from the platform.

My question is whether there will be (or are if I haven't found them yet) other subscription options than monthly/annually. I'm thinking of a project-based series, e.g. a 6-week get-ready-for-tax-season bootcamp. I think I can work my way around to that by creating a new substack with annual subscription and have that as the only component, then do another one for a different project, or I may just not be using the right tool for the idea...

Thanks;

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What's the optimal time of day to schedule the release of an email? I know things are going to vary based on time zones, but curious if anyone has settled on the best time of day to release new content to maximize engagement.

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