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Editorial strategy: In case you missed it, this week we shared a three-part series giving writers tools to build an editorial strategy and a steady publishing drumbeat. We covered:
🟧 Substack: Please either (1) Turn off the public display of subscriber lists, or (2) ensure ALL authors know about it and how to disable it. Transparency, which is good, does not mean the full disclosure of subscribers' information. Substack is supposed to be different (and advertises itself as such, prides itself on being so)--this is not Facebook. I would like to grow my subscriber list, but I don't want subscribers to have to read a bunch of fine print and make "opt out" choices. Please hold to the Substack ethic of serving writers differently from other social media outlets.
🟧 I just learned about that. Yes. We need an option to turn that off from our writer profiles. We also need an option to turn off the display of people we follow on Notes. Some of us are not here for mimicking social media.
Hey Dave and Victor, those lists follow profile settings. So if a reader doesn't want a profile on Substack or to display who they are reading, they won't show up there.
It's one thing if a person wants to let others know that they subscribe to a publication. It's another thing altogether for a publication to announce their subscriber list.
I understand the two things are connected, but for those of us who want to respect the implicit agreement between subscriber and publication that we'll keep your info private, an option to turn off this display completely (from the publication's end) would be welcome.
On the other hand, on Twitter and Facebook you can see exactly who is following who. So it's an established practice there (which doesn't mean it's good.)
There is some level of control possible here, but it's not really what you are asking for.
It seems that the option to do that is given to each individual subscriber. A subscriber can prevent their name from showing up in another user's public display in that subscriber's profile Settings ( at https://substack.com/profile/edit ) and flipping each/any switch in the section titled "Reads / Control which of your Substacks appear on your profile."
Yep... it's not spelled out anywhere that I know of (I just experimented to figure this out), and I think this setting is by default set to on (publicly viewable) when a user subscribes to a newsletter. Maybe most users don't realize this when they subscribe.
So, unfortunately, it's not really what you're asking for, but this seems to give the privacy option to each individual subscriber rather than to the subscription author in a global way. In the meantime, for privacy-sensitive newsletters, maybe the author can add a note to their welcome email/about page/pinned post to let new subscribers know about this. Not ideal, but an in-the-meantime solution?
Yes, you're right. But from the perspective of a publication, it's impractical or impossible to get all your readers to turn it off. An option from the publication's end would be quite welcome.
"Maybe most users don't realize this when they subscribe." Yes, exactly. Although I would remove the word "Maybe"
OMG! You are right! That is indeed somewhat alarming. I do find it interesting that the number of subscribers (rounded) is available for all to see. But I'm not sure everyone wants that info out there. I mean, isn't one of the charms of Substack that no one knows how many readers you have unless you choose to tell them?
It was one of the biggest draws for me when I joined Substack. I liked the fact that they did things differently. Also, as a couple of folks have mentioned, they write about sensitive topics such as personal therapy and don't want their list made public.
Personally, my topics aren't sensitive, but I don't like the idea of having my list public. I'd like to turn it off.
I tend to agree. I worry that for some, the visibility of that number could be disheartening. Whilst it's nice to see milestones of growth, it could be all too easy to slip into comparing yourself and worrying about your own numbers etc.
The number isn’t the worst of it though. It’s not a fair policy to list subscribers. I’d prefer that to be confidential between author and subscribers. Bad etiquette
Rumble is getting kinda weird too. Of course, folks, got to know and acknowledge that thems that "own" will "control" and extract. Husbandry, you know.
I clicked your name above your comment. Takes me to your profile. You can also arrive at your profile various other ways from your publication. Wherever your name is mentioned, such as on your "About" page.
Oh yep. I see. It's just on some, instead of having a number that links, the link is literally called "see subscribers." Thanks, Victor. Would for sure be stoked if it could be turned off. :)
🟧 Yes, Substack, please give us an option to turn off the public display of our subscriber list. Knowing that their names could be displayed publicly like this could certainly deter people from subscribing!
✏️ Howdy! Curious to hear from other fiction writers about whether they’ve been able to leverage their Substack audience into book sales. I’m planning to release my first anthology soon. I’d like to offer some kind of perk in exchange for preorders
Nope. So far none of my book sales have come from my Substack. I’m actually trying to get my social media followers and local readers to join me on Substack to see more of my work and that’s been like pulling teeth.
I sell in person at a local farmers market every week and I average 2-3 book sales from that, which seems small, but it was the only farmers market I was able to get into because it went on hiatus. So many of the established sellers didn’t want to sell at it until the buyer participation was higher. We see about 20-30 people a market, and I always sell a few copies of my paperbacks as well as candles, book bags, and coffee mugs that are custom tie-ins to my books. I’ve noticed an uptick in traffic on social media and Substack following me being at the event, but in the 6 weeks I’ve been doing the market, it hasn’t yielded any new subs to my Stack, just new followers on social.
That’s very interesting. Especially with the farmers market: I have always liked the idea of in person sales. 2-3 per week actually seems like a huge success to me. That’s something to be proud of
I have had people come back to the market and ask me to sign their book after they read it. Having that back and forth has been amazing and encouraging. I also have flyers I make on Canva with QR codes that promote the e-Book if they want it digital as well as specific sections of my Stack or blurbs on new projects that are releasing soon. I get them printed at Office Depot so they look more professional.
Your experience with the farmers market is amazing! Congratulations! And what great feedback with readers returning to their get copies signed. But I must say that it's very disheartening to read that none of the Substack subscribers bought the book. I wonder why.
I think in time as I grow, I’ll probably see more of my subscribers buy books. I think right now they are viewed as 2 different things targeting different markets - people looking for a one time experience with a new read who may become loyal fans, and people who are coming back each week because of my ongoing body of work. There is a lot of crossover between the two, I just think it’s the perception of people.
I completely agree. I boosted a few of my posts on FB and Insta when selling my books to see what that would do, and I saw no return on investment. I’m on several different social media platforms trying to grow my Stack, but I haven’t found the right combination yet. I won’t be buying ads or boosts from Meta anymore because they don’t work and they have limited the reach significantly.
If you figure out how to do this, do let me know. :D
I actually see it (with the kind of thing I write, at least) as more the other way around: book sales are more likely to convert into subscribers. I see my newsletter as the main thing, with a book being something of a promotional item.
That’s disheartening... I’ve been hoping to use my newsletter email list as a marketing tool. But it sounds like you’re saying your books have brought you more subscribers... how do you promote your books then, if you don’t mind me asking
Apologies! I didn't mean to be disheartening. I've heard other people have huge success doing exactly what you say. In fact, On Substack had an article about this! Here's a link in case you missed it: https://on.substack.com/p/how-to-sell-a-book-on-substack
What I would say - to be more positive - is that I've received HUGELY valuable feedback on my book from the Substack community, and especially on Notes. The constructive feedback I received on the cover and blurb were a big help. Never known anything like it online TBH.
My main writing has always been online serials, which is where my general expertise is. I'm very much a noob when it comes to books. I self-published a book towards the end of last year. Very pleased with the book quality, but sales have been a trickle. I'm certainly not one to ask about promoting books. :D
I am happy to see there is someone else following a similar path. But I post a WIP on my private website and use Substack as a channel to build an audience and get feedback.
I will do extra proof reading when it gets compiled to a book.
I think that could work. I have an ebook compilation of my current work in progress for paid subscribers, and will make an ebook and paperback of the whole thing when it's finished. The difference there is that it'll be a very engaged audience who have been reading the serial for years. The book I published late last year didn't have that kind of background on the Substack audience, as I originally serialised it on Wattpad.
My idea was to release a chapter a week for paid subscribers only. Haven't worked out the details yet (perhaps a section?). But hopefully they would stay with me for a few months for each chapter.
I did that with my current WIP but my current draft is significantly different now from even the draft I posted for paid subscribers. But that's a good thing. It was a good process and I was hoping for more feedback during the process, but oh well! I'm starting a new monthly series in two weeks that I HOPE will become a book, but I want to test the waters with it first.
off-topic: do you plan to self-publish on Amazon or other platforms like Gumroad?
I'm WIP with my first book and probably it will take another 2 years to finish. Yet I want to know how Substack and self-publish might work together. Perhaps if I can offer a discount sale for the book. But not sure if Amazon allows it.
My first one was Amazon. I'm going to try traditional with this next one first. I'm looking to republish first one though both KDP and IngramSpark with a purchased ISBN
Russell Nohelty has a lot of really good pieces that I followed, but here's my Substack. You can see how I created different sections, especially with my new Special Series tab: https://sarahstyf.substack.com/p/special-series
Sarah, thanks for showing us how you've made this work. Very helpful--I have a new serial starting next month and appreciate the way you've structured this.
I've run 30+ campaigns. I literally wrote the definitve guide on the subject and have helped hundreds of authors. It's called Get Your Book Selling on Kickstarter. You can get it free here. https://dl.bookfunnel.com/zq9mk6drbh
I don't like the word self-publishing. I own a publishing company, and it publishes my work.
My biggest strength in marketing is being famous in Detroit. I'm not famous anywhere but Detroit. So I sell a ton of books here. A few in little pockets around America where I've performed or shot movies. Working on some internet marketing and book shows/author fairs now.
Thanks. "Jostle" is the story about the sweat fetishist.
🟧 When a person subscribes to Pub A and accepts the recommendations that Pub A offers, they don't receive the welcome email from the recommended pubs, only from Pub A.
Is this something you're aware of and will you fix it? Thanks
✏️ Hopefully, I’m not too late for this. Is this the place to put this? I would love to know how other writers are building their communities. Also what is the collaboration etiquette? I would love to collab with some writers here!
I always wake up to these threads late (down in Australia) and not sure how much gets seen once the first few hours have passed.
If by community you mean following/followers, the best thing I've experienced is to simply read, engage and comment on other Substacks that you find and enjoy and let it happen organically from there.
Collaborations can often come about through that engagement, but I've also had email exchanges about collaborations purely from reaching out or being reached out to.
Please define what you mean by "Community" in this context. @EAWILCOX, what are you looking for from your subscribers, readers, and fellow Substack authors? Does "community" mean lots of people liking, noting, chatting, commenting (about anything)? Or is there a specificity to the meaning of community on Substack?
🟧 Will Stripe be available for more countries in Southeast Asia soon? What's the best way to setup a paid mechanism in Substack if Stripe isn't available in my country yet?
🟧 Hi all, I'm having trouble duplicating a post to a draft. I've been doing this for the last few weeks, but this week, I've tried a few times but the duplicate post doesn't save/doesn't show up in my list of drafts. The progress indicator says it gets saved (at 5:27pm, for example) but then when I click the back arrow the post is gone. When I create a new post with the "new post" button, that seems to get saved. Is this a known issue or is there anything I can do differently? Thanks.
Honestly, the power of doing this is bonkers. The introductory email is your first personal connection with a new subscriber. It's your welcome mat, your first friendly "would you like a cup of tea and a biscuit?", your first chance at hooking them on all your best work so far - and therefore it's some of your most important real estate in your whole newsletter, up there with your About page in importance.
This is the first email they get from you. Why would you blow it with something so generic and empty and boring that they immediately delete it?
Get in there immediately and make that email / those emails sound like yourself. Write over the top of Substack's boilerplate text and fill it out with everything you want a new subscriber to know about what you're doing. Guide them to a few previous pieces you're proud of. Ask them a question or two. Show your personality. Shake things up and demonstrate the voice you're going to use in your newsletter, so they look forward to the next time you write at them..
And if you've previously edited them, when was that? How out-of-date are they now? What can you add? (I recently realised I've been rubbish at this, so I've made a note to check through mine every week to see if there's anything I can improve.)
There are very few easy wins in this newslettering lark - but this really is one of them. Go wow them from the very start - and see how many replies you get, saying things like "hey, thanks, I actually *read* this for a change!"
YES. 👏 It is so important to make subscribing to your Substack a pleasurable, memorable experience.
I edit mine every week. Also give my new free members an invite to our upcoming sessions, so they get a chance to draw and chat. It’s made a massive difference in my own experience with Substack and I've met so many lovely artists that way!
Thanks! It’s been such a fun way to interact with folks. I started by hiding something in there to ask folks to help me find the “sneaky kitten.” Then the kitten moved to my about page, right before an important announcement. I gave a month of membership to folks who helped me find the kitten by sharing to Notes. It was the most fun marketing launch I’ve ever done!
Now I update with an invite to our upcoming drawing sessions, so free members can try a session for paid members for free. 😸
Argh! Hmmm - that's weird (and a bit worrying). Still nothing come through?
Yeah, the unsubscribe email feels like another opportunity. I mean, I don't want to try to stop someone leaving if they really want to, becvause that's kinda what makes Substack so great (and certain digital newspapers so terrible, with their "ring this number to speak to our retention team" unsubscribe processes). But maybe there's a way of being a tiny bit more helpful as they head out the door? Hmm. Not sure, but feels worth pondering.
I got it! I'm not the most patient human. 😆 Thanks for your wise words and warm welcome email! I'm sending my husband over to subscribe too because I know he'll enjoy reading.
Welcome emails are great, I agree. Did you know that if someone subscribes to you via a recommendation as they're subbing to another pub they don't receive *your* welcome email? They only get the welcome email from the first pub.
I don't know how to get around it. I've mentioned this behavior to Substack a couple of times, including today in this Office Hours. Hopefully they'll fix it. I would like folks to get my welcome email; otherwise, they may wonder later why they're getting a post.
The "Accept Recommendations" button is large and prominent. The "Skip it" button no so much. People tend to push the biggest button and therefore might not even realize what else they just subbed to.
Yes ... the idea that readers are getting posts that they didn't deliberately ask for is disturbing. I've gotten some recently that I knew I hadn't subscribed to ... now I can see how I might have accepted recommendations and inadvertently triggered a subscription. This deserves more thought.
A new idea I haven't implemented yet ... We can (and perhaps should) revise our Welcome Emails frequently. However, our subscribers only receive it once. I'm now constructing a Welcome Page, to be pinned to my home page so readers can see in one place what it's about and who I am, etc. Also working on a way to keep it looking fresh and not like something they've already seen. Hope to have it up soon. Then I'm going to start sending it out maybe at the beginning of every month with a "What's Coming" headline. Open to suggestions ...
I appreciated getting this email from you (I did answer! Remember...feet🤣, I can't actually expect you to remember as you get a ton of email). I thought it was awesome and tried to do the same for my subscribers but no one responded which made me fizzle out. I really want to implement this process again.
This is such a good recommendation, Mike, and I can 100% recommend it from a reader pov because I remember when I received your welcome email, how excited I was to dive into your community! (I already was, but getting the welcome email was like icing on an already awesome cake.)
I’ve subscribed to several other writers since, and a few of them have really stand out welcome emails and those are the ones I wind up reading regularly and engaging more with on the platform. It’s not necessarily the email itself, but that invitation to connect, that really feels good to receive. I might enjoy connecting more with these people, and I’m encouraged to try.
From a soon-to-be Substacker here, writing my welcome email is on my to do list for today :D I’m feeling a bit intimidated by it admittedly, probably because I’ve read so many strong ones.
Sandi ... Thanks for sharing. I think this is the essence of a good Welcome Email: "It’s not necessarily the email itself, but that invitation to connect, that really feels good to receive."
Mike ... so happy to see this comment. I so agree but there was a recent discussion on Notes about people not opening welcome emails ... even from some well recognized Substackers. In the Substack Field Guide series, I emphasize the Welcome Email as a key factor in the Reader Engagement Process ... yes some folks won't open it ... but the ones who do will have a chance to get to know you and, perhaps, become a fan.
Yeah, a lot of people don't! I definitely see that in my own stats. But maybe that's because they subscribe to a lot of Substacks and they've got used to seeing so many utterly uninteresting welcome emails? If so, then maybe this is a reader-behaviour pattern that we should all be trying to change, not just accepting as a lost cause?
I run Writers at Work and offer 1-to-1 mentoring to master the art and business of being a writer on Substack. I can save you years of flailing around on Substack and not getting any traction. No tricks. No gimmicks. The guidance I give you is based on the advice Substack gave me. The writers I’ve worked with have doubled and tripled their subscribers, been chosen as featured Substacks, and found purpose in their work. I want this for all of us. Go ahead and book here:
Thanks for this info, Mike! I'm about to tweak the name of my newsletter, requiring a url change, so the update to my welcome email will fit in nicely.
You have a great title for your Substack! I'm late to Office Hours, but in case it's helpful, I run Writers at Work and offer 1-to-1 mentoring to master the art and business of being a writer on Substack. I can save you years of flailing around on Substack and not getting any traction. No tricks. No gimmicks. The guidance I give you is based on the advice Substack gave me. The writers I’ve worked with have doubled and tripled their subscribers, been chosen as featured Substacks, and found purpose in their work. I want this for all of us. If it's of interest, you can find out more and book here: https://www.writersatwork.net/p/opportunities-to-meet-1-to-1
💯. I saw this recommendation in a post a while back and immediately took it to heart. It's fantastic when new subscribers take me up on the invitation to reply to the message and let me know why they subscribed or how I can help them.
One thing I've tried with fewer results is thanking members personally when they upgrade their membership. They already get the automated email (which I've personalized in the way that Mike recommends). But I thought that maybe reaching out separately would let them know that I'm genuinely interested in supporting them or conversing outside the usual posts. I've only had one response to those messages, and it was from someone I already knew. So I'm wondering if I might be perhaps creeping people out by emailing them directly?
Hey Joshua. I do this too! (The personal reply to new paid subs.) The way I figure it: if they're signing up to paid, they're already going out of their way to have a closer relationship with our work and therefore with our professional selves, so it wouldn't look creepy to say hello with a quick email (and hopefully it'd look the opposite and be a welcome "going the extra mile" measure). I'm horribly behind with doing it right now and have a backlog to work through, but of the hundred or so such emails I've previously sent, I've had a few dozen replies with good feedback and sometimes exchanges that led to longer chats, which is always nice...
So, yeah, I hear you on being wary of looking creepy. A good thing to think about, and the line will be different for everyone (and maybe different according to the topic of the newsletter, and so on). But I'm personally trying to err on the side of connecting in person like that. Worth a try!
Hello, Mike. I just subscribed to EVERYTHING ..." and anxious to get the emaiL welcome and see how a seasoned "substacker" pitches his writer's portal. Phil Church, AFTERTHOUGHTS.
Ooop, guilty as charged. But I recently realised that I never shared with my readers why I write my newsletter. And your prompt made me realise that the welcome email is the best place to do that. Thanks for the inspiration!
🧠 - I just wanted to share my lil breakthrough from the last couple of weeks! I did a collaborative post on Steely Dan which got me thinking of creating a regular schedule for different types of posts... up until then i was writing about my ~ content pillars ~ but just whenever i felt like it. The other day I wrote out a monthly schedule of what I would write about each week and BOOM... the ideas floodgates have opened, and I am feeling so much more "solid" about who I am and what my Substack is all about.
🟧 Katie, could Substack have some sort of a "contest" for lack of a better word? I think you did it for short story writers but maybe ask all of the writers to write about why they started writing on Substack and why others should come on over to your platform. Then have us vote, or the employees of Substack like you could decide the winners. This would bring us together towards the common goal of spreading the word about Substack and the winners would most likely get more subscribers. It's a win-win. You and your team could work out the details but I think it would be fun if nothing else!
I like this idea Sabrina. It would give us all an opportunity to think out loud on the ethos of Substack and why and how it can be a destination for engaged readers :)
I did this for my first publication and post 3 or so days ago. Sat down and thought of all of the things I want to write about, then organised them every Tuesday and Friday for September. 1 article down!
Allow for flexibility. You don't want to get yourself caught up in promoting a specific schedule, and when things don't shake out, readers get disappointed they didn't see what they expected.
flexibility is always key! i think i've given myself wide enough containers that i can work with so i don't get stuck. as with anything, it's an experiment! so far its working better than my general "throw shit at the wall and see what sticks" method of writing one day before i publish lol
THIS! Maybe this is the neurodivergence in me, but I tried to set a schedule for a month along with the content I wanted to share. However, when I sat down to write, nothing came to me.
I am not trying to rain on your parade, and I am happy that it works for you. I just want folks to know that it may work for their silly, little, picky brain. :)
I think these "plans" should be more related to what we're trying to create for our readers. My "plan" relates to the 5 reader engagement process I focus on in the Substack Field Guide ... these ground me. Here's a post of the last Field Guide https://gratitudemojo.substack.com/p/what-if-we-planned-every-post-as
The single most powerful tool for me writing my newsletter for the last year and a half has been a commitment to publishing weekly. It's easy to skip a week or two if you're not feeling up to it, but when I am a subscriber to a newsletter and suddenly they just stop coming I lose interest quickly. Let's face it, everyone is inundated with tons of information these days, so if we want to develop a loyal following, we need to be there on the regular.
Having said that, I do take about two weeks off a year, one in August, and one over the holidays, meaning that I don't post fresh content but rather, I do a review of some of my most popular post or posts on a theme. There are multiple ways to commit to publishing regularly, even if you don't have brand new content.
My writing schedule is amazing! I have a list of all current projects I’m working on and where they are in the process-- outline, writing, editing, out with beta/editor, and complete. In the morning, I look at what day of the week it is, pick whatever project speaks to me and write. Then on the days I have social listed out, I work on writing personal essays, updates, or something along those lines for my Stack.
I still have flexibility but I find I’m more productive than I have been in the past because I have a schedule and a minimal amount of organization 😂
That's a good idea Olivia! I've been listening to podcasts and it gives me great ideas. Joe Rogan, Russell Brand, Lex Fridman, all had RFK Jr. on, so I wrote a post about him a few months ago. Now, I am going to a fundraising event for him with only a small group of people which I believe I got invited to because one of his people read my Substack! Now I need to parlay that into more views and subscribers which is not my forte but that's partly why I keep coming to the office hours. I just need to hop onto the settings I know. Here's my RFK Jr. post-https://sabrinalabow.substack.com/p/rfk-jr-for-president-lets-go-open
I love that Olivia! I'm working on this for myself, too! As much as creativity has a reputation for being all flow and free-wheeling, I actually think it thrives with structure. If nothing else, it helps our brains prepare and gives a framework for ideas to take shape. 👏🏻
This is a great motivator for me Olivia! I've found when I write out other things, like work outs or grocery lists🤣I'm much more organized. I imagine if I get sorted to create a schedule it would help me a lot.
That's fantastic! And thanks for sharing your success. I've been thinking about this, but a bit worried of 'forcing' subjects as generally I write on a whim, whatever takes my fancy! I think I would feel better too if I was a bit more 'planned'.
i think its all about striking a balance between planned and free-flowing... oddly enough for me when i started being more 'forced,' the ideas started flowing freely! lol
freestyle is how i used to go and it has worked well so far, but now i feel that when i get an idea i can go "ooh that's for week 3" and place it there. sometimes it might mean that i'm scrambling to see what i can put together for the next week but i think it's allowed me the gift of ~*future planning*~
Very true! It sure helps with planning. I admit there are Weds (when I write my 1st draft) that I have no clue what to write about. Miraculously an idea always pops up. My safety net is my Story Library in Notes app where I throw ideas.
Olivia ... great description of exactly how I've transitioned. I now have a Scrivener set up that allows me to drop ideas into buckets for the upcoming posts.
i've been writing on substack for one year and have just thought/implemented a schedule like this, it's definitely worth a go, even if just to see what that might look like for you.
Yea right now I write on a once a month schedule, but I’m looking to start posting twice a month soon. And eventually once a week. I feel writing out my schedule will help me stay focused. Worth a try!
🧠I'm bringing some more variety and opportunity into my Substack, by exploring more of the opportunities that Substack offers. For example, I've started adding video podcasts. Now instead of entirely creating new content for posts, I can do videos interviews which develop new relationships and depth in topics in which I and my readers or listeners are interested.
🧠 Hey friends and potential friends. I’ve got just one thing to share today, and it regards post frequency. In other words, how often should you post?
Substack’s own post says to strive for once a week. This has been the consensus ever since I joined Substack ten or so months ago. Well, I’ve never followed it, but that hasn’t stopped my growth.
I’m approaching 350 subscribers and I post twice a week. Maybe that number isn’t impressive, but I came here with 0 readers, and now I’m writing for hundreds of engaged readers, and I’m on my way to reaching my goal of 500 subscribers by the end of 2023.
The thing is, I publish twice a month. That’s as much as I can manage, with work and family and other commitments. But I have never missed a week, and I publish writing of the highest quality I’m able, stuff I’d be excited to read myself.
My advice, if it’s of any value? Don’t sweat the frequency. Once a day, once a week, once a month: they all work, and there are successful examples for each. What matters is what works for you, what is sustainable.
Know your schedule, and how much writing time you have available, and maybe test the waters a little. Then, settle on something that feels right.
I wish you a good week and happy writing! I’m off to plan my essay for next week!
Honestly, I start tuning out people who post more than once a week. Even if the posts are good, it's too many damn emails in my inbox! What I've found is that when taking bandwidth into account, it's not only the writing time you have available but also all the time for engagement/promotion. And in my case, for finding stock photos of middle-aged women doing anything besides gazing out of windows and/or drinking wine!
Interesting bc I find myself needing to stop what I’m doing to read a Substack that hasn’t posted in awhile--enough for me to remember but also enough for me to miss their words.
Too many emails! I have so many from fellow writers because I want to be supportive but where does the time go? I think once a week is good too. I need to put more time into engagement/promotion! I love the last line of your post! sabrinalabow.substack.com
I publish twice a week but the mid-week post is always a poem and my subscribers know that if they read the welcome email. I have a pretty good open rate but yeah too many emails is annoying.
I am on the verge of opting out of one person that posts TWO Substack items DAILY. Way way too much stuff to read every day, so it gets ignored till I find I have dozens of emails from him clogging up my feed. Then I just purge a bunch without even looking. I try to put something out once a week but my posts are based on how I'm feeling, or in response to something that has touched my heart (https://sandycumberland.substack.com/p/morocco?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2) so tends to be fairly random. I'm new so am just feeling my way through this.
Same. My favourite Substack sends out an email once a month and I always read hers. Others that send out emails what feels like multiple times a week I end up automatically deleting sometimes... Maybe not what people want to hear?
People will say often and consistently, and I'm sure they're right, but I am a quality over quantity kind of person and I find that I can't post something and rush it just for the sake of posting something. That's just me though. If you are having a hard time sticking to something, make sure your followers hear from you at least once a month, and when you are productive again, take advantage it and schedule 2-3 posts out.
YES, I am with you on the quality over quantity part! The thought of publishing weekly is nice in theory, but actually pulling it off with work, family, and life commitments would make it feel like another daunting task (and result in a less creative outcome).
I share your philosophy, Kerry Jane. Particularly on thinking a few posts out. I use the Substack "Drafts" feature to store - and test run to myself and two writer friends willing to give me pre-post feedback on future posts. I am more timid than I should be in posting. I recognize that "Perfect is the enemy of good." But I still get nervous every time I hit the "Publish" button. Phil Church
Phil. Thank you for your post. I am exactly where you were before the first time you posted. How did you find the two friends to provide pre-post feedback?
Oh there are like 7-11 drafts hanging out in my dashboard at any given time lol. I have plans for all of them, just not the time or the mindset for what they need. But they’re there! Everyone works differently. I’m also critical of my writing. I can’t speak for you but I think this can be a good thing.
I have a few Substacks that I'm subscribed to that don't publish weekly, but less (to far less) often. I think it's important to gauge your time and willingness, and if 1x/week is too much, then it's too much. I agree with you, the frequency is less important than just posting good stuff!
I so agree! I do write once a week and it is just about the frequency I can reasonably manage. If I wrote longer posts I think it would have to be less frequent. I started off writing twice a week and soon realised that it was taking over my life so reduced it. New writers will soon discover what it is doable and that's exactly the marker - what is doable for you!
Mine are anywhere between 800 and 1500. Most often 1200 or about a 6 or 7 minute read. When I first started I posted shorter pieces, more at the 800 end, but I think that was because I was getting organised and sorted out!
Here is what I read online--How long should a Substack post be? Your Substack newsletter can be as long as you want it to. But make sure your newsletters aren't overwhelming with hundreds of lines of text. The ideal email length is 200-300 words
As for me, don’t think I have an average. Have posted as short as 500 (just last week) and as long as 2700. Depends on what I feel the piece needs and what I’m capable of that week.
Here's what I read online--How long should a Substack post be? Your Substack newsletter can be as long as you want it to. But make sure your newsletters aren't overwhelming with hundreds of lines of text. The ideal email length is 200-300 words. sabrinalabow.substack.com
I also publish 'only' biweekly, sometimes even once a month. especially when I write fiction, I need to focus for several months at a time and there's little space left for writing anything else. So while I'm working on a story I hardly can publish anything else.
Just an idea ... if you want to stay more connected to your readers ... post one line from your current writing. ... something like "Today I wrote ... "one sample line" ... now I'm trying to figure out what it means ... what do you think?" Or an engaging question, "Do you think (x character) would have blue skin or pink?" If you can find a way to have fun with short posts, it could make your readers happy while you stay sane and maybe even get some fun and crazy ideas.
Thanks a lot, I'm looking forward to reading this. I'm a bit bothered by the whole topic of how-often-you-should-publish. Especially when I read from people who don't even know what to write about but want to publish weekly...
I know we've discussed this previously, but for me once a week has given me the motivation I need to actually sit and write every (or most) days. Without that, I'm not disciplined enough 😬😅
I think once a week makes sense for people who are professional writers. I think. Like you said, with a full-time job and other responsibilities, it is THE perfect recipe for burnout!
and yes, I have written about not knowing what to write about because I felt like I had to publish something. This conversation is very validating.
Maybe we start our own post-whenever-the-heck-you-can campaign!
Congratulations on 350 subscribers! How long did it take you to get there, if you don’t mind me asking? I reached close to 200 in around 6 months. Once a week is a golden rule, so I have been advised, but sometimes I can’t keep up! Consistency in posting is key. All the best!
Hey Anu! No problem at all. I’ve been here since November, but my growth only really picked up around March. With every 100 subscribers, it seems like it’s only getting faster.
i really think this depends on your audience. for me, once a week or 5-6 times per month is a good fit for our site's goal. but if i published a daily trading site, daily would make sense. the most important thing is to be respectful of your readers inbox & time and post the appropriate frequency that fits with that in mind.
That's also true. Depending on the type of content, readers might expect a daily newsletter or a weekly newsletter or, in my case, with fiction, biweekly or once a month.
A nice aspect of Substack is that it is a "long tail" operation that gives room for all of us. It is a balancing act of knowing what makes readers happy and what makes our creative lives joyful. Quality over quantity is a given ... however that doesn't mean we couldn't fulfill a planned quantity by posting a creative "hi, thinking of you" to the reader ... perhaps a quote, a beautiful image, or "my cat just vomited on my bed ... see you next week" post. A major lure of newsletters is the feeling of being connected to the author.
Honestly, I'd say less is more. I'd much prefer to receive something twice a month than 5 times a week. I want to look forward to and savour those posts from authors I enjoy so much :)
Everyone is different, though. It's about what works for you. Congrats on the growth, Andrei :)
I'd say that it's not just the frequency or the consistency of your posts, but that there ought to be some variation in length/depth, too. For a while I was posting two longform essays per week, and I think it was too much for readers to keep up with (except for a handful of devoted readers). I've done better when I prioritize longform work on Tuesday and save Friday for something less intense -- a discussion thread, a poem, anything that takes less than 10 minutes to read.
Sarah Fay wrote about this recently, that people tune out after about 700 words, and while that's sparked some debate among different writers, I think the spirit is true. Which is not to make every post 700 words or fewer, but to think about a reader's limits and never make more than one big ask of their attention per week. Sometimes that takes the pressure off of me, because I don't have to complete a 3,000 word masterpiece every two or three days. I can share some half-baked thoughts to prompt discussion on a Friday. Or I can share a poem with an entertaining back story, like a poem that an editor accepted and then realized that she'd completely misread (but had to publish anyway, because we had a contract by that point).
Another way of thinking of it: I can't push my max running pace very day. I can only do that once a week or so. Some of my runs need to be moderate or at a recovery pace. My writing should be the same.
I needed to hear this. I have been struggling, trying to maintain the once-a-week frequency. It is not working for my mental health, so thank you for saying this!!
🧠I think once a week is a good amount. Also, stay in it with notes--a note to myself as well! And remember, your posts do not have to be flawless. Sometimes I think people spend way too much time editing so it's "perfect" which it never is! sabrinalabow.substack.com
I try to post one or two times a week. I do mostly long form fiction. I’m 11 months on Substack and keep plugging away because at some point, I’ll start seeing my subscribers grow. It has been a very slow process for me. Congratulations on your 350 subscribers! I hope you hit 500 by the end of the year!
I get reasonable engagement on my posts but very little from Notes unless it's people I 'talk' to regularly. I have to say it's slowly improving and maybe it just takes time...Some of the things I have done on Notes - insert myself into a conversation with a comment or question - nobody minds and I've always been welcomed. I always try to respond to the Notes of people I subscribe to, and if anyone is asking questions, even if it's a couple of days old, I respond.
Respond to other people's 'stacks that you subscribe to, be chatty, join in the conversation with other responders not just make one comment and leave.
I rarely ask questions in my 'stack. Sometimes in a Note. Keep at it.
There are a few people doing this very well. One of my favourites is Tara Penry’s Enchanted Forest. Writers can recommend articles they’ve found enchanting and she showcases them. Makes for great discussion.
I tag specific people that I’ve come to know here who might be interested in sharing a thought. And I insert polls. I also continue the conversations in notes. And I do digests of my notes conversations weekly to expand on that which encourages people to come back and say more. Here’s an example of what those weekly digests look like: https://createmefree.substack.com/p/things-i-said-in-substack-notes-this-048
Yes, I’ve been tagged. And I appreciated it 😊. I agree that polls are a good way to engage. I’m thinking of fun ways to incorporate them more. Thanks, as always, for sharing Kathryn!
I'll add, also, Andi, a note. Don't be confused because you can't tag (also called mention or at) someone here (in comments). So, here if I type @Andi Penner, your name just appears but isn't a link and you won't get a notification that I tagged/atted/mentioned you. But if I do the same think in a post or a note, your name will be converted into a link and you'll be notified. I'll tag you in one in just a minute. :)
Just using the @(name) in the post and/or in Notes to let them know you've mentioned them. I also tend to add a comment or question for them if I specifically want their opinion.
For those who don't already know, Kathryn's newsletter is awesome and she consistently highlights the work of other writers she likes and adds her thoughts about it. I've discovered and subscribed to many great newsletters thanks to hers!
If you ever want to tag me in anything remotely related to art/creativity and/or mental health/wellness, I'm usually open to adding to the conversation. <3
I love the sharing. I do a similar thing in my newsletter where I have three posts of the week to showcase other writers. Building that community is a massive part of what I’m trying to do.
I made one comment on Ted Gioia's, and seeing the type of people who liked my comment/responded, I realized I attracted the wrong crowd and that made me question my opinion lol..
That's why I write in incomprehensible convoluted mesh of incomparable tangents in unbridled streams of mental & emotional subconscious magnitudes of unfiltered archaic and post-greek metaphoric dharmic philosophies, tied up by the invisible intellectual bonds that have formed the collective and individual dogmas in what we call postmodern world that we live in.. So that people can't even guess what I'm vaguely talking about.. (my head hurts just from writing this) 😂😂
Ok, so I try to openly engage people with options to comment on posts, share thoughts on what or who they'd like me to write about next, and I often post notes in hopes of attracting eyeballs in a different way, but my readers are the strong but silent type apparently. I struggle to get any feedback or interaction with them.
Dave ... nice to see you here. Strong silent types seem to prevail. Question: in passing I saw in one of your posts a statement about people not writing consistently and talking too much about themselves. I would like to quote you but now can't find the post. Does it ring any bells? You offer a lot of value with your posts ... thanks!
I would love to see that post too! I do think it's important to intersperse personal stories about yourself in order to differentiate yourself from ChatGPT. Imo, it's important for writers to have their own personal style that is recognizable. sabrinalabow.substack.com
"I was slightly under the weather last week. I think I had a bit of a cold. I had to take Lemsip, and then when that didn't work I had to create my own concoction with seventeen organic ingredients. Become a paid subscriber now and I'll share the recipe with you. But enough about me! Let me tell you about my projects. This week I wrote another five chapters of my novel. Then I spent the weekend in the south of France. Then I had a marvellous lunch with my agent who told me I'm brilliant. Blah blah drone ..." I hope that answers your question, Claudia.
I've been staying more active in Notes lately and I'm finding it great, both for finding engagement/community and for getting reading inspiration. It definitely helps to comment wherever you find something that resonates with you, restacking, and also sharing others's stuff you find around while browsing. I'm finding it super easy, lovely and a great place to be throughout my day! Hope this helps. 😉
Notes is great, but I find that it takes away readers from the comments section. I had to reduce my presence on Notes so that I could read more newsletters and engage with the writers directly in their comments section. Did you have the same experience?
It's difficult, isn't it. I often leave a comment on others' posts and click the box for copying to Notes. I don't know whether that doubles the exposure or halves it
I still think commenting in the comments section is the best form of engagement. Notes is great, but it's too transient for me and I find myself using it, then drifting away, and repeating that at random intervals.
I've only done this a couple of times so far but it worked really nicely: I asked in Chat for recommendations and ideas around a topic, and then used those responses to populate a newsletter post.
That way, the really engaged fans get to have that closer involvement, while the more casual readers get to benefit from the combined insight.
I'm afraid I tend not to ask questions because when I do I receive few answers. I do sometimes do what @mark dykeman suggests and make a bold statement. I also find that people react if I publish something very moving, humorous or outlandish. Those things spark convo in the comments
I get fewer crickets when I respond to a popular Substacker. And, when I make an effort to write something that contributes to the conversation or offers a different take.
Somehow your newsletters are very engaging and I always find myself leaving a comment. And you don't ask any questions, that's true. Perhaps it's the introvert in you. The fact that you don't want to talk to any of us makes us wanna talk to you. See? I just did it again!
Thanks very much, Claudia. I am an introvert, it's true (how did you know?). I do ask questions, not in every post. I tend to ask what people's views are, especially in my 'experiments in style' posts, but only a small select bunch of people respond most of the time
Of course, if you go to my latest letter to Rebecca, #21, you will see that I am already at the top of my game as far as art is concerned. I expect to be contacted by the Tate any day now 😂
Great question, Beth. I have, for the past couple of months, attempted, to small degrees of success, putting out a call for photos on first Saturdays. Photos from Wherever We’re Rolling. (I live in a van and am here and there.) But I think Substack’s current decision to not allow photos in comments is slowing my roll! 🤣 (It could also be my apparent Ludditeness.) I start a chat thread (where photos can be added by subscribers), link to it. It’s a bit convoluted. I’ve had a few people I know irl let me know they couldn’t figure out how to add a photo. And just now, I was unable to successfully follow the link myself. So! In short, maybe not photos for now? But I’d like to see a change and will keep pressing forward a couple more months. At any rate, here’s Saturday’s attempt. Anyone willing to see if they can add a photo? https://hollystarley.substack.com/p/whatcha-making-call-for-1st-saturday/comments
The newsletter Heated does something similar. But they ask the readers to email them photos of their pets. At the end of each newsletter they will publish one of those pet photos. It's a nice touch.
100% finding Substacks you enjoy and engaging with the author/community there. This tends to have the natural knock-on effect of coming back to your own Substack. It takes time and needs to come from a place of genuine engagement, of course, but it's the best and most organic means, at least in my experience. I think building those genuine connections just means that when you do post, you're much more likely to have that engagement.
I want this to be Notes so bad. After a long day or during a peaceful morning, chatting with other writers but I haven’t experienced much engagement yet.
🧠 - Most of my organic growth and people reaching out to me has been because they've seen me comment on others Substacks. Spend some time reading bigger publication in your niche and leave thoughtful comments. The platform does a great job of showing your publication beside your name and being active on other newsletters is an awesome way to drive views.
Second this. And restack the posts of others ... with thoughtful comments. Great method to connect with other writers and bring readers to your Substack.
🧠 Hi everyone, and happy Office Hours! Need a boost? Here's what's keeping me going, today...
It's never too late.
You can always pick the pen back up, sit down at the computer again, reinvent, reimagine, recreate. You're still here, which means you still care.
So start now. Today. A handful of words, a paragraph, a page. Lock your Inner Critic in a cupboard with a snack for a little while and just begin.
I promise you that you'll find your way, no matter how long the pause has been, no matter how unsure you feel, no matter how loud your insecurities are. But you need to take that first step in order to see the path in front of you.
🧠 I took my newest book on a monthlong virtual tour here on Substack and it went great. A few people have asked me about how to do it. I assumed people already knew from blog hop days but I am realizing I have value to add. So I’ll probably do a full post on this if people are interested?
✏️ I've read that the holiday season is when Substack has some of its highest levels of traffic and activity.
So, I'm wondering if anyone has started thinking through how they will cultivate interesting stories, giveaways, discussions in light of the holidays. I'd love to hear everyone's ideas. ☀️
I just took my book on a virtual tour and as a thank you to the people who hosted me I'm offering that anyone who buys an annual subscription to them gets one year free from me as well. A few people have taken me up on it.
My dream is to give away $50 in "Substack Dollars" each month to a reader on my list. I've heard from so many writers here who are trying to grow their readership but can't afford to join behind the paywall of newsletters where the conversations overlap with their writing topics. I think it'd be a great learning tool and touch point.
Anyways, I'm going to keep banging this drum until Substack listens... or I invent a way to do this myself. ha!
"Substack Dollars" ... what a great concept ... that has my mind reeling. OMG ... an idea just landed that I will announce in Notes after Office Hours.
I tried for a little while, but my website was much like an island floating in oblivion. So once I felt Substack had something that my website couldn't procure, I turned it into a fancy billboard. :)
I love the idea of a “fancy billboard.” 😊 I need to find a new hosting provider for my website as Bluehost is going to charge me nearly triple the price it was when I signed up. Can you recommend any reliable and reasonable hosting provider? Thank you.
I am not the tech guru here, but I know the two services I pay for are namecheap.com and then I let squarespace handle all the third-party integrations from there. ☀️
Amanda! I have a question specifically for you. :) Hope this is an OK place to ask. It’s maybe a little related to the thread, as it’s another billboard like attempt? Anywho, months back, you suggested creating a QR code for your stack. Brilliant, I thought. I eventually created one (but just googled how to do it, rather than following your link). I even printed stickers with the code, cuz I was going to a van gathering and stickers are all the rage. THEN I discovered that I would need to pay $39/mo to keep the QR code active??! I have clearly made a mistake. 😂 Were the QR codes you recommended free to make and active in perpetuity free of charge? Thanks in advance from an admiring subscriber and apparent Luddite. :)
Ugh, YES! Some people want to charge $39/month to keep them active, which is just frustrating. In a quick google search, I found flowcode.com, where they offer a super basic QR code and even include "no sign up, no expiration" in their description (they're trying to differentiate themselves here!). Maybe they will be a better option! ☀️
If I had been making ad money off my blog, I would have kept it up, but I had transitioned to a subscription model previously (on Patreon) so my blog wasn’t earning so I just stopped adding to it for now. I may use its eventually in some other way but haven’t been.
I have a separate website, but it’s mostly to promote my books. I’m currently updating it so I can better point people to my Stack and my work on here.
Calling my website a fancy billboard is a great description. I use BookFunnel to sell my e-Books and am working on recording audio versions of the books, which will also be available through all major players and my BookFunnel. The website helps add another layer of legitimacy for potential buyers, at least that’s what I think.
Thanks for the question, Melody! I do have one, but it seems redundant and is now neglected. Still, as a nostalgic person, I have a hard time taking it down. So it remains collecting weeds. I kind of like imagining it as a bit of a ghost town at the moment. A tumbleweed blowing through, a saloon door creaking open. Was there even any wind?
I love this image, Holly! Totally captures how I feel about my website. Every now and then I go to it, just to revisit what I did write there ages ago (sandycumberland.com) but mostly it just gathers dust....
I do, but have not posted on it for a while. I need to switch my hosting provider soon so I started thinking about whether I even want/need my website.
I currently use Bluehost but am thinking about switching to Siteground. If anyone has any thoughts or recommendations re: hosting platforms please let me know. 😊
Fantastic! Thank you, Wendi. I appreciate your recommendation and am happy to hear that you are pleased with SiteGround. I have been researching the options as well and SiteGround is regularly one of the top recommendations.
I don't any more. I transferred all my old blogs over to substack and am now tailoring them for a new audience and reposting. I consider Substack as my website. If Imy substack was part of running a business I would probably maintain a separate website.
I don't have a dedicated website/blog, but I've been on Medium for three years and finally took the plunge with Substack in April because I got tired of Medium's volatility. I still post there too (and still manage to get swept up in the emotional roller coaster of virality, or lack thereof, as much I as I try not to). To be honest, I'm having a lot of trouble being an "involved" community member in two places. But as of now, most of my Substack subscribers come from Medium, so I feel I need to keep up a presence in both places. It's kind of exhausting though. I'm hoping to reach a point where I can just be in one place, and preferably not on social media much at all! Hey, a girl can dream...
I am pretty much doing the same. As I still do some consulting work, I keep my original site, and use Substack as the go to place for people to see and sign up for my Mind Wise newsletter and blog. I take my longer content articles and videos or podcasts on Substack and do a shorter version on my WordPress site to keep it active as long as I continue to use it. I'd be interested in interviewing you for one of my video podcasts.
Ron if you mean me I'd love to talk to you on your podcast. However, there are many illustrious folks on this thread, so I may be presumptuous thinking you were talking to me!
I do, yes. I have a couple of different web sites going. It's true I don't get to them as often :) but every so often I try to gets things somewhat sycned up.
I do, though most of my writing is currently on Substack. The website hosts my courses, decades worth of old blog posts, and my new & full moon astro-tarot forecasts. I’ve been debating if I really need to keep it, though, and so far, I don’t have a clear answer, tbh.
I just created my own website (https://mymentalhealthguide.com) after writing on Medium and Substack for a long time, but I don't usually write separate blog posts for it. I just copy and paste relevant articles from my other writing as blog posts there. And I created the site primarily to promote a specific service I just started offering.
🟧 When are you going to create a category for all of us who write very generally/broadly - NOT JUST on politics, sport, cinema etc etc.?? I have been asking for months. My substack is on a different subject every time (I say it runs from Annunciations to orgasms) but loads of other people's substacks do, too. We want to be discovered, too.
I just wrote you a comment and it posted twice for some reason, so I tried to delete one post and it deleted both. I said, essentially, yes I do have fun and no one is asking me to change. I think my readers like to wonder what the old lady is going to write about next. See my piece on the vulva (arichardson.substack.com/p/thinking-about-the-vulva) - don't worry, it won't frighten the horses. Or see me stand on my head at age 80. Hooray for Substack which allows us to write all this.
I'm not sure the categories are all that worthwhile. I did a study that led me to believe that Substack searches primarily pick up on words in your bio and brief descriptions. Therefore, making sure search words are included in those elements is something we can do that will affect searches.
Climb into the head of your readers and think of 10 words that they might search on to find you ... or look at your highest viewership or engagement posts and see what the themes are or what might be engaging them. This is not an easy task but coming up with words which could be attached to your title or used in post titles or included in your bio or brief description is what you're looking for. Hope this helps ... if not, I'd love to continue the conversation ... which might lead to a future post helpful to other writers.
Yes, interesting. To some extent, I think they are wondering 'what in the world is she going to write about today?' but that isn't much help (or, perhaps, it is - I will need to think about how to turn that into a key word or two). But being older, and given the name of my substack, I can probably think about some words that convey the wisdom of an older woman. I'd be happy to have a further discussion on this. Contact me on ar@annrichardson.co.uk and I will respond.
I am not asking for special promotion, but there is a 'category' list for new readers and there could be a 'general' category, with those of us listed who fit into that. I am not one of the very high flyers (getting 1000s of new readers) but I AM getting a fair number of new readers (pushing 500) who stay with me and I have a good open rate (64% or so). I just need people to know I exist!
Sounds like you're doing a lot right. I'm not sure categories are as important as including words people might search on in your profile and brief descriptions. This is part of the ENTICE stage of the Reader Engagement Process I talk about in the Substack Field Guide.
🧠 - Take a break BEFORE you need it! I've been on Substack for over three years now, and publishing every week (or multiple times a week) can be tiring, even when it's fun! Usually I take a break from writing/publishing in August, but this year I felt like I didn't need the break so I didn't take it...aaand crashed the first two weeks of September. Now I'm behind on my publishing schedule and feel VERY guilty!
So build in breaks for yourself, and do it BEFORE you need one!
I feel like every free reader who is still engaged is still welcome, because I want to keep the door open for as many people as possible including those who have no intention of upgrading - and in a selfish sense, you never know what they might be doing for your marketing quietly and behind the scenes. (I had a longterm free reader share something a while back to a forum and it triggered an absolute ton of traffic.)
And if they're free and they haven't shown any sign of reading, commenting, clicking, opening anything or even breathing for a certain amount of time (1 year +, for me), I pluck up the courage to take them off the list.
I always hesitate to remove people for not opening emails because you never know if they use an email client that impacts their open rate. But I think seeing if they're commenting, downloading episodes (in my case) and more, is a helpful metric as well.
Yeah, I try to cross-reference four or five signs of non-engagement: it feels unlikely they're still checked in if they're not opening AND not commenting AND not clicking links AND etc etc.
I've been pondering whether to cull the list: it's always been accepted good practice in other newsletter circles, for various reasons, but I'm not sure how much of a factor it is on Substack.
Yep - it's a risk! There's no way of being absolutely sure. But I figure if they've shown no sign of engagement for that long, it's a reasonably dependable sign they've tuned out - and I try to have a look at each address's activity before I do anything as drastic as removing someone...
Yeah, plus tracking opens is increasingly difficult as well.
Do the stats factor in people who are reading in the app and on the web? I'm not sure how that factors into open rates and engagement, relative to email sends.
Yeah, excellent question. I don't know the answer to this either. But I assume (hopefully correctly?) that, for example, if they leave a comment from the app, it shows as them leaving a comment in the stats in the same way as if they do it via email or Web? If *everything* they do in/from the app is invisible, that's a huge problem for our dashboards - hence, I'm presuming Substack already thought of this and has worked things accordingly?
Yeah, I'm the same - I don't know for sure. But anything that *might* improve deliverability based on established good newsletter practices elsewhere that isn't too much of a pain in the rump to implement, it feels worth doing. But I'd love to know some hard details about what's actually happening.
I've wondered about this. Since inactive subscribers don't cost more like they might on MailChimp or such, I figure it doesn't hurt to leave them. Lately I'm wondering if I'm overlooking something in terms of deliverabilty, like if google analyses and decides to toss your email in the spam folder based on the number of folks who don't open it.
Yes, exactly. It's true that they can be there for free. But I think they can also be behaving in a way that 'programs' our email software like Gmail etc. to view our newsletters as more likely to be spam. For example, dropped emails send that signal to email clients - the more drops, the more signals that our newsletters are the opposite of important. That's super-bad for us in the long run.
And I check them manually before deleting, just in case I've missed something. (In a lot of cases, I see dropped emails when I do this - the bane of a newsletter-writer's life.)
It's....not a quick process, but doing it a little bit here and there keeps it somewhat manageable and not too boring.
On the other hand, having 'Over X subscribers' on your welcome screen is probably good social proof for potential NEW subscribers. If a cull would drop you below those thresholds, it might be counter-productive.
I like any readers. Even if free. You don't know the circumstances of why people can't pay. Yes, it would be great if they could convert to paid but in this economy I can't even pay for my friends substacks and I really want to. I just don't have the funds myself.
Agreed! I've not enabled paid subscriptions yet, but my plan is to continue offering free content. Also, there are people who may not be able to commit to a subscription but would consider one-time purchases for other content like books or courses. And even those who are unable to spend money at all can support your work in other ways like spreading the word about your publication.
i'm with you on this. i did a paid sub to one substack recently and then had to go back to free because i live in a city where the rent is climbing daily!
That's great! A lot of my friends are not that well resourced. I am very middle class, working child care not making much money, trying to put myself through grad school via my income on Substack. It definitely helps and I tell people exactly what they are paying for when they subscribe. It's my MFA in poetry--which when people read my Substack they realize it means a lot to me and definitely informs (and improves) my writing. I am developing a style of writing that people call the lyrical essay. There is no real education to get in this specific genre. But writing my Substack helps me explore writing non-fiction and the stuff of our lives in a more poetic way. I hope it is working. I need readers though... and if they are free then that is great. One of the most valuable repayments is feedback on my writing so if they can't pay I hope people comment once in a while. That way I know what works.
Sounds like you have a good plan. Growing audiences is all about legwork. Perhaps try posting to things like Facebook groups that are pertinent to your Substack. I also found good luck on LinkedIn. Do you offer special articles for paid subscribers?
I do not do any special articles other than archiving some old articles and making them available for paid people. The Plan - which was my first article had some more personal reasons why I had started my Substack, and I wanted to limit the audience a bit. It had a picture of the ambulance that took my son away after an emergency... and it was the breaking point for me. I could not go on from emergency to emergency with no hope. But anyway... that is besides the point. The intensely emotional things or the stuff I don't think most people will like I have tucked away for the smaller audience. However, I believe the best stuff should be free and available. In fact I want to refer back to my best stuff and new people can't access it if it is behind a paywall.
It's part of the game. Most people will not become paid members. The only thing I recommend is finding a way to sell something offline that is aligned with your content, and maybe you can drive them to that other thing. Some people don't think paying for content is tangible, but if you had a product, that might be something to jump on.
sell something offline ... that is a challenge that deserves some serious brainstorming ... would you be interested in collaborating on some way to help people identify possibilities? No specific ideas in mind ... chat ... thread ... zoom ...post ?????
Yes to free. I come from the old school of "information wants to be free" and I'm an avid reader of free versions of many substacks. I came to substack after making marketing newsletters for clients and all that push left a bad taste in my mouth. I was happy to have a non-commercial option for myself. All the readers have seen all the pitches to subscribe to paid. It is on them to respond or not. However, clearing old non-openers from time to time is only good practice.
I want as big an audience as possible. If you want to read for free, that's perfectly acceptable to me. I don't consider money the barometer of somebody enjoying my work. When they like my work, and they can afford it, they will buy, or they won't.
I think if someone is a long time, free reader who engages they may not be getting a paid sub because it's not within their means. Of course I love paid subscribers but I am honored by anyone who reads my stuff to the end and engages in the community.
If I were to become a paid subscriber to every single Substack I subscribe to for free, that would be a significant sum. Aside from money, it may just be someone's preference—they could have a hundred reasons to not go paid. If they're still opening my emails, then I'm happy to have them.
✏️ – Do you have any best practices when it comes to doing interviews? I have been emailing people full lists of questions, getting their replies, and then sending a few follow-up questions. This is very efficient, but I feel like it comes out a bit stilted.
I'm thinking about doing a "live chat" interview instead, where I just book an hour with the interviewee and talk to them via Slack or another chat program.
Maybe this will work better? How do you usually interview people for text articles? (I.e. not recorded audio/video interviews)
I really love the chat method-- perfect hybrid of live discussion and thoughtful (already transcribed) dialogue. I find different interviewees are given toward different methods tho- some prefer slow thinking their ideas in email, some would rather just hop on a call. (Just checked out your page and love it- new subscriber here!)
I give an interview outline. Never the full question list. But I like people to know the gist of what we’re talking about. I’ve found this helps people feel comfortable, but still fresh and not rehearsed
I try really hard not to do email interviews, although sometimes I have no choice (mostly because of timing issues or because they're halfway across the U.S.). Also, I find the best interviews are a bit unpredictable and I like being able to do unexpected follow-ups.
Generally, whether it's Zoom or on the phone, I do interviews in a Q&A style. I record them and transcribe them pretty much as they happened (other than the mild edits for clarity). In either case, I run the audio through Otter to get a rough transcription, then listen to the interview manually and correct the text as I go.
Granted, I'm usually dealing with Hollywood folks who don't usually have an hour. But generally my interviews run in the 20 minute or so length, which seems to work fine for my readers.
Have you tried the new Descript/Squadcast set up? There is some cost to it, but works great for remote interviews and allows for easy editing whether you do videos or podcasts. My early use of it so far has worked well.
This is pretty much the method I use (emailing questions) but I've changed my approach over the past year. I used to email the full list of questions (usually 10) at once. I changed my approach where I send two sets of five questions. The first 5 usually come from a standard set of questions but now I use the answers to the first five questions to formulate the next five. I hope that's helpful.
I'm just getting back into doing podcast and video podcast. I use different set ups according to the person and their inclinations and preferences, but generally lay out the interest I have with a few question and ask that the interviewee send me some areas that they would like to discuss. Interviews are kept casual, fun, and friendly. I have been experimenting with the new Descript/Squad cast set up which so far is great.
I have done two interviews via zoom so far. I have had them transcribed and will be posting excerpts from them. I eventually want to post the interview with video and audio, but am just learning at this point.
I have not sent out interview questions by email yet because I thought that might be too impersonal, but will likely try that too. I think the best advice is to experiment and see what works best for you and your interviewee.
Speaking as a longtime magazine journalist, I ALWAYS interview by phone because you really do get better quotes, and you never know where a conversation may go (sometimes somewhere surprising!). I send questions via email before the call, so the interviewee can prepare, but when you're in live conversation other questions will, of course, come up. You can do follow-up Qs via email., if needed. Substack's transcription still leaves something to be desired, but I find Rev.com's auto-transcripts to be a good value (affordable and extremely accurate).
As a journalist who does a lot of interviews for work—and as someone who is going to introduce Q&A posts soon—there are pros and cons to email/form interviews, as you've seen, vs. talking directly. I personally the latter for a few reasons:
* more natural responses
* allows me to ask follow-up questions right there
* requires less time of my interviewee
It means more time for me editing responses, but I think it's worth it in the end. I do Zoom chat, record the chat, and then transcribe in Otter (and I ALWAYS check the otter transcription, because it's never perfect). I edit responses so they're succinct from there.
Depending on who you're talking to, a live chat could be a great compromise. If you're able to share topics in advance of your chat, that can help any interviewees you may have that like to overthink things.
I recently did a text message interview with @nathanwoods and it worked really well. I wanted to avoid sending a list of questions for the exact reason you mentioned: it always comes out stilted.
The text messaging allowed for a more natural progression of the conversation and we were able to engage a little more with each other. After we finished the conversation, we went back and edited the parts of our dialogue as necessary.
It took a little more time since we both have families and couldn't devote undivided attention to the interview, but I was very happy with the results.
✏️ my question is: is the substack strategy to attract more authors / ‘blog style’ writers and for that to be the future of the platform? My substack is a curation of news about women’s healthtech and I see limited news type substacks and so the benefits to the network effect I worry are going to be more limited! Thanks
I have a hybrid newsletter, part curation, and part original content. I think sharing news is definitely something worth sharing; several top accounts are doing this. However, original content will often be the thing that pulls people into your publication because they get a sense of your voice.
Yes absolutely, I tend to do an original piece to start and then the rest is curation but also with my thoughts on each link to add context/ commentary. That seems to be working well and I enjoy writing it too
My two cents is there’s room for it all and if you stick to your lane and do it well then it’s going to do just fine here. 💙🦋 I write nonfiction and at first I wondered if I belonged here among so many fiction writers. For what it’s worth.
Thank you Kathryn, that does make sense and I do hope as substack grows the author mix diversifies as much as possible so there’s something for everyone!
I think one of the things that helps is that the idea is for you to build your own subscriber list that's uniquely yours so while you can search the network for people who respond to the writing, you can also easily bring in readers from all of your other facets of online and offline life. Then once they're here, they might poke around and find others they like. And others' readers may find you.
That makes sense. I’m building my profiles on LinkedIn and Instagram to attract subscribers too. It was just one of the things that attracted me to substack is the network effect within here. A similar newsletter to mine has just moved across to beehiv which offers similar and I’m just wondering if that’s because there’s more non-fiction / greater opportunity for growth over there. I think it’s probably the case that quality is more important than platform, but it’s just something I was thinking through
Totally makes sense. Not familiar with beehiv so it'll be interesting to see how that develops. I do think that there's a great network here and I love connecting with the people here ... but ultimately everyone whose writing here is also looking for paying readers so there seems to be a cap on how many more they're willing to pay for regardless of topic.
I've wondered the same thing. But now I feel there is probably a fine line between fiction writing and non-fiction as a lot of similar skills are needed in the development and delivery of your written works, especially if narrative or a captivating message or story is involved. It seems today that many people struggle with the separation of personal fictions from the consensus reality others have of the world.
I've been doing a lot of research browsing through health Substacks (and some other topics) and I've found that the most engaging, non-boring news susbtacks are precisely well curated content that keeps me engaged. I've been even surprised how some of them in topics such as politics or epidemiology (which can be quite heavy and dull) have been truly fascinating reads thanks to the art of curation. If that's your thing, I'd say trust your instincts and go for it!
That’s so true! The right writer can make anything engaging. I think I’m doing pretty well as have consistently high open rates (70%+) it’s just my impatience to grow faster haha!
Another thing to consider is the growth rate of Substack. It is still bringing in writers and readers at a rapid rate so the more we polish and improve our Substacks for reader engagement and interact with the community, the more likely we are to grow with the inflow.
🧠 Did you know you can change the phrase “No thanks” on the subscribe home page to something more interesting or positive? I changed mine to “Lets take a look first”. Just seems to offer the possibility of more subscribers.
🟧 I read this in Hamish’s piece today and thought it was interesting: “exceptional writing, considered argument, and robust debate—the key factors, as we have learned in six years here, that drive subscriptions.”
Exceptional writing I totally get as a subscription driver. Do you have data to suggest arguments and debating increase subscriptions? What do those kinds of posts / newsletters look like? Thanks!
Been reflecting on Hamish's piece as well, the same quote in fact. Coupled it with the idea here in Silicon Valley that "Innovation + distribution = diffusion / adoption". In other words, innovation (exceptional writing) is not enough on its own (although the creator / inventor has personal / professional satisfaction / intrinsic motivation). Distribution has to be part of the equation for the magic to happen.
Just a caveat: I believe the definition of "exceptional writing" has to have the reader in mind. It's the old creativity vs innovation question. Creativity =s new. Innovation =s new and useful.
Yeah, that sounds very... blue bird to me, quite frankly. The louder you're shouting, the more people are subscribing to keep up with the fight. Is that the same as exceptional writing though? I'd like to see examples too.
argument and debate aren't exactly my reasons for reading or writing. Incendiary posts/newsletters stir the pot for some, making wild claims that then are refuted by comments etc. are quick hits. Am I in the wrong game at the wrong playground? this could get rough
Dave ... I know teasers work ... however, I'm finding, from a reader's point of view, I'm growing very weary of opening a post and reading enough to get interested and then getting cut off. I read a lot of stuff just to see what people are doing, so a lot of it isn't interesting enough or critical enough to become a paid subscriber. (I'm already way over budget in subscriptions.) So I wind up feeling cheated. Even when there's a 7-day free trial which makes me feel guilty if I use it just to read one post. I'm looking for other options.
This is an interesting perspective Joyce, thanks for sharing. I'm always hesitant to send out paywalled posts for exactly this reason. I try not to do more than one a month for exactly this reason.
Valorie ... I think it's a dance of value creation. Every post is a connection with a reader, possibly building a relationship, possibly ending it. I believe writing is important and making a living as a writer is a worthwhile endeavor. My life has been changed by some writings I've been touched by here on Substack. Most were probably free and prompted me to subscribe after the fact.
The complications of this dance are part of what keeps me here trying to figure it all out. ;-)
Thanks for this perspective, Joyce. Yes, it's so tricky - and if it's just a total rug-pull with nothing else ("Hi everyone! Welcome back. So, here are my best tips for living a great life [PAYWALL BREAK]...) is pretty exhausting to encounter, and I think it's just not effective either. It seems very hard on here to annoy people into wanting to support your work - they just go elsewhere. But if you can make them truly WANT to read more while not feeling disrespected in getting less access than other people, that's the engagement sweet-spot. In my case, that process of getting them hooked usually requires me to give a lot of stuff away for free, including above paywall breaks in posts.
I get that other people are doing things differently, and that's a sure sign that there are *so* many ways to tackle this issue, so many different spins - so we have to test everything ourselves to see what works for us and not just adopt advice wholesale from other people. But in my case, what really seems to work in a paywalled post is as much about what's *above* the paywall than below it.
You could always go the "first hit is free" route, giving a free post away once in a while and letting the rest stay behind the paywall.
What I'm about to start doing for my publication is sharing some deep-dive content for free and then sharing a more personalized version for my private podcast, where it's a bit looser, and I can expand on ideas more.
Dave, I've been doing battle with this issue for months ... a new idea is forming and it relates to your idea of having something other than posts to paywall. Always appreciate your wisdom.
How much do you tease? I have debated where to put the paywall in my content. Currently for my exclusive content, it’s after the first line. However for my early access content, I give people a few hundred words.
Depends on the post. If it's text-heavy, I'll give a good portion of the post but keep the more actionable information behind the wall. Pretty much the same with podcasts.
I like your approach ... it's honest. It isn't leading the reader on to the cliff hanger in hopes they will be seduced into paying. There's a lot of subtlety in all of this and my view is that a paid subscriber who winds up feeling hoodwinked or dissatisfied is the worst possible outcome.
I promote my paid content because I think it's some of my best stuff (I host "Ask an Editor" where writers can talk to a developmental editor). But when I do promote or nudge folks to give my paid stuff a try, I include some anecdotal information about process, writing or musings so there's some value just for stopping by. And I make sure it's clear that it's for paid readers so there's no chance of a "gotcha" feeling.
When you say you promote your paid content Amanda how do you do that? This may require an answer too long for Notes, maybe you need to write an article about it😊
I second-guessed the use of the word "promote" in this sentence because it felt very fancy to me. And I was right! ;)
I just mean that I share about it in Notes and in comments sections where it makes sense (and sometimes on LinkedIn). Lately, I've been VERY pumped about Ask an Editor where everyone shares a first paragraph from their next essay and I workshop it with them together, so I've been pretty chatty about it everywhere I go.
If I step back and try to be helpful in this thread, I do think there's maybe some benefit to the fact that Ask an Editor is a standalone, recurring paywalled feature. It's not something that I have to re-explain or re-pitch to all my readers every single time it happens. There is also a growing archive of examples for people to see, which I think gives folks an easier "yes" or "no" to signing up.
FWIW, I tried paywalling some of my writing at the very beginning of my Substack journey, and I quickly realized that paywalling writing for a writer no one has ever heard of is not a winning recipe. Building trust takes so much time, and I'd rather readers be able to access ALL of it and then slowly triage down to a paywalled experience over time.
Amanda ... thank you for such a detailed and important comment. It needs to be restacked ... and your Ask an Editor is a perfect example of value creation that deserves to be paywalled. It is individual feedback which is very difficult to find in the writing world. Congrats.
Usually I only promote free. I make sure it's as good as my paid stuff or better. I also make everything free for the first three weeks. I used to promote paid content, but the free trials I offered almost never paid off.
Do you find that the 3 weeks free actually helps? Like having an only paid archive makes people want to become a paid subscriber?
I have a mostly free archive and I am posting the oldest stuff elsewhere to try and drive traffic. But I have thought about making my previous years of content paid.
I think there are two main avenues ... social media as you mention and Substack internal such as Notes ... and Office Hours which is amazingly rich for making friends and gaining subscribers.
I promote that paywalled post if there's also something there for free readers - something of value in itself.
The great thing about the paywall break is that you can put a lot of stuff before it and give free readers - and readers finding that post via the Web or via your Archives - something that's properly worth their reading time, even if they don't go on to upgrade. I try to do that these days when I add a paywall break. As Joyce says below, it's so easy to burn readers out with nothing but a teaser, and to me, it can feel disrespectful super-quick if you do it a few times in a row. But I *do* want to tease my paid stuff a bit, because it does convert, and I do believe in what I'm putting out there...
So I try to write posts with paywall breaks as having two identities that can stand apart from each other: above the break for the free readers, and below the break for the paid. The best I've done of these got a level of engagement (Likes, clicks etc.) comparable to the best of my free stuff - which is absolutely what I'd want to aim for!
✏️ For fellow writers publishing creative prompts/ inspiration work: How have you engaged your readers to use the chat or notes features?
While I get many personal emails and DMs from folks sharing their prompt responses with me, most of my audience hasn’t converted to the app & doesn’t use these features but I long for this communal energy.
I love the magic that happens in the collective creative setting of a workshop, for example, but see slow adoption of community tools here.
I engage in a lot of notes conversations and then I round them up into a digest every week to showcase them and elaborate on them and turn it into more of a conversation which I think has helped because then the people reading in email see what's happening in Notes.
🟧 ✏️ - Posting this for any who might have a clue, but maybe it's a systems thing.
Is there any way to direct subscribers to a page where they can write a testimonial? I know readers will get this prompt from Substack at some point, but I've been scouring the settings and pages and cannot find a way to link to it for people who want to write something about my publication.
There are different schools of thought on this. Some people say get quite a few subscribers first and then launch paid. Some say go straight away as you've nothing to lose by having a paid option. I've been on here for 6 months turned on paid at about 100 subscribers, on a whim really. Also I don't offer anything extra to paid - I see it as a tip jar if they want to support me in that way.
I turned on paid after 6 months. Mostly because I realized I will often pay for subscriptions to writers that are new and are offering something interesting to me. So I want to support them. Then I figured I should make the same offer available for myself. I don’t offer anything distinct for paid yet, but I may in future.
🧠 One suggestion for promoting your Substack I haven't seen anyone else mention is to share it on Post (post.news) a social media site that allows longform posts, includes a tip option under all posts automatically (and also allows you to paywall content). My Substack now automatically gets shared on Post via the RSS feed. Post reached out to me to encourage that and explain how to do it; I'm not tech-savvy enough to explain it to anyone else.
Also, if you do have your own website in addition to writing here, or a digital product you sell on Gumroad or another platform, or anything else related to your Substack content, you can add tabs to the top of your Substack page that redirect to those other sites! See mine (wendigordon.substack.com) for examples.
Glad you found the info helpful. I like Post much better than any other social media platform. It’s far more civil and has some substantive content along with pet and nature photos.
🟧 If we'd like to send out "re-runs" of old posts, is there a way to do that without duplicating them and publishing as new posts (and creating two of the same post in our feed)?
Hi Kamil- I don't know if that article applies. I want to send out a previously published post to all subscribers as a throwback/re-run (original subscribers will have seen it before, but it will be new for anyone who has subscribed since the original posting). I don't want to duplicate the post into a new draft and publish because that would create two of the same post in my feed. I hope that clarifies my question...
🟧 — Is there a button or some sort of link to get writers to leave a little blurb about my substack? I'd like to include this in my substack pieces as a way to encourage others to leave reviews of my work for my welcome page.
Right now, I believe only other Substack writers can leave a blurb about your newsletter. I believe readers are limited to making comments on individual posts.
I think this suggestion is really important. Substack writers make up a small minority of anyone's reader base. It's way more helpful to know why readers are subscribing than to know why other writers are subscribing.
Thanks for sharing the link Eric, much appreciated. Good to know there are other writers who are interested in this! I have people tell me they enjoy my writing but they have no way of leaving a review or blurb and I have no way of sending them a link to do so!
🟧 - What's the difference between followers and subscribers?
🟧 - Is there a way to delete inbox (other than archiving it?)
🟧 ✏️- I think it's important to have a distinction in notifications: some of my subscriptions aren't 'so important' that I want to receive an app notification for them on my app every time, but other writers I want to. Is there a way to remain subscribed without being notified? I just want to see them on my inbox.. that's enough.. anyone agrees/anyone hacked this?
Also: ✏️ - What's the song playing in your ears now?
Been ages since I heard anything from her. You didn’t ask but here’s mine: https://spotify.link/2Y8WyrvN5Cb (also: Can we agree on the majestic album cover?)
Patrick ... you can tweak your title to add a searchable word ... for instance to your title of "Field of View" you could make it "Field of View Photography" ... no need to change url, just change title in Settings (Dashboard). Best ... j
I like to think of myself as tech- and social media-saavy, and have been lurking for two years since I set up my account, reading email pointers and testimonials along the way. Well, I finally retired a few days ago, and was excited to fire up my Substack account from dormancy.
However, the only way I could find to put any text into a post was via a counter-intuitive "writers dashboard", where it took me 10 minutes to determine the only way I could upload text was via "poetry notes", and that the only images one could upload weren't jpegs. I have no clue what the difference between "Notes" and "Posts" is, and I have to say it's really been a baffling ordeal so far.
Perhaps some sort of beginner's flowchart would help?
Thank you very much. You have just proven that Substack is, in fact, very user-focused ... unlike a lot of social media companies who hide behind generally unhelpful FAQ pages.
I feel you. I’m new and it’s taking me sometime to grasp all the parts of the experience we can create here. For example, my first real post I think was like my “about” page and welcome email. I guess I need to do another version so it lives there and is ready when they subscribe. I also see value in updating it often.
You know, that's another odd thing ... I went to edit the above, and (after hunting for which set of dots went with which comment) and there's no edit function visible. I'm surprised this user interface hasn't had a lot more QA testing and subsequent refinement. Addendum: I eventually found it, but it took a while.
Gunnar ... I haven't gotten around to creating a "map" ... but the whole Substack Field Guide is designed to help newer Substack Writers know what to do first and why to do some of the almost overwhelming possibilities of getting started. You might find it helpful ... and it's free. https://gratitudemojo.substack.com/p/substack-field-guide-and-a-simple
I have an entry in my AppleID list my 85-year-old mother-in-law's iPad where she somehow managed to name her iPad a whole paragraph of random German text!
Thanks, that helps visualize things. That said, there might be a bit of a catch-22 in that it appears as though one can't easily write posts without any followers (for instance, no conspicuous "post" button anywhere), but can't garner any followers without any posts. Perhaps I'm not thinking of this correctly ... should I more properly view SubStack as a MailChimp-style listserver with social media cross-posting bolted on?
It's a newsletter + blogging platform. You can write as much as you like by clicking "New Post" in your dashboard.
Gaining followers/subscribers is a whole other story. If you have a preexisting following, direct it to your newsletter. If you don't, try to leverage social media and network with other writers here.
🟧 Hi! So, there seems to be either a strange "bug" in the new subscriber system or perhaps something particular to me: Frequently when someone subscribes, they send a note as to why. But it's not clickable for me; there's nowhere I can go to respond and thank them. (Or at least, I've looked everywhere.) Is this something Substack can do? It'd be great to acknowledge the note, but I can't figure out how to do so without going and getting their email under "subscribers," and that seems not quite helpful. Thanks in advance!
Someone asked this before, and the answer was that you had to email them directly (just 'reply' to the subscription notification), which is what I do, but some writers don't want to have their email address shared with readers.
🟧 I am seeing if its possible to see the average demographics of your readers, specifically if its 40 and over given the proliferation of video and audio among the younger generation. This is just for my own peace of mind as I am trying to understand who the readers are these days.
Dave ... I've noticed that you have strung polls together in a very engaging way. Does that work? (assume it does) ... what's the biggest benefit of doing that?
🧠 Be active on Notes. I have had such a boost in the rate of subscriptions since I started getting on Notes. I get great engagement (and higher subscriptions) from asking open-ended questions. I think the best response I got was from asking "What's your favorite type or brand of tea?"
Hey Flesche it's been awhile since we've done a Shoutout Thread! We'll do one again on the first Thursday in October. Always feel free to jump over to Notes and introduce yourself. Tag @Substack writers and tell us more about the writers you want to meet so we can see it.
✏️🟧 - Aside from these weekly chats, are there any other communities where Substack writers gather to ask these kinds of questions, give advice, etc.? A Slack or Discord community to discuss things—without responses getting lost in a sea of 100s of unsearchable responses—could be valuable.
My publication focuses heavily on photography. Is there a chance of developing more freedom for placing pictures within a post? Perhaps with text to the left or right of a photo? Also, the photo grids contstrain pictures to a square aspect ratio. Could there be a way to allow multiple photos of different sizes to be included together? Thanks for all that you do!
🟧 I'm trying do do this at work from my phone and realize I didn't add the orange square to my original comment. Apparently I cannot edit that comment, so here it is! 😁
✏️ If you're determined (and inspired by the Editorial strategy series) to create a structure and a process that supports consistency in your publishing and your writing...what's stopping you? If a genie could magically give you the perfect system, what would it allow you to do?
I'm creating a Notion system for myself (scattered ideas and decision overwhelm are my current roadblocks). I'd like to turn it into a template specifically designed for Substackers and I want it to feel like that- supportive magic!
Once upon a time, I used ClickUp to help me organize things. Each post was a task, with a "due date" and a "publish date" and subtasks that put time on my calendar to write, edit, and record. It was useful for a while, but I've been so overwhelmed with deadlines lately I haven't been using it.
Oh I've never used ClickUp, but my original Notion worked (and broke down) in a similar way! Phase 2 of this next Notion is integrating all my processes and workflows– writing and work-for-hire– in one, simple place so it's actually useful!
I love the intentionality and structure of this Joyce! And thinking of it as a "mini date" helps to orient around the reader's experience, which is so lovely (and key)
Thanks, Tami ... I agree on intentionality. I think most of us want to write posts that are useful and engaging for readers but I recognized that too often I was drifting into my stories that might be interesting but not useful. I like the idea that I've designed a structure that I can let my creativity play in.
✏️ Hi! Curious how collaboration with fellow Substack writers has worked for you. Do you guest post something original on each other's Substack? Or agree to cross-post? Co-author a piece?
If you've tried multiple collaboration strategies, which has worked best? TIA
I took my book on a virtual tour here on Substack so for that I did several things ... I wrote guest posts that they published on their pages, answered interview questions, sent them chapters for review, etc.
In exchange, sometimes they were just part of the tour which I was promoting and they got links in from other people on the tour. But sometimes I also interviewed them and shared that on my page. And sometimes I wrote a related article and linked back to the guest post on their site. And I cross-posted as well.
Nothing honestly seemed to work better than anything else. Everything got a mostly positive response.
🟧 I’d love to be able to support more authors through micro-subscriptions (10 cents to $1 per month). I wrote up one way this could work on my Substack, and I’m wondering if an option like this has been considered or is under consideration by the Substack team.
Hi there! We've avoided micro-subscriptions so far because the economics don't work out very well for the writer. We want to help writers make full-time livings, or close, and such small payments make it very hard for that to be possible. But we've been dreaming up some ideas here that might help, and know there's a desire for this!
Thanks so much for the reply Bailey! As Eric pointed out, it’s not “easy,” but as Substack grows I’m glad it’s a consideration. I would definitely not want micro-subscriptions to *replace* existing subscriptions -- instead, this would be in addition to existing options, probably without any perks. Pushing primarily on a higher, paid subscription tier first makes sense, but having alternatives would allow the benefits of generating revenue on Substack to spread (albeit in a smaller way) to a broader group of writers, not just those who with readers who have plenty of disposable income.
This is definitely an interesting idea. There's one *really* important thing to understand about why Substack probably isn't rushing into a system like this. Right now, Substack doesn't hold any funds on behalf of its users. Every transaction is a purchase, whether it's for a monthly subscription, or an annual subscription.
As soon as Substack starts collecting funds that will be disbursed at a later time, their financial obligations become much more complicated. They've now got to track how much they're holding from every user, deal with unused funds, and deal with a host of different regulations. In some jurisdictions, businesses that implement this kind of model start being treated similarly to a bank.
The idea is simple, but building this kind of system is way more complicated than many people realize.
Yeah, that's definitely the blocker. The current route -- having Stripe handle everything -- is definitely the simplest, operationally. However, as Substack grows and becomes a bigger platform, they'll have to develop more resilient and complicated financial systems. Since the complexity will happen anyway (or at least, that's what tends to happen as businesses scale), I'd love to see something along these lines on the roadmap.
Sometimes I comment directly on a post I'm loving or a Note and ask if they'd be open to an interview. Sometimes I find their contact information and craft a more detailed email. It kind of depends on their vibe if I think they'd prefer more casual or more formal. Either way, I let them know my niche and why I'm loving what they do.
🟧 If possible, I'd like a bit more info on where subscribers are coming from and I wonder if there is a list somewhere that defines some of the locations such as "other Substack Network" or "/Com"
You can add Google Analytics to your settings and that should help you better understand where people are coming from (if you can figure out Google Analytics — I get lost there).
Hi Rick, "Other Substack Network" includes features that connect publications and users together like recommendations. On the Network chart, you can hover over each category to see definitions of each one.
🟧 I would like to launch my paid subscription but holding back until I can confirm my question. I don't want any gotch's which I have had in the past. 1) The paid subscription I am creating is mainly done with the podcast. When I create a podcast post will it only be seen in any way by a paid subscriber. I dont want the free subscriber seeing a bunch of content not targeted for them. the forem say they will not see it but I want to be sure. thanks so much.
You can tick a box so that the email is only sent out to paid subscribers and that there is no free preview. I don’t know if you can hide the post from your main feed though
Thank you Cole. I think that is what I want to figure out. I am fairly new at this. Not sure what you mean by my main feed. This would be something going out daily and those subscribers don't want to see it. I will look into it further.
🟧 - I've noticed on my dashboard that my number of new subscribers in the past 30 days is always 2-3 lower than what I have in my subscriber list. Why is this?
Hi Karen, looking at your numbers everything seems correct. It's possible you're just catching everything at the right time when some of our data systems are syncing but we'll monitor to see if anything looks off.
I think there's a delay in them coming through the page. Sometimes if you refresh the page they pop in, but otherwise its sometimes 24 hours before new subs appear after the email.
🟧 I'd like to send out my first podcast issue with a free preview. When I send myself test emails, the button that shows up for free subscribers says "This episode is for paid subscribers." But in the support docs, the screenshot you've got there suggests the button will say "Listen to Preview".
🧠 sometimes you might not want to email a post out for fear of inundating your subscribers and yet you would still like to share it on Notes or Social Media.
In this situation you can opt not to send the email and just post to your Substack.
I did this recently with my Substack Posting Checklist:
🧠 For those of you with websites, and where the website has a contact form, I recommend modifying the form so that after a visitor submits a message through it, have it display a confirmation page with a suggestion that they subscribe to your stack. You can display the Substack embed code below the suggestion. Visitors who contact you are more likely to subscribe than those who don't contact you.
🧠 this week I took the leap and migrated my podcast to Substack from Podbean! I was nervous about what would happen exactly 😅 but very good results. Already love drafting post-with-podcast and the transcript feature. So much easier when you schedule way ahead like I do. If you are playing with this, I’d love to connect :)
🎙️
🟧 also I’m curious if Substack plans to allow formatting in the transcript editing? It’s working amazingly, so impressive. It would just be nice to bold a few things or do paragraphs. But maybe this is coming after Beta anyway? Thanks a lot for doing that. Really didn’t want to not for yet another online tool!
🟧 I love the transcript set up - so fast! mostly accurate. But when I went in to do a little tweaking of punctuation, caps for sentence starts, the sync with the audio was lost. So I left it as is, and tried a work around of making a pdf then editing that so I'd have a readable transcript to use as a post. Is there another way?
Before you start, change the default ordering (at the top of the thread) from "Top First" to "New First." I've found this to be very helpful for keeping track of things. You can always go back to the top and click "X new replies" to make the new ones appear.
With "Top First", things are forever jumping around as comments are automatically reordered.
Plus, as Heather mentions, collapse comments to keep things manageable.
Hi Suzanne. It can be confusing - you are not alone!
To help you sort, you can click on the thin, vertical pencil line on the left side of the page. This reduces the comments so you only see the ones where a new conversation was started.
I'm looking at your profile picture right now. Directly underneath it there's a very light color, gray vertical line. If you click on that, it will collapse the comments underneath. I'm using a laptop. If you hover over the line it turns darker gray.
Hey everyone! Happy writing. I just wanted to share that I had some success publishing a new fiction series via the Substack podcast feature. This is actually the first time I've published fiction at all on my Substack. I liked that I could include the podcast audio file but also the transcript below it.
Had a lot of fun making it. I'm calling the series "Untold New York," and my first episode, "Night-Spike: The Mystery Masked Hero of 1930s New York," is pinned to the top of my 'stack.
To help organize the conversation, please use one of the following emojis when you start a new comment.
🧠 - when sharing strategy or advice for fellow writers
✏️ - when asking questions or seeking feedback from fellow writers
🟧 - when asking a question you hope the Substack team can help answer
Use your emoji keyboard or simply copy and paste the emoji at the beginning of your comment.
🟧 Does Substack plan to give us an option to turn off the public display of our subscriber list?
🟧 Substack: Please either (1) Turn off the public display of subscriber lists, or (2) ensure ALL authors know about it and how to disable it. Transparency, which is good, does not mean the full disclosure of subscribers' information. Substack is supposed to be different (and advertises itself as such, prides itself on being so)--this is not Facebook. I would like to grow my subscriber list, but I don't want subscribers to have to read a bunch of fine print and make "opt out" choices. Please hold to the Substack ethic of serving writers differently from other social media outlets.
"Please hold to the Substack ethic of serving writers differently from other social media outlets."
Nicely said, Andi. This difference was what attracted me to Substack in the first place. I too hope they'll remember their original intent and ethic.
🟧 I just learned about that. Yes. We need an option to turn that off from our writer profiles. We also need an option to turn off the display of people we follow on Notes. Some of us are not here for mimicking social media.
🟧 - YES, Substack, this is NOT cool. Please allow us to remove the link to our follower list!
Hey Dave and Victor, those lists follow profile settings. So if a reader doesn't want a profile on Substack or to display who they are reading, they won't show up there.
I've also shared your feedback with our team.
It's one thing if a person wants to let others know that they subscribe to a publication. It's another thing altogether for a publication to announce their subscriber list.
I understand the two things are connected, but for those of us who want to respect the implicit agreement between subscriber and publication that we'll keep your info private, an option to turn off this display completely (from the publication's end) would be welcome.
On the other hand, on Twitter and Facebook you can see exactly who is following who. So it's an established practice there (which doesn't mean it's good.)
But you have the option on fb to turn that off
What Dave said. People trust us with their privacy, and while one needs to know where to look, it's still not right.
Can you just imagine where all your financial info is going? Any money yo make on the internet will end up with some tax man at your door, eventually.
Recall the song that sings: "Speak Out!! You've got to speak out against the madness. You've got to SPEAK YOUR NAME, if you dare."CSNY
Totally agree. This is not okay
I didn't even realize this was a thing. Glad you asked the question. Not a fan of it being on.
Me neither, hope there is an option to turn this off...
There is some level of control possible here, but it's not really what you are asking for.
It seems that the option to do that is given to each individual subscriber. A subscriber can prevent their name from showing up in another user's public display in that subscriber's profile Settings ( at https://substack.com/profile/edit ) and flipping each/any switch in the section titled "Reads / Control which of your Substacks appear on your profile."
Yep... it's not spelled out anywhere that I know of (I just experimented to figure this out), and I think this setting is by default set to on (publicly viewable) when a user subscribes to a newsletter. Maybe most users don't realize this when they subscribe.
So, unfortunately, it's not really what you're asking for, but this seems to give the privacy option to each individual subscriber rather than to the subscription author in a global way. In the meantime, for privacy-sensitive newsletters, maybe the author can add a note to their welcome email/about page/pinned post to let new subscribers know about this. Not ideal, but an in-the-meantime solution?
Yes, you're right. But from the perspective of a publication, it's impractical or impossible to get all your readers to turn it off. An option from the publication's end would be quite welcome.
"Maybe most users don't realize this when they subscribe." Yes, exactly. Although I would remove the word "Maybe"
Please say exactly how to find this display. I can't find it, and I'd like to know where it is.
Yours Diane, for example here. Just below your name is a link. The wording varies from person to person.
https://substack.com/@justakid
OMG! You are right! That is indeed somewhat alarming. I do find it interesting that the number of subscribers (rounded) is available for all to see. But I'm not sure everyone wants that info out there. I mean, isn't one of the charms of Substack that no one knows how many readers you have unless you choose to tell them?
It was one of the biggest draws for me when I joined Substack. I liked the fact that they did things differently. Also, as a couple of folks have mentioned, they write about sensitive topics such as personal therapy and don't want their list made public.
Personally, my topics aren't sensitive, but I don't like the idea of having my list public. I'd like to turn it off.
I tend to agree. I worry that for some, the visibility of that number could be disheartening. Whilst it's nice to see milestones of growth, it could be all too easy to slip into comparing yourself and worrying about your own numbers etc.
The number isn’t the worst of it though. It’s not a fair policy to list subscribers. I’d prefer that to be confidential between author and subscribers. Bad etiquette
Rumble is getting kinda weird too. Of course, folks, got to know and acknowledge that thems that "own" will "control" and extract. Husbandry, you know.
Yeah, not sure how I feel about that.
Didn't even realize that. Yeah, that's not cool.
But how did you find mine? I don't see how to get to another writer's profile.
I clicked your name above your comment. Takes me to your profile. You can also arrive at your profile various other ways from your publication. Wherever your name is mentioned, such as on your "About" page.
Am I wrong? I think this is not the case for every subscriber list. I keep wondering if it’s a setting you can turn on or off?
Here's yours for example, Holly. Just below your name, there's a link to see the subscriber list.
https://substack.com/@hollystarley
I've not found a profile that didn't show this. There doesn't seem to be a way to turn it off.
Oh yep. I see. It's just on some, instead of having a number that links, the link is literally called "see subscribers." Thanks, Victor. Would for sure be stoked if it could be turned off. :)
Yes, the wording of the link varies from person to person, but the links do the same thing.....
This is particularly important for those of us who write about sensitive mental health topics
You have your list displayed? I've never seen this.
Everybody does. It's in your profile since a few weeks ago. Names, not email, although I've seen email addresses leak through, too.
🟧 Yes, Substack, please give us an option to turn off the public display of our subscriber list. Knowing that their names could be displayed publicly like this could certainly deter people from subscribing!
✏️ Howdy! Curious to hear from other fiction writers about whether they’ve been able to leverage their Substack audience into book sales. I’m planning to release my first anthology soon. I’d like to offer some kind of perk in exchange for preorders
Nope. So far none of my book sales have come from my Substack. I’m actually trying to get my social media followers and local readers to join me on Substack to see more of my work and that’s been like pulling teeth.
I sell in person at a local farmers market every week and I average 2-3 book sales from that, which seems small, but it was the only farmers market I was able to get into because it went on hiatus. So many of the established sellers didn’t want to sell at it until the buyer participation was higher. We see about 20-30 people a market, and I always sell a few copies of my paperbacks as well as candles, book bags, and coffee mugs that are custom tie-ins to my books. I’ve noticed an uptick in traffic on social media and Substack following me being at the event, but in the 6 weeks I’ve been doing the market, it hasn’t yielded any new subs to my Stack, just new followers on social.
That’s very interesting. Especially with the farmers market: I have always liked the idea of in person sales. 2-3 per week actually seems like a huge success to me. That’s something to be proud of
I have had people come back to the market and ask me to sign their book after they read it. Having that back and forth has been amazing and encouraging. I also have flyers I make on Canva with QR codes that promote the e-Book if they want it digital as well as specific sections of my Stack or blurbs on new projects that are releasing soon. I get them printed at Office Depot so they look more professional.
Your experience with the farmers market is amazing! Congratulations! And what great feedback with readers returning to their get copies signed. But I must say that it's very disheartening to read that none of the Substack subscribers bought the book. I wonder why.
I think in time as I grow, I’ll probably see more of my subscribers buy books. I think right now they are viewed as 2 different things targeting different markets - people looking for a one time experience with a new read who may become loyal fans, and people who are coming back each week because of my ongoing body of work. There is a lot of crossover between the two, I just think it’s the perception of people.
I completely agree. I boosted a few of my posts on FB and Insta when selling my books to see what that would do, and I saw no return on investment. I’m on several different social media platforms trying to grow my Stack, but I haven’t found the right combination yet. I won’t be buying ads or boosts from Meta anymore because they don’t work and they have limited the reach significantly.
Short answer: no. :)
If you figure out how to do this, do let me know. :D
I actually see it (with the kind of thing I write, at least) as more the other way around: book sales are more likely to convert into subscribers. I see my newsletter as the main thing, with a book being something of a promotional item.
That’s disheartening... I’ve been hoping to use my newsletter email list as a marketing tool. But it sounds like you’re saying your books have brought you more subscribers... how do you promote your books then, if you don’t mind me asking
Apologies! I didn't mean to be disheartening. I've heard other people have huge success doing exactly what you say. In fact, On Substack had an article about this! Here's a link in case you missed it: https://on.substack.com/p/how-to-sell-a-book-on-substack
What I would say - to be more positive - is that I've received HUGELY valuable feedback on my book from the Substack community, and especially on Notes. The constructive feedback I received on the cover and blurb were a big help. Never known anything like it online TBH.
I'd love to know how you promote your books? Do you self publish? Curious what your experience has been. Thanks!
My main writing has always been online serials, which is where my general expertise is. I'm very much a noob when it comes to books. I self-published a book towards the end of last year. Very pleased with the book quality, but sales have been a trickle. I'm certainly not one to ask about promoting books. :D
You had a lot of amazing traffic on Notes. It was so much fun to watch the process of cover creation while working on one of your books.
I was really stunned by how generous everyone was with their time - and how precise the feedback was. Really happy with how it turned out.
That’s a great point. Substack does seem to be mostly quite helpful! I appreciate you taking the time to respond
I was hoping for the same! I am actually publishing my WIP here, and thought that maybe my audience would like a physical copy when the time comes.
I am happy to see there is someone else following a similar path. But I post a WIP on my private website and use Substack as a channel to build an audience and get feedback.
I will do extra proof reading when it gets compiled to a book.
I think that could work. I have an ebook compilation of my current work in progress for paid subscribers, and will make an ebook and paperback of the whole thing when it's finished. The difference there is that it'll be a very engaged audience who have been reading the serial for years. The book I published late last year didn't have that kind of background on the Substack audience, as I originally serialised it on Wattpad.
Wow, that's completely upside down!! I would expect subscribers to buy the book and not book buyers to subscribe. But the last one make total sense.
I wonder if they’d be repeat customers in the future. Otherwise what the point
They might turn into paid subscribers on Substack.
My idea was to release a chapter a week for paid subscribers only. Haven't worked out the details yet (perhaps a section?). But hopefully they would stay with me for a few months for each chapter.
I did that with my current WIP but my current draft is significantly different now from even the draft I posted for paid subscribers. But that's a good thing. It was a good process and I was hoping for more feedback during the process, but oh well! I'm starting a new monthly series in two weeks that I HOPE will become a book, but I want to test the waters with it first.
off-topic: do you plan to self-publish on Amazon or other platforms like Gumroad?
I'm WIP with my first book and probably it will take another 2 years to finish. Yet I want to know how Substack and self-publish might work together. Perhaps if I can offer a discount sale for the book. But not sure if Amazon allows it.
My first one was Amazon. I'm going to try traditional with this next one first. I'm looking to republish first one though both KDP and IngramSpark with a purchased ISBN
I see, all the best.
How did you set that up? I would like it broken apart from my main newsletter…
Russell Nohelty has a lot of really good pieces that I followed, but here's my Substack. You can see how I created different sections, especially with my new Special Series tab: https://sarahstyf.substack.com/p/special-series
Sarah, thanks for showing us how you've made this work. Very helpful--I have a new serial starting next month and appreciate the way you've structured this.
THANK YOU! I will check it out :-)
It doesn't seem like a lot of them have gone for my fiction, but I have gotten a lot to webinars and other things, like Kickstarter, through putting ads for them at the top and bottom of my emails. I do this through digests like this, https://authorstack.substack.com/p/digest-this-was-40 and through my articles like this. https://authorstack.substack.com/p/magic-chapter-25
As I look at my current project, what did you use the Kickstarter for? What was the goal? Were you self-publishing?
I've run 30+ campaigns. I literally wrote the definitve guide on the subject and have helped hundreds of authors. It's called Get Your Book Selling on Kickstarter. You can get it free here. https://dl.bookfunnel.com/zq9mk6drbh
I don't like the word self-publishing. I own a publishing company, and it publishes my work.
More stuff to look into.
I've also done a while 80+ episode podcast on Kickstarter called Kickstart Your Book Sales.
Also no, though I haven't had time yet to really market it strongly to subscribers
What do you think had been your biggest strength in marketing Jimmy?
Btw loved your concert story, “Sweat,” was it called?
My biggest strength in marketing is being famous in Detroit. I'm not famous anywhere but Detroit. So I sell a ton of books here. A few in little pockets around America where I've performed or shot movies. Working on some internet marketing and book shows/author fairs now.
Thanks. "Jostle" is the story about the sweat fetishist.
non-fiction. But similar plans. Thanks for asking this question.
🟧 When a person subscribes to Pub A and accepts the recommendations that Pub A offers, they don't receive the welcome email from the recommended pubs, only from Pub A.
Is this something you're aware of and will you fix it? Thanks
I haven’t noticed this. You essentially subscribe to Pubs B and C by recommendation but don’t get a welcome notice? Interesting.
Yes. And there's a lot of emphasis on welcome emails. And I agree they're important. They ought to go out whatever the avenue of subscription.
this issue needs more upvotes.
This is a great point. Haven’t thought of this
✏️ Hopefully, I’m not too late for this. Is this the place to put this? I would love to know how other writers are building their communities. Also what is the collaboration etiquette? I would love to collab with some writers here!
I always wake up to these threads late (down in Australia) and not sure how much gets seen once the first few hours have passed.
If by community you mean following/followers, the best thing I've experienced is to simply read, engage and comment on other Substacks that you find and enjoy and let it happen organically from there.
Collaborations can often come about through that engagement, but I've also had email exchanges about collaborations purely from reaching out or being reached out to.
Please define what you mean by "Community" in this context. @EAWILCOX, what are you looking for from your subscribers, readers, and fellow Substack authors? Does "community" mean lots of people liking, noting, chatting, commenting (about anything)? Or is there a specificity to the meaning of community on Substack?
🟧 Will Stripe be available for more countries in Southeast Asia soon? What's the best way to setup a paid mechanism in Substack if Stripe isn't available in my country yet?
🟧 Do you support tags on Substack Notes? How can I maximize the radius of notes reach?
🟧 Hi all, I'm having trouble duplicating a post to a draft. I've been doing this for the last few weeks, but this week, I've tried a few times but the duplicate post doesn't save/doesn't show up in my list of drafts. The progress indicator says it gets saved (at 5:27pm, for example) but then when I click the back arrow the post is gone. When I create a new post with the "new post" button, that seems to get saved. Is this a known issue or is there anything I can do differently? Thanks.
🔥🔥
Nice!!
I got a lot of very helpful direction out of this, thanks for sharing
Thanks for your generosity!
🧠 - Here's something that's such a quick & easy win that it amazes me that so many folk still don't do it:
****BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING ELSE, EDIT YOUR WELCOME EMAILS****
>>Settings >>> Basics >> Welcome email to Free (and Paid) subscribers >> Edit.
Honestly, the power of doing this is bonkers. The introductory email is your first personal connection with a new subscriber. It's your welcome mat, your first friendly "would you like a cup of tea and a biscuit?", your first chance at hooking them on all your best work so far - and therefore it's some of your most important real estate in your whole newsletter, up there with your About page in importance.
This is the first email they get from you. Why would you blow it with something so generic and empty and boring that they immediately delete it?
Get in there immediately and make that email / those emails sound like yourself. Write over the top of Substack's boilerplate text and fill it out with everything you want a new subscriber to know about what you're doing. Guide them to a few previous pieces you're proud of. Ask them a question or two. Show your personality. Shake things up and demonstrate the voice you're going to use in your newsletter, so they look forward to the next time you write at them..
And if you've previously edited them, when was that? How out-of-date are they now? What can you add? (I recently realised I've been rubbish at this, so I've made a note to check through mine every week to see if there's anything I can improve.)
There are very few easy wins in this newslettering lark - but this really is one of them. Go wow them from the very start - and see how many replies you get, saying things like "hey, thanks, I actually *read* this for a change!"
YES. 👏 It is so important to make subscribing to your Substack a pleasurable, memorable experience.
I edit mine every week. Also give my new free members an invite to our upcoming sessions, so they get a chance to draw and chat. It’s made a massive difference in my own experience with Substack and I've met so many lovely artists that way!
https://introvertdrawingclub.com/
This is awesome! How do you tweak it each week?
Thanks! It’s been such a fun way to interact with folks. I started by hiding something in there to ask folks to help me find the “sneaky kitten.” Then the kitten moved to my about page, right before an important announcement. I gave a month of membership to folks who helped me find the kitten by sharing to Notes. It was the most fun marketing launch I’ve ever done!
Now I update with an invite to our upcoming drawing sessions, so free members can try a session for paid members for free. 😸
https://introvertdrawingclub.com/
This is so fun!
Thanks! I even got my dogs involved by having them search for the kitten on Instagram. It was so silly. I made a whole case study about it! https://bethspencerillustration.com/portfolio/project-five-748cx-8l5ny
Here’s one of the posts:
https://open.substack.com/pub/bethspencer/p/sneaky-kitten-search-party?r=yx03w&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post
👏👏👏 That's so great, Beth.
EVERYONE BE BETH.
Mike, I just subscribed to see this welcome email gold and got no email. 🙀 So I unsubscribed and then resubscribed. *checks watch*
What are your thoughts on the unsubscribe message? Or the "comp expiration" email?
Good questions, Beth...and thanks Mike!
Argh! Hmmm - that's weird (and a bit worrying). Still nothing come through?
Yeah, the unsubscribe email feels like another opportunity. I mean, I don't want to try to stop someone leaving if they really want to, becvause that's kinda what makes Substack so great (and certain digital newspapers so terrible, with their "ring this number to speak to our retention team" unsubscribe processes). But maybe there's a way of being a tiny bit more helpful as they head out the door? Hmm. Not sure, but feels worth pondering.
I got it! I'm not the most patient human. 😆 Thanks for your wise words and warm welcome email! I'm sending my husband over to subscribe too because I know he'll enjoy reading.
Hooray! (Phew.) And thank you so much. 🙂
! Every week! How inspiring. Ok, I can get into this. Also love discovering your page, Beth! (🫶🏼 new subscriber here, thanks)
Nice to meet you, Lisette! 👋😸 I look forward to drawing together soon.
Inspiring! Thank you 🙌🏼
Every week!! Oh Lordy!
This is great advice. I mean to apply it today.
Beth ... such a great idea! Thanks for sharing.
this is great tip.
Welcome emails are great, I agree. Did you know that if someone subscribes to you via a recommendation as they're subbing to another pub they don't receive *your* welcome email? They only get the welcome email from the first pub.
🟧 Substack - can you fix this so our sweetly crafted welcome emails get to new subscribers via recommendation too?
Thanks Victor ... that's an important point to think about. How are you getting around it?
I don't know how to get around it. I've mentioned this behavior to Substack a couple of times, including today in this Office Hours. Hopefully they'll fix it. I would like folks to get my welcome email; otherwise, they may wonder later why they're getting a post.
The "Accept Recommendations" button is large and prominent. The "Skip it" button no so much. People tend to push the biggest button and therefore might not even realize what else they just subbed to.
Yes ... the idea that readers are getting posts that they didn't deliberately ask for is disturbing. I've gotten some recently that I knew I hadn't subscribed to ... now I can see how I might have accepted recommendations and inadvertently triggered a subscription. This deserves more thought.
It would definitely be a good thing to have that switched on.
Excellent Mike. Did you Realize?
According to Mail Chimp, the average email open rate for all emails is just 21.33%. But you can get more than 50% with your Substack Welcome Email.
Thanks, Paul! Great point and thanks for the link.
Thanks Joyce. Sometimes I'm reluctant to include a link to my own articles, but they actually do help sometimes...
I respect your reluctance and share it ... however, links are easy to ignore so maybe we should err a little more on the side of sharing. ?
https://pau1.substack.com/p/-which-email-message-has-the-highest
Really great advice. I need to update mine!
A new idea I haven't implemented yet ... We can (and perhaps should) revise our Welcome Emails frequently. However, our subscribers only receive it once. I'm now constructing a Welcome Page, to be pinned to my home page so readers can see in one place what it's about and who I am, etc. Also working on a way to keep it looking fresh and not like something they've already seen. Hope to have it up soon. Then I'm going to start sending it out maybe at the beginning of every month with a "What's Coming" headline. Open to suggestions ...
I ask the new subscribers a specific personal question. I get some great answers back, but just 3 out of 10 reply...
I appreciated getting this email from you (I did answer! Remember...feet🤣, I can't actually expect you to remember as you get a ton of email). I thought it was awesome and tried to do the same for my subscribers but no one responded which made me fizzle out. I really want to implement this process again.
It is a great idea ... but I wonder if I would do the same fizzle thing. I may have to think about how to make it as memorable as Paul apparently did.
Yes memorable is the key I think.
OH, yes, the foot fetish:)
Haha, not a foot fetish! Clinical work Paul, clinical:)
;)
3/10 is great reader engagement!
I love this idea Joyce and have been meaning to do something similar but haven't got to it yet. Thanks for the prod.
This is such a good recommendation, Mike, and I can 100% recommend it from a reader pov because I remember when I received your welcome email, how excited I was to dive into your community! (I already was, but getting the welcome email was like icing on an already awesome cake.)
I’ve subscribed to several other writers since, and a few of them have really stand out welcome emails and those are the ones I wind up reading regularly and engaging more with on the platform. It’s not necessarily the email itself, but that invitation to connect, that really feels good to receive. I might enjoy connecting more with these people, and I’m encouraged to try.
From a soon-to-be Substacker here, writing my welcome email is on my to do list for today :D I’m feeling a bit intimidated by it admittedly, probably because I’ve read so many strong ones.
You could always subscribe to a bunch and see what speaks to you. Then unsubscribe later and I bet folks won't mind. :)
Sandi ... Thanks for sharing. I think this is the essence of a good Welcome Email: "It’s not necessarily the email itself, but that invitation to connect, that really feels good to receive."
Mike (again) for the win
Mike ... so happy to see this comment. I so agree but there was a recent discussion on Notes about people not opening welcome emails ... even from some well recognized Substackers. In the Substack Field Guide series, I emphasize the Welcome Email as a key factor in the Reader Engagement Process ... yes some folks won't open it ... but the ones who do will have a chance to get to know you and, perhaps, become a fan.
Yeah, a lot of people don't! I definitely see that in my own stats. But maybe that's because they subscribe to a lot of Substacks and they've got used to seeing so many utterly uninteresting welcome emails? If so, then maybe this is a reader-behaviour pattern that we should all be trying to change, not just accepting as a lost cause?
Yes! I read all the Welcome emails I receive and they don't seem to be our finest hours.
Thank you for sharing this! I am going to do this today!
100%
Wow! Thanks for this highly important information. First impression matters alot. Still new here, I need to work on mine.
Hi, Ikwuoma--
I run Writers at Work and offer 1-to-1 mentoring to master the art and business of being a writer on Substack. I can save you years of flailing around on Substack and not getting any traction. No tricks. No gimmicks. The guidance I give you is based on the advice Substack gave me. The writers I’ve worked with have doubled and tripled their subscribers, been chosen as featured Substacks, and found purpose in their work. I want this for all of us. Go ahead and book here:
https://www.writersatwork.net/p/opportunities-to-meet-1-to-1
Thanks for this info, Mike! I'm about to tweak the name of my newsletter, requiring a url change, so the update to my welcome email will fit in nicely.
I never even thought about this — clearly I'm very, very new to this whole online publishing thing. Excellent tip, thank you!
You have a great title for your Substack! I'm late to Office Hours, but in case it's helpful, I run Writers at Work and offer 1-to-1 mentoring to master the art and business of being a writer on Substack. I can save you years of flailing around on Substack and not getting any traction. No tricks. No gimmicks. The guidance I give you is based on the advice Substack gave me. The writers I’ve worked with have doubled and tripled their subscribers, been chosen as featured Substacks, and found purpose in their work. I want this for all of us. If it's of interest, you can find out more and book here: https://www.writersatwork.net/p/opportunities-to-meet-1-to-1
💯. I saw this recommendation in a post a while back and immediately took it to heart. It's fantastic when new subscribers take me up on the invitation to reply to the message and let me know why they subscribed or how I can help them.
One thing I've tried with fewer results is thanking members personally when they upgrade their membership. They already get the automated email (which I've personalized in the way that Mike recommends). But I thought that maybe reaching out separately would let them know that I'm genuinely interested in supporting them or conversing outside the usual posts. I've only had one response to those messages, and it was from someone I already knew. So I'm wondering if I might be perhaps creeping people out by emailing them directly?
Hey Joshua. I do this too! (The personal reply to new paid subs.) The way I figure it: if they're signing up to paid, they're already going out of their way to have a closer relationship with our work and therefore with our professional selves, so it wouldn't look creepy to say hello with a quick email (and hopefully it'd look the opposite and be a welcome "going the extra mile" measure). I'm horribly behind with doing it right now and have a backlog to work through, but of the hundred or so such emails I've previously sent, I've had a few dozen replies with good feedback and sometimes exchanges that led to longer chats, which is always nice...
So, yeah, I hear you on being wary of looking creepy. A good thing to think about, and the line will be different for everyone (and maybe different according to the topic of the newsletter, and so on). But I'm personally trying to err on the side of connecting in person like that. Worth a try!
Hello, Mike. I just subscribed to EVERYTHING ..." and anxious to get the emaiL welcome and see how a seasoned "substacker" pitches his writer's portal. Phil Church, AFTERTHOUGHTS.
Ooop, guilty as charged. But I recently realised that I never shared with my readers why I write my newsletter. And your prompt made me realise that the welcome email is the best place to do that. Thanks for the inspiration!
🧠 - I just wanted to share my lil breakthrough from the last couple of weeks! I did a collaborative post on Steely Dan which got me thinking of creating a regular schedule for different types of posts... up until then i was writing about my ~ content pillars ~ but just whenever i felt like it. The other day I wrote out a monthly schedule of what I would write about each week and BOOM... the ideas floodgates have opened, and I am feeling so much more "solid" about who I am and what my Substack is all about.
Love to hear it!
🟧 Katie, could Substack have some sort of a "contest" for lack of a better word? I think you did it for short story writers but maybe ask all of the writers to write about why they started writing on Substack and why others should come on over to your platform. Then have us vote, or the employees of Substack like you could decide the winners. This would bring us together towards the common goal of spreading the word about Substack and the winners would most likely get more subscribers. It's a win-win. You and your team could work out the details but I think it would be fun if nothing else!
I like this idea Sabrina. It would give us all an opportunity to think out loud on the ethos of Substack and why and how it can be a destination for engaged readers :)
🧠 I created a free article planner. If that's of interest, you can get it here: https://terryfreedman.substack.com/p/article-planner
Thanks Terry! This will be very helpful! I tend to be all over the map.
Great, Sandy! I hope it helps
brilliant! thanks for sharing.
my pleasure, Olivia
useful stuff, thank you!
You're welcome
I did this for my first publication and post 3 or so days ago. Sat down and thought of all of the things I want to write about, then organised them every Tuesday and Friday for September. 1 article down!
yay! it has proven to be a big help for me, hope it propels you forward too ✨
Allow for flexibility. You don't want to get yourself caught up in promoting a specific schedule, and when things don't shake out, readers get disappointed they didn't see what they expected.
flexibility is always key! i think i've given myself wide enough containers that i can work with so i don't get stuck. as with anything, it's an experiment! so far its working better than my general "throw shit at the wall and see what sticks" method of writing one day before i publish lol
I have regular slots on my substack, but I still do that as well :-)
THIS! Maybe this is the neurodivergence in me, but I tried to set a schedule for a month along with the content I wanted to share. However, when I sat down to write, nothing came to me.
I am not trying to rain on your parade, and I am happy that it works for you. I just want folks to know that it may work for their silly, little, picky brain. :)
I think these "plans" should be more related to what we're trying to create for our readers. My "plan" relates to the 5 reader engagement process I focus on in the Substack Field Guide ... these ground me. Here's a post of the last Field Guide https://gratitudemojo.substack.com/p/what-if-we-planned-every-post-as
The single most powerful tool for me writing my newsletter for the last year and a half has been a commitment to publishing weekly. It's easy to skip a week or two if you're not feeling up to it, but when I am a subscriber to a newsletter and suddenly they just stop coming I lose interest quickly. Let's face it, everyone is inundated with tons of information these days, so if we want to develop a loyal following, we need to be there on the regular.
Having said that, I do take about two weeks off a year, one in August, and one over the holidays, meaning that I don't post fresh content but rather, I do a review of some of my most popular post or posts on a theme. There are multiple ways to commit to publishing regularly, even if you don't have brand new content.
Good point. However, I've found my readers quite forgiving if life gets in the way. Unless they're just being kind of course!
we are only being kind
Teehee.
Ah! 🤣
We're always forgiving, promise ;)
Just as well 😂 thanks, Nathan 😉
My writing schedule is amazing! I have a list of all current projects I’m working on and where they are in the process-- outline, writing, editing, out with beta/editor, and complete. In the morning, I look at what day of the week it is, pick whatever project speaks to me and write. Then on the days I have social listed out, I work on writing personal essays, updates, or something along those lines for my Stack.
I still have flexibility but I find I’m more productive than I have been in the past because I have a schedule and a minimal amount of organization 😂
gosh that sounds amazing
woo! you sound like my kind of organised haha
Wow, very impressive! I'm not sure I can muster that level of organisation 😅
That's a good idea Olivia! I've been listening to podcasts and it gives me great ideas. Joe Rogan, Russell Brand, Lex Fridman, all had RFK Jr. on, so I wrote a post about him a few months ago. Now, I am going to a fundraising event for him with only a small group of people which I believe I got invited to because one of his people read my Substack! Now I need to parlay that into more views and subscribers which is not my forte but that's partly why I keep coming to the office hours. I just need to hop onto the settings I know. Here's my RFK Jr. post-https://sabrinalabow.substack.com/p/rfk-jr-for-president-lets-go-open
Sweet! Way to go.
I love that Olivia! I'm working on this for myself, too! As much as creativity has a reputation for being all flow and free-wheeling, I actually think it thrives with structure. If nothing else, it helps our brains prepare and gives a framework for ideas to take shape. 👏🏻
constraints are creativity's bread and butter!
This is a great motivator for me Olivia! I've found when I write out other things, like work outs or grocery lists🤣I'm much more organized. I imagine if I get sorted to create a schedule it would help me a lot.
My to-do list is my finest work of fiction
yes! i used to think i thrived on chaos but i obviously work well to a list!
chaos is ok as long as you've planned for it.
That's fantastic! And thanks for sharing your success. I've been thinking about this, but a bit worried of 'forcing' subjects as generally I write on a whim, whatever takes my fancy! I think I would feel better too if I was a bit more 'planned'.
i think its all about striking a balance between planned and free-flowing... oddly enough for me when i started being more 'forced,' the ideas started flowing freely! lol
That’s wonderful! My weekly editorial calendar is more free style within my topic (visual storytelling). Whatever catches my attention 😃
freestyle is how i used to go and it has worked well so far, but now i feel that when i get an idea i can go "ooh that's for week 3" and place it there. sometimes it might mean that i'm scrambling to see what i can put together for the next week but i think it's allowed me the gift of ~*future planning*~
Very true! It sure helps with planning. I admit there are Weds (when I write my 1st draft) that I have no clue what to write about. Miraculously an idea always pops up. My safety net is my Story Library in Notes app where I throw ideas.
Olivia ... great description of exactly how I've transitioned. I now have a Scrivener set up that allows me to drop ideas into buckets for the upcoming posts.
I think this is a great approach. I do specific posts on specific days and I find it helpful to guide me.
definitely been a game-changer
That’s awesome! I’ve been thinking of doing something similar lately, but I haven’t actually written out a monthly schedule. I think that would help.
i've been writing on substack for one year and have just thought/implemented a schedule like this, it's definitely worth a go, even if just to see what that might look like for you.
Yea right now I write on a once a month schedule, but I’m looking to start posting twice a month soon. And eventually once a week. I feel writing out my schedule will help me stay focused. Worth a try!
Nicely done. Writing weekly has been the best thing that's happened to me this year :)
🧠I'm bringing some more variety and opportunity into my Substack, by exploring more of the opportunities that Substack offers. For example, I've started adding video podcasts. Now instead of entirely creating new content for posts, I can do videos interviews which develop new relationships and depth in topics in which I and my readers or listeners are interested.
🧠 Hey friends and potential friends. I’ve got just one thing to share today, and it regards post frequency. In other words, how often should you post?
Substack’s own post says to strive for once a week. This has been the consensus ever since I joined Substack ten or so months ago. Well, I’ve never followed it, but that hasn’t stopped my growth.
I’m approaching 350 subscribers and I post twice a week. Maybe that number isn’t impressive, but I came here with 0 readers, and now I’m writing for hundreds of engaged readers, and I’m on my way to reaching my goal of 500 subscribers by the end of 2023.
The thing is, I publish twice a month. That’s as much as I can manage, with work and family and other commitments. But I have never missed a week, and I publish writing of the highest quality I’m able, stuff I’d be excited to read myself.
My advice, if it’s of any value? Don’t sweat the frequency. Once a day, once a week, once a month: they all work, and there are successful examples for each. What matters is what works for you, what is sustainable.
Know your schedule, and how much writing time you have available, and maybe test the waters a little. Then, settle on something that feels right.
I wish you a good week and happy writing! I’m off to plan my essay for next week!
Honestly, I start tuning out people who post more than once a week. Even if the posts are good, it's too many damn emails in my inbox! What I've found is that when taking bandwidth into account, it's not only the writing time you have available but also all the time for engagement/promotion. And in my case, for finding stock photos of middle-aged women doing anything besides gazing out of windows and/or drinking wine!
Interesting bc I find myself needing to stop what I’m doing to read a Substack that hasn’t posted in awhile--enough for me to remember but also enough for me to miss their words.
Too many emails! I have so many from fellow writers because I want to be supportive but where does the time go? I think once a week is good too. I need to put more time into engagement/promotion! I love the last line of your post! sabrinalabow.substack.com
I wrote a whole post about this challenge a little while back... "We Need More Photos of Middle-Aged Women Kicking Ass" 😋
I publish twice a week but the mid-week post is always a poem and my subscribers know that if they read the welcome email. I have a pretty good open rate but yeah too many emails is annoying.
I am on the verge of opting out of one person that posts TWO Substack items DAILY. Way way too much stuff to read every day, so it gets ignored till I find I have dozens of emails from him clogging up my feed. Then I just purge a bunch without even looking. I try to put something out once a week but my posts are based on how I'm feeling, or in response to something that has touched my heart (https://sandycumberland.substack.com/p/morocco?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2) so tends to be fairly random. I'm new so am just feeling my way through this.
Same. My favourite Substack sends out an email once a month and I always read hers. Others that send out emails what feels like multiple times a week I end up automatically deleting sometimes... Maybe not what people want to hear?
People will say often and consistently, and I'm sure they're right, but I am a quality over quantity kind of person and I find that I can't post something and rush it just for the sake of posting something. That's just me though. If you are having a hard time sticking to something, make sure your followers hear from you at least once a month, and when you are productive again, take advantage it and schedule 2-3 posts out.
YES, I am with you on the quality over quantity part! The thought of publishing weekly is nice in theory, but actually pulling it off with work, family, and life commitments would make it feel like another daunting task (and result in a less creative outcome).
I share your philosophy, Kerry Jane. Particularly on thinking a few posts out. I use the Substack "Drafts" feature to store - and test run to myself and two writer friends willing to give me pre-post feedback on future posts. I am more timid than I should be in posting. I recognize that "Perfect is the enemy of good." But I still get nervous every time I hit the "Publish" button. Phil Church
Phil. Thank you for your post. I am exactly where you were before the first time you posted. How did you find the two friends to provide pre-post feedback?
Oh there are like 7-11 drafts hanging out in my dashboard at any given time lol. I have plans for all of them, just not the time or the mindset for what they need. But they’re there! Everyone works differently. I’m also critical of my writing. I can’t speak for you but I think this can be a good thing.
I agree with this, Kerry.
I have a few Substacks that I'm subscribed to that don't publish weekly, but less (to far less) often. I think it's important to gauge your time and willingness, and if 1x/week is too much, then it's too much. I agree with you, the frequency is less important than just posting good stuff!
I so agree! I do write once a week and it is just about the frequency I can reasonably manage. If I wrote longer posts I think it would have to be less frequent. I started off writing twice a week and soon realised that it was taking over my life so reduced it. New writers will soon discover what it is doable and that's exactly the marker - what is doable for you!
Right!
✏️Approximately how long are your posts on average? sabrinalabow.substack.com
Mine are anywhere between 800 and 1500. Most often 1200 or about a 6 or 7 minute read. When I first started I posted shorter pieces, more at the 800 end, but I think that was because I was getting organised and sorted out!
Here is what I read online--How long should a Substack post be? Your Substack newsletter can be as long as you want it to. But make sure your newsletters aren't overwhelming with hundreds of lines of text. The ideal email length is 200-300 words
As for me, don’t think I have an average. Have posted as short as 500 (just last week) and as long as 2700. Depends on what I feel the piece needs and what I’m capable of that week.
Here's what I read online--How long should a Substack post be? Your Substack newsletter can be as long as you want it to. But make sure your newsletters aren't overwhelming with hundreds of lines of text. The ideal email length is 200-300 words. sabrinalabow.substack.com
Well, if you can say anything meaningful in 200 words, go for it. But I doubt anyone can, at least not consistently.
I also publish 'only' biweekly, sometimes even once a month. especially when I write fiction, I need to focus for several months at a time and there's little space left for writing anything else. So while I'm working on a story I hardly can publish anything else.
Just an idea ... if you want to stay more connected to your readers ... post one line from your current writing. ... something like "Today I wrote ... "one sample line" ... now I'm trying to figure out what it means ... what do you think?" Or an engaging question, "Do you think (x character) would have blue skin or pink?" If you can find a way to have fun with short posts, it could make your readers happy while you stay sane and maybe even get some fun and crazy ideas.
This is a good idea. I sleep on it. Thank you Joyce 💚
haha! Love that only in quotes! I hear ya, Claudia. I hear ya!💛
With a full-time job and rather lengthy newsletters I'm like... what else should I do?
YES!! I have been feeling the exact same way. This is gonna sound like promoting my newsletter, but I literally published my newsletter about it this morning https://adhdmademedoit.substack.com/p/embrace-the-molt
(I mean literally literally lol)
Thanks a lot, I'm looking forward to reading this. I'm a bit bothered by the whole topic of how-often-you-should-publish. Especially when I read from people who don't even know what to write about but want to publish weekly...
I know we've discussed this previously, but for me once a week has given me the motivation I need to actually sit and write every (or most) days. Without that, I'm not disciplined enough 😬😅
I think once a week makes sense for people who are professional writers. I think. Like you said, with a full-time job and other responsibilities, it is THE perfect recipe for burnout!
and yes, I have written about not knowing what to write about because I felt like I had to publish something. This conversation is very validating.
Maybe we start our own post-whenever-the-heck-you-can campaign!
You do what you need to do and what works for you :)
I think it's a good pace, Claudia. Plus, it means it always feels like a special treat when something turns up in my inbox from you :)
Congratulations on 350 subscribers! How long did it take you to get there, if you don’t mind me asking? I reached close to 200 in around 6 months. Once a week is a golden rule, so I have been advised, but sometimes I can’t keep up! Consistency in posting is key. All the best!
Hey Anu! No problem at all. I’ve been here since November, but my growth only really picked up around March. With every 100 subscribers, it seems like it’s only getting faster.
That’s great! Did you do anything concerted in March? I don’t do anything for now, except for cross post on social media!
i really think this depends on your audience. for me, once a week or 5-6 times per month is a good fit for our site's goal. but if i published a daily trading site, daily would make sense. the most important thing is to be respectful of your readers inbox & time and post the appropriate frequency that fits with that in mind.
That's also true. Depending on the type of content, readers might expect a daily newsletter or a weekly newsletter or, in my case, with fiction, biweekly or once a month.
A nice aspect of Substack is that it is a "long tail" operation that gives room for all of us. It is a balancing act of knowing what makes readers happy and what makes our creative lives joyful. Quality over quantity is a given ... however that doesn't mean we couldn't fulfill a planned quantity by posting a creative "hi, thinking of you" to the reader ... perhaps a quote, a beautiful image, or "my cat just vomited on my bed ... see you next week" post. A major lure of newsletters is the feeling of being connected to the author.
Honestly, I'd say less is more. I'd much prefer to receive something twice a month than 5 times a week. I want to look forward to and savour those posts from authors I enjoy so much :)
Everyone is different, though. It's about what works for you. Congrats on the growth, Andrei :)
I'd say that it's not just the frequency or the consistency of your posts, but that there ought to be some variation in length/depth, too. For a while I was posting two longform essays per week, and I think it was too much for readers to keep up with (except for a handful of devoted readers). I've done better when I prioritize longform work on Tuesday and save Friday for something less intense -- a discussion thread, a poem, anything that takes less than 10 minutes to read.
Sarah Fay wrote about this recently, that people tune out after about 700 words, and while that's sparked some debate among different writers, I think the spirit is true. Which is not to make every post 700 words or fewer, but to think about a reader's limits and never make more than one big ask of their attention per week. Sometimes that takes the pressure off of me, because I don't have to complete a 3,000 word masterpiece every two or three days. I can share some half-baked thoughts to prompt discussion on a Friday. Or I can share a poem with an entertaining back story, like a poem that an editor accepted and then realized that she'd completely misread (but had to publish anyway, because we had a contract by that point).
Another way of thinking of it: I can't push my max running pace very day. I can only do that once a week or so. Some of my runs need to be moderate or at a recovery pace. My writing should be the same.
I needed to hear this. I have been struggling, trying to maintain the once-a-week frequency. It is not working for my mental health, so thank you for saying this!!
🧠I think once a week is a good amount. Also, stay in it with notes--a note to myself as well! And remember, your posts do not have to be flawless. Sometimes I think people spend way too much time editing so it's "perfect" which it never is! sabrinalabow.substack.com
I try to post one or two times a week. I do mostly long form fiction. I’m 11 months on Substack and keep plugging away because at some point, I’ll start seeing my subscribers grow. It has been a very slow process for me. Congratulations on your 350 subscribers! I hope you hit 500 by the end of the year!
✏️ How do you spark conversation in your Substack community, besides simply asking a question? https://bethspencer.substack.com/
I get reasonable engagement on my posts but very little from Notes unless it's people I 'talk' to regularly. I have to say it's slowly improving and maybe it just takes time...Some of the things I have done on Notes - insert myself into a conversation with a comment or question - nobody minds and I've always been welcomed. I always try to respond to the Notes of people I subscribe to, and if anyone is asking questions, even if it's a couple of days old, I respond.
Respond to other people's 'stacks that you subscribe to, be chatty, join in the conversation with other responders not just make one comment and leave.
I rarely ask questions in my 'stack. Sometimes in a Note. Keep at it.
I agree: commenting on others' posts and engaging is the best long-term strategy I think
There are a few people doing this very well. One of my favourites is Tara Penry’s Enchanted Forest. Writers can recommend articles they’ve found enchanting and she showcases them. Makes for great discussion.
https://open.substack.com/pub/enchantedinamerica/p/the-enchanted-forest-september-2023?r=1z0b1o&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post
This is a wonderful suggestion, thanks Donna.
I tag specific people that I’ve come to know here who might be interested in sharing a thought. And I insert polls. I also continue the conversations in notes. And I do digests of my notes conversations weekly to expand on that which encourages people to come back and say more. Here’s an example of what those weekly digests look like: https://createmefree.substack.com/p/things-i-said-in-substack-notes-this-048
Yes, I’ve been tagged. And I appreciated it 😊. I agree that polls are a good way to engage. I’m thinking of fun ways to incorporate them more. Thanks, as always, for sharing Kathryn!
And a tag is what? Clearly, I'm from another century (or planet).
I'll add, also, Andi, a note. Don't be confused because you can't tag (also called mention or at) someone here (in comments). So, here if I type @Andi Penner, your name just appears but isn't a link and you won't get a notification that I tagged/atted/mentioned you. But if I do the same think in a post or a note, your name will be converted into a link and you'll be notified. I'll tag you in one in just a minute. :)
Just using the @(name) in the post and/or in Notes to let them know you've mentioned them. I also tend to add a comment or question for them if I specifically want their opinion.
For those who don't already know, Kathryn's newsletter is awesome and she consistently highlights the work of other writers she likes and adds her thoughts about it. I've discovered and subscribed to many great newsletters thanks to hers!
Thank you! I love when people find each other through my efforts!
I love that advice. Thank you, Kathryn! Expect some tags from me soon! 💐😸
I'll look forward to them!
Thanks Kathryn ... good points and I never thought about tagging folks.
If you ever want to tag me in anything remotely related to art/creativity and/or mental health/wellness, I'm usually open to adding to the conversation. <3
Taking you up on that one! Thanks.
I love the sharing. I do a similar thing in my newsletter where I have three posts of the week to showcase other writers. Building that community is a massive part of what I’m trying to do.
Absolutely on the same page about community building.
You could try making a bold statement and see how people react.
I made one comment on Ted Gioia's, and seeing the type of people who liked my comment/responded, I realized I attracted the wrong crowd and that made me question my opinion lol..
Also sometimes you may write something that's meant to be sarcastic but the reader doesn't take it that way! Oy! sabrinalabow.substack.com
That's why I write in incomprehensible convoluted mesh of incomparable tangents in unbridled streams of mental & emotional subconscious magnitudes of unfiltered archaic and post-greek metaphoric dharmic philosophies, tied up by the invisible intellectual bonds that have formed the collective and individual dogmas in what we call postmodern world that we live in.. So that people can't even guess what I'm vaguely talking about.. (my head hurts just from writing this) 😂😂
🤣 It can happen, anyone is free to interpret statements, don't take it personally.
Hahaha. It’s always good to have our opinions challenged?
Well yeah, but seeing the crowd who ‘endorsed’ my opinion, I realized my opinion is probably wrong 🫠🫠
So wise to look around and see who's standing with you. :)
you sound like Oscar Wilde: "Don't say you agree with me. When people agree with me I always feel I must be wrong." 🤣
Oscar who? What is this? A website for writers?! I must be in the wrong place then 😂😂..
uh oh... :)
Uh oh indeed.. 😬🫠😬
I did do that in one of my newsletters. The whole thing was a statement. I was called a communist. 😑
Not a good sign of the commentator is from North America...
I think he was...
A Communist is better than commie I guess.. 😂😂
I think they used commie...
In today's world, that just seems to me that they disagreed with you and didn't have any other way of saying it. ;-)
I didn't take it personally. But I was born in a communist country and I am against communism. So go figure!
Ok, so I try to openly engage people with options to comment on posts, share thoughts on what or who they'd like me to write about next, and I often post notes in hopes of attracting eyeballs in a different way, but my readers are the strong but silent type apparently. I struggle to get any feedback or interaction with them.
I would bet it's just because they are busy! We are all so inundated with emails, texts, novels...it's hard to keep up! sabrinalabow.substack.com
Dave ... nice to see you here. Strong silent types seem to prevail. Question: in passing I saw in one of your posts a statement about people not writing consistently and talking too much about themselves. I would like to quote you but now can't find the post. Does it ring any bells? You offer a lot of value with your posts ... thanks!
I would love to see that post too! I do think it's important to intersperse personal stories about yourself in order to differentiate yourself from ChatGPT. Imo, it's important for writers to have their own personal style that is recognizable. sabrinalabow.substack.com
I've started to unsubscribe from people who appear to be self-obsessed 😱
Based on what criteria do you categorise them as self-obsessed? Just curious 😁
"I was slightly under the weather last week. I think I had a bit of a cold. I had to take Lemsip, and then when that didn't work I had to create my own concoction with seventeen organic ingredients. Become a paid subscriber now and I'll share the recipe with you. But enough about me! Let me tell you about my projects. This week I wrote another five chapters of my novel. Then I spent the weekend in the south of France. Then I had a marvellous lunch with my agent who told me I'm brilliant. Blah blah drone ..." I hope that answers your question, Claudia.
🤣😭 YES, it does!
I haven't done that ... yet! Getting closer.
It feels very freeing
You got me curious, I'm looking for that post!
Please let me know if you find it. ;-)
and me please!
I could not :(
I could not :(
I've been staying more active in Notes lately and I'm finding it great, both for finding engagement/community and for getting reading inspiration. It definitely helps to comment wherever you find something that resonates with you, restacking, and also sharing others's stuff you find around while browsing. I'm finding it super easy, lovely and a great place to be throughout my day! Hope this helps. 😉
Notes is great, but I find that it takes away readers from the comments section. I had to reduce my presence on Notes so that I could read more newsletters and engage with the writers directly in their comments section. Did you have the same experience?
It's difficult, isn't it. I often leave a comment on others' posts and click the box for copying to Notes. I don't know whether that doubles the exposure or halves it
I actually only recently discovered this was a thing!
I think it has been a thing only recently
I am starting to do the same. We'll see. It might help. :)
We shall have to compare notes
As Notes gets busier, I am getting a bit concerned about that also.
I think it happens if the readers usually commenting are also writers on Substack.
That's interesting! I don't think I have much feedback on that yet but I'm definitely keeping an eye.
I still think commenting in the comments section is the best form of engagement. Notes is great, but it's too transient for me and I find myself using it, then drifting away, and repeating that at random intervals.
That did help! I am going on notes right after office hours ends. Thanks! sabrinalabow.substack.com
I've only done this a couple of times so far but it worked really nicely: I asked in Chat for recommendations and ideas around a topic, and then used those responses to populate a newsletter post.
That way, the really engaged fans get to have that closer involvement, while the more casual readers get to benefit from the combined insight.
Great idea ... a pre-Post chat with the warm, fuzzy feeling of seeing your opinions honored later. Sounds like a golden formula.
If I was clever I would do it more often!
nice idea
I'm afraid I tend not to ask questions because when I do I receive few answers. I do sometimes do what @mark dykeman suggests and make a bold statement. I also find that people react if I publish something very moving, humorous or outlandish. Those things spark convo in the comments
I always get crickets when I ask things on Notes! 🦗
Ditto! At least when I’ve posted. I haven’t tried a question. We’ll all have to reply to each other. 😃
Me too! It can feel like shouting into the void. I do like NOtes though: I've had some nice conversations there
I get fewer crickets when I respond to a popular Substacker. And, when I make an effort to write something that contributes to the conversation or offers a different take.
Somehow your newsletters are very engaging and I always find myself leaving a comment. And you don't ask any questions, that's true. Perhaps it's the introvert in you. The fact that you don't want to talk to any of us makes us wanna talk to you. See? I just did it again!
Thanks very much, Claudia. I am an introvert, it's true (how did you know?). I do ask questions, not in every post. I tend to ask what people's views are, especially in my 'experiments in style' posts, but only a small select bunch of people respond most of the time
If you ever want to practice drawing, I just just the club for you, Terry. https://introvertdrawingclub.com/
Of course, if you go to my latest letter to Rebecca, #21, you will see that I am already at the top of my game as far as art is concerned. I expect to be contacted by the Tate any day now 😂
Thanks Beth I will check it out
You wrote about it in one of your newsletters and we had a lengthy chat about it in the comments. Remember?
Yes, I had a vague recollection. Sorry for momentarily memory lapse
Can you give an example? sabrinalabow.substack.com
Thanks, Sabrina. I will have a look.
Great question, Beth. I have, for the past couple of months, attempted, to small degrees of success, putting out a call for photos on first Saturdays. Photos from Wherever We’re Rolling. (I live in a van and am here and there.) But I think Substack’s current decision to not allow photos in comments is slowing my roll! 🤣 (It could also be my apparent Ludditeness.) I start a chat thread (where photos can be added by subscribers), link to it. It’s a bit convoluted. I’ve had a few people I know irl let me know they couldn’t figure out how to add a photo. And just now, I was unable to successfully follow the link myself. So! In short, maybe not photos for now? But I’d like to see a change and will keep pressing forward a couple more months. At any rate, here’s Saturday’s attempt. Anyone willing to see if they can add a photo? https://hollystarley.substack.com/p/whatcha-making-call-for-1st-saturday/comments
The newsletter Heated does something similar. But they ask the readers to email them photos of their pets. At the end of each newsletter they will publish one of those pet photos. It's a nice touch.
One of my favorite features of Heated! Other than the fantastic reporting. ☺️
It seems to resonate with a lot of readers.
Oh that's interesting. Thanks, Claudia! I might try that next time--have folks email photos and then post a few. :)
Cool, testing new tools! 🥳
We’re going to go over this in the Building Community and Keeping Subscribers on Substack workshop! Will you be there?
https://www.writersatwork.net/p/workshop-building-community-and-keeping
100% finding Substacks you enjoy and engaging with the author/community there. This tends to have the natural knock-on effect of coming back to your own Substack. It takes time and needs to come from a place of genuine engagement, of course, but it's the best and most organic means, at least in my experience. I think building those genuine connections just means that when you do post, you're much more likely to have that engagement.
I want this to be Notes so bad. After a long day or during a peaceful morning, chatting with other writers but I haven’t experienced much engagement yet.
I feel the same way quite often, Brittany! I think it’s a matter of timing or maybe I’m putting stuff out there that isn’t as fun as I think it is. 😆
I also publish round-ups of writing by other people, eg https://terryfreedman.substack.com/p/start-the-week-37 and collaborate with others, eg @rebecca holden and @nathan slake
Such a great question, thank you. Going to read now all the replies and learn something new. 💚
🧠 - Most of my organic growth and people reaching out to me has been because they've seen me comment on others Substacks. Spend some time reading bigger publication in your niche and leave thoughtful comments. The platform does a great job of showing your publication beside your name and being active on other newsletters is an awesome way to drive views.
Agree. It's all about being part of the community here!
And you're one of the most supportive people in this community, Elle. I cannot thank you enough 👏💚
Thanks Claudia!!!! 🥰
Second this. And restack the posts of others ... with thoughtful comments. Great method to connect with other writers and bring readers to your Substack.
That is a great idea which I plan to do! Thanks! sabrinalabow.substack.com
This 🥰
🧠 Hi everyone, and happy Office Hours! Need a boost? Here's what's keeping me going, today...
It's never too late.
You can always pick the pen back up, sit down at the computer again, reinvent, reimagine, recreate. You're still here, which means you still care.
So start now. Today. A handful of words, a paragraph, a page. Lock your Inner Critic in a cupboard with a snack for a little while and just begin.
I promise you that you'll find your way, no matter how long the pause has been, no matter how unsure you feel, no matter how loud your insecurities are. But you need to take that first step in order to see the path in front of you.
Keep going. Keep writing. DON'T GIVE UP! 🌿
This the beauty of Substack. You can set up a new account in about ten mins and you’re away.
Wonderful to see you and read your encouraging words here again!
Thank you! I always so appreciate your wise, encouraging tone. :)
🧠 I took my newest book on a monthlong virtual tour here on Substack and it went great. A few people have asked me about how to do it. I assumed people already knew from blog hop days but I am realizing I have value to add. So I’ll probably do a full post on this if people are interested?
I remember the blog hop days! But I followed, never participated and I’m new to Substack though. Would love to know how it works here.
Definitely! I don't even know what a virtual book tour is!!
Please!!
Yes please!
Yes, please!
That would be fantastic! I've been thinking precisely on this.
Thanks! I'll be working on that post but feel free to reach out to me anytime if there's anything I can do to help.
Kathryn ... would love to highlight this post in the Field Guide. Will watch for it and have made a note not to forget it.
Awesome! If you have any specific questions related to it let me know and I'll try to include that info!
Thank you!😉🙌🏼
A full post on this would be awesome, I loved being a part of it.
Loved that you were a part of it! Thank you <3
✏️ I've read that the holiday season is when Substack has some of its highest levels of traffic and activity.
So, I'm wondering if anyone has started thinking through how they will cultivate interesting stories, giveaways, discussions in light of the holidays. I'd love to hear everyone's ideas. ☀️
^ This is where the "Substack Gift Cards" would REALLY be helpful.
There is a "Gift Subscription" button.
Yeah, what I'm wanting is different. I'd love to give someone $50 that they can use to buy a paid subscription to any reader, anywhere on Substack.
This is a great idea to think about.
I like that idea.
I just took my book on a virtual tour and as a thank you to the people who hosted me I'm offering that anyone who buys an annual subscription to them gets one year free from me as well. A few people have taken me up on it.
That's great!
My dream is to give away $50 in "Substack Dollars" each month to a reader on my list. I've heard from so many writers here who are trying to grow their readership but can't afford to join behind the paywall of newsletters where the conversations overlap with their writing topics. I think it'd be a great learning tool and touch point.
Anyways, I'm going to keep banging this drum until Substack listens... or I invent a way to do this myself. ha!
"Substack Dollars" ... what a great concept ... that has my mind reeling. OMG ... an idea just landed that I will announce in Notes after Office Hours.
Absolutely love this idea.
I love your sense of generosity, Amanda! And this is such a great idea to explore.
Love this idea!
I love that! sabrinalabow.substack.com
True! And we can customize the theme
🟥 that's a great idea, Amanda. I'm surprised the creative peeps at Substack haven't come up with it yet.
I’m a no frills type of guy. Just straight content about books that my community finds valuable.
No problem. Substack is a "long-tail offering." There is room for all of us.
This is a good point. I would love to do something like this, but I don't have an idea as of yet.
I just got one that I'll announce in Notes later today. Think it might intrigue you and it's something any of us could do. ;-)
cool!
Interesting thought ... thanks for making it.
I wasn't aware but this is very good to know and start brainstorming on.
✏️ Do you continue to maintain a separate blog/website along with your Substack?
I tried for a little while, but my website was much like an island floating in oblivion. So once I felt Substack had something that my website couldn't procure, I turned it into a fancy billboard. :)
I think of my website like a scrapbook.
I love the idea of a “fancy billboard.” 😊 I need to find a new hosting provider for my website as Bluehost is going to charge me nearly triple the price it was when I signed up. Can you recommend any reliable and reasonable hosting provider? Thank you.
I am not the tech guru here, but I know the two services I pay for are namecheap.com and then I let squarespace handle all the third-party integrations from there. ☀️
Amanda! I have a question specifically for you. :) Hope this is an OK place to ask. It’s maybe a little related to the thread, as it’s another billboard like attempt? Anywho, months back, you suggested creating a QR code for your stack. Brilliant, I thought. I eventually created one (but just googled how to do it, rather than following your link). I even printed stickers with the code, cuz I was going to a van gathering and stickers are all the rage. THEN I discovered that I would need to pay $39/mo to keep the QR code active??! I have clearly made a mistake. 😂 Were the QR codes you recommended free to make and active in perpetuity free of charge? Thanks in advance from an admiring subscriber and apparent Luddite. :)
Ugh, YES! Some people want to charge $39/month to keep them active, which is just frustrating. In a quick google search, I found flowcode.com, where they offer a super basic QR code and even include "no sign up, no expiration" in their description (they're trying to differentiate themselves here!). Maybe they will be a better option! ☀️
I mean, I can see paying a very small amount. But $468/year is an investment. I’ll check out flow code and report back.
Thanks!!
I love thinking about a website like a billboard!
Fancy billboard. Great idea. My old blog is still getting readers ... I need to update it with this idea.
That’s a great way of saying it. I should work on my very neglected old squarespace blog becoming a fancy billboard. :)
I’m ready to bring everything over to Substack but I’m still influenced by traditional publishing that says my author website should look pretty.
Yes. I like Substack, but one definitely has more control on other platfor5ms, which can be a curse as well as a blessing in my experience!
I did for the first year, then I realized all of the growth happened here and I abandoned the other places!!
If I had been making ad money off my blog, I would have kept it up, but I had transitioned to a subscription model previously (on Patreon) so my blog wasn’t earning so I just stopped adding to it for now. I may use its eventually in some other way but haven’t been.
I have a separate website, but it’s mostly to promote my books. I’m currently updating it so I can better point people to my Stack and my work on here.
Calling my website a fancy billboard is a great description. I use BookFunnel to sell my e-Books and am working on recording audio versions of the books, which will also be available through all major players and my BookFunnel. The website helps add another layer of legitimacy for potential buyers, at least that’s what I think.
Thanks for the question, Melody! I do have one, but it seems redundant and is now neglected. Still, as a nostalgic person, I have a hard time taking it down. So it remains collecting weeds. I kind of like imagining it as a bit of a ghost town at the moment. A tumbleweed blowing through, a saloon door creaking open. Was there even any wind?
Are you maintaining a separate blog?
I love this image, Holly! Totally captures how I feel about my website. Every now and then I go to it, just to revisit what I did write there ages ago (sandycumberland.com) but mostly it just gathers dust....
I do, but have not posted on it for a while. I need to switch my hosting provider soon so I started thinking about whether I even want/need my website.
I currently use Bluehost but am thinking about switching to Siteground. If anyone has any thoughts or recommendations re: hosting platforms please let me know. 😊
I just started my website a few months ago and chose Siteground after researching various options. I'm quite happy with it!
Fantastic! Thank you, Wendi. I appreciate your recommendation and am happy to hear that you are pleased with SiteGround. I have been researching the options as well and SiteGround is regularly one of the top recommendations.
Not any more. I may restart blogging sometime in the future, but for now I'm writing on Substack only
I don't any more. I transferred all my old blogs over to substack and am now tailoring them for a new audience and reposting. I consider Substack as my website. If Imy substack was part of running a business I would probably maintain a separate website.
I have a separate author website (valorieclark.com) but not a separate blog.
I don't have a dedicated website/blog, but I've been on Medium for three years and finally took the plunge with Substack in April because I got tired of Medium's volatility. I still post there too (and still manage to get swept up in the emotional roller coaster of virality, or lack thereof, as much I as I try not to). To be honest, I'm having a lot of trouble being an "involved" community member in two places. But as of now, most of my Substack subscribers come from Medium, so I feel I need to keep up a presence in both places. It's kind of exhausting though. I'm hoping to reach a point where I can just be in one place, and preferably not on social media much at all! Hey, a girl can dream...
I do have a website for my clincial and coaching work but once I started my Substack I moved all my writing here.
I am pretty much doing the same. As I still do some consulting work, I keep my original site, and use Substack as the go to place for people to see and sign up for my Mind Wise newsletter and blog. I take my longer content articles and videos or podcasts on Substack and do a shorter version on my WordPress site to keep it active as long as I continue to use it. I'd be interested in interviewing you for one of my video podcasts.
Ron if you mean me I'd love to talk to you on your podcast. However, there are many illustrious folks on this thread, so I may be presumptuous thinking you were talking to me!
I view Substrack as supporting my website and blog.
I do, yes. I have a couple of different web sites going. It's true I don't get to them as often :) but every so often I try to gets things somewhat sycned up.
I do have a separate website besides my Substack. Although it’s been neglected lately. ☹️
I do, though most of my writing is currently on Substack. The website hosts my courses, decades worth of old blog posts, and my new & full moon astro-tarot forecasts. I’ve been debating if I really need to keep it, though, and so far, I don’t have a clear answer, tbh.
I just created my own website (https://mymentalhealthguide.com) after writing on Medium and Substack for a long time, but I don't usually write separate blog posts for it. I just copy and paste relevant articles from my other writing as blog posts there. And I created the site primarily to promote a specific service I just started offering.
🟧 When are you going to create a category for all of us who write very generally/broadly - NOT JUST on politics, sport, cinema etc etc.?? I have been asking for months. My substack is on a different subject every time (I say it runs from Annunciations to orgasms) but loads of other people's substacks do, too. We want to be discovered, too.
Agree Ann! I write about pro wrestling to the Catholic church. I've had readers tell me to narrow my focus, but what fun is that?
I just wrote you a comment and it posted twice for some reason, so I tried to delete one post and it deleted both. I said, essentially, yes I do have fun and no one is asking me to change. I think my readers like to wonder what the old lady is going to write about next. See my piece on the vulva (arichardson.substack.com/p/thinking-about-the-vulva) - don't worry, it won't frighten the horses. Or see me stand on my head at age 80. Hooray for Substack which allows us to write all this.
I'm not sure the categories are all that worthwhile. I did a study that led me to believe that Substack searches primarily pick up on words in your bio and brief descriptions. Therefore, making sure search words are included in those elements is something we can do that will affect searches.
Interesting. Any advice for the likes of us?
Climb into the head of your readers and think of 10 words that they might search on to find you ... or look at your highest viewership or engagement posts and see what the themes are or what might be engaging them. This is not an easy task but coming up with words which could be attached to your title or used in post titles or included in your bio or brief description is what you're looking for. Hope this helps ... if not, I'd love to continue the conversation ... which might lead to a future post helpful to other writers.
Yes, interesting. To some extent, I think they are wondering 'what in the world is she going to write about today?' but that isn't much help (or, perhaps, it is - I will need to think about how to turn that into a key word or two). But being older, and given the name of my substack, I can probably think about some words that convey the wisdom of an older woman. I'd be happy to have a further discussion on this. Contact me on ar@annrichardson.co.uk and I will respond.
They might not be able to promote you because they don't know who to share you with since your topics are so broad.
I am not asking for special promotion, but there is a 'category' list for new readers and there could be a 'general' category, with those of us listed who fit into that. I am not one of the very high flyers (getting 1000s of new readers) but I AM getting a fair number of new readers (pushing 500) who stay with me and I have a good open rate (64% or so). I just need people to know I exist!
Sounds like you're doing a lot right. I'm not sure categories are as important as including words people might search on in your profile and brief descriptions. This is part of the ENTICE stage of the Reader Engagement Process I talk about in the Substack Field Guide.
🧠 - Take a break BEFORE you need it! I've been on Substack for over three years now, and publishing every week (or multiple times a week) can be tiring, even when it's fun! Usually I take a break from writing/publishing in August, but this year I felt like I didn't need the break so I didn't take it...aaand crashed the first two weeks of September. Now I'm behind on my publishing schedule and feel VERY guilty!
So build in breaks for yourself, and do it BEFORE you need one!
❤️
Everyone has such great advice here!! Thank you for sharing, Valorie!💛
🟧 - Looking at the new post stats. Love it! But how do I have 63 views for a post the day BEFORE I published it?
Edit: And I know it wasn't me, because I was out of town that day and wasn't ever on my writer dashboard.
Hi Karen! Thanks for noticing this issue; that's a bug that we'll get fixed ASAP!
The stats feature seems to be prescient 😅
✏️Long time free readers. Your thoughts?
I feel like every free reader who is still engaged is still welcome, because I want to keep the door open for as many people as possible including those who have no intention of upgrading - and in a selfish sense, you never know what they might be doing for your marketing quietly and behind the scenes. (I had a longterm free reader share something a while back to a forum and it triggered an absolute ton of traffic.)
And if they're free and they haven't shown any sign of reading, commenting, clicking, opening anything or even breathing for a certain amount of time (1 year +, for me), I pluck up the courage to take them off the list.
I always hesitate to remove people for not opening emails because you never know if they use an email client that impacts their open rate. But I think seeing if they're commenting, downloading episodes (in my case) and more, is a helpful metric as well.
Yeah, I try to cross-reference four or five signs of non-engagement: it feels unlikely they're still checked in if they're not opening AND not commenting AND not clicking links AND etc etc.
Totally! I think this is the right way to do it!
I've been pondering whether to cull the list: it's always been accepted good practice in other newsletter circles, for various reasons, but I'm not sure how much of a factor it is on Substack.
I really don’t think this is right on Substack.
They may be following you on Notes or they may just have their email set to not allowing Substack to know if they’ve opened the emails!
Yep - it's a risk! There's no way of being absolutely sure. But I figure if they've shown no sign of engagement for that long, it's a reasonably dependable sign they've tuned out - and I try to have a look at each address's activity before I do anything as drastic as removing someone...
Yeah, plus tracking opens is increasingly difficult as well.
Do the stats factor in people who are reading in the app and on the web? I'm not sure how that factors into open rates and engagement, relative to email sends.
Tis a maze!
Yeah, excellent question. I don't know the answer to this either. But I assume (hopefully correctly?) that, for example, if they leave a comment from the app, it shows as them leaving a comment in the stats in the same way as if they do it via email or Web? If *everything* they do in/from the app is invisible, that's a huge problem for our dashboards - hence, I'm presuming Substack already thought of this and has worked things accordingly?
Yeah, I'm the same - I don't know for sure. But anything that *might* improve deliverability based on established good newsletter practices elsewhere that isn't too much of a pain in the rump to implement, it feels worth doing. But I'd love to know some hard details about what's actually happening.
I've wondered about this. Since inactive subscribers don't cost more like they might on MailChimp or such, I figure it doesn't hurt to leave them. Lately I'm wondering if I'm overlooking something in terms of deliverabilty, like if google analyses and decides to toss your email in the spam folder based on the number of folks who don't open it.
Yes, exactly. It's true that they can be there for free. But I think they can also be behaving in a way that 'programs' our email software like Gmail etc. to view our newsletters as more likely to be spam. For example, dropped emails send that signal to email clients - the more drops, the more signals that our newsletters are the opposite of important. That's super-bad for us in the long run.
HMMM.
What kind of thresholds/cutoffs do you use when culling, Mike?
The last few times I've done it, it was folk who:
- had been on my list for at least 18 months
- zero stars
- never seem to have opened anything
- never seem to have clicked anything
- never have left a comment.
And I check them manually before deleting, just in case I've missed something. (In a lot of cases, I see dropped emails when I do this - the bane of a newsletter-writer's life.)
It's....not a quick process, but doing it a little bit here and there keeps it somewhat manageable and not too boring.
Yeah that used to be a factor and might still be.
On the other hand, having 'Over X subscribers' on your welcome screen is probably good social proof for potential NEW subscribers. If a cull would drop you below those thresholds, it might be counter-productive.
I like any readers. Even if free. You don't know the circumstances of why people can't pay. Yes, it would be great if they could convert to paid but in this economy I can't even pay for my friends substacks and I really want to. I just don't have the funds myself.
Agreed! I've not enabled paid subscriptions yet, but my plan is to continue offering free content. Also, there are people who may not be able to commit to a subscription but would consider one-time purchases for other content like books or courses. And even those who are unable to spend money at all can support your work in other ways like spreading the word about your publication.
i'm with you on this. i did a paid sub to one substack recently and then had to go back to free because i live in a city where the rent is climbing daily!
I'm with you. I have been lucky to have friends volunteer to pay to stay on the journey. I also offer up copies of my books to paid subscribers.
That's great! A lot of my friends are not that well resourced. I am very middle class, working child care not making much money, trying to put myself through grad school via my income on Substack. It definitely helps and I tell people exactly what they are paying for when they subscribe. It's my MFA in poetry--which when people read my Substack they realize it means a lot to me and definitely informs (and improves) my writing. I am developing a style of writing that people call the lyrical essay. There is no real education to get in this specific genre. But writing my Substack helps me explore writing non-fiction and the stuff of our lives in a more poetic way. I hope it is working. I need readers though... and if they are free then that is great. One of the most valuable repayments is feedback on my writing so if they can't pay I hope people comment once in a while. That way I know what works.
Sounds like you have a good plan. Growing audiences is all about legwork. Perhaps try posting to things like Facebook groups that are pertinent to your Substack. I also found good luck on LinkedIn. Do you offer special articles for paid subscribers?
I do not do any special articles other than archiving some old articles and making them available for paid people. The Plan - which was my first article had some more personal reasons why I had started my Substack, and I wanted to limit the audience a bit. It had a picture of the ambulance that took my son away after an emergency... and it was the breaking point for me. I could not go on from emergency to emergency with no hope. But anyway... that is besides the point. The intensely emotional things or the stuff I don't think most people will like I have tucked away for the smaller audience. However, I believe the best stuff should be free and available. In fact I want to refer back to my best stuff and new people can't access it if it is behind a paywall.
It's part of the game. Most people will not become paid members. The only thing I recommend is finding a way to sell something offline that is aligned with your content, and maybe you can drive them to that other thing. Some people don't think paying for content is tangible, but if you had a product, that might be something to jump on.
sell something offline ... that is a challenge that deserves some serious brainstorming ... would you be interested in collaborating on some way to help people identify possibilities? No specific ideas in mind ... chat ... thread ... zoom ...post ?????
Yes to free. I come from the old school of "information wants to be free" and I'm an avid reader of free versions of many substacks. I came to substack after making marketing newsletters for clients and all that push left a bad taste in my mouth. I was happy to have a non-commercial option for myself. All the readers have seen all the pitches to subscribe to paid. It is on them to respond or not. However, clearing old non-openers from time to time is only good practice.
love them.
Russell, care to expand on that?
I want as big an audience as possible. If you want to read for free, that's perfectly acceptable to me. I don't consider money the barometer of somebody enjoying my work. When they like my work, and they can afford it, they will buy, or they won't.
So you make a living by something other than writing, I take it?
Nope. Like any other creative, I make money in a bunch of different ways, but I make a full-time living as a writer, and have since 2017.
I think if someone is a long time, free reader who engages they may not be getting a paid sub because it's not within their means. Of course I love paid subscribers but I am honored by anyone who reads my stuff to the end and engages in the community.
Sometimes frustrating
If I were to become a paid subscriber to every single Substack I subscribe to for free, that would be a significant sum. Aside from money, it may just be someone's preference—they could have a hundred reasons to not go paid. If they're still opening my emails, then I'm happy to have them.
✏️ – Do you have any best practices when it comes to doing interviews? I have been emailing people full lists of questions, getting their replies, and then sending a few follow-up questions. This is very efficient, but I feel like it comes out a bit stilted.
I'm thinking about doing a "live chat" interview instead, where I just book an hour with the interviewee and talk to them via Slack or another chat program.
Maybe this will work better? How do you usually interview people for text articles? (I.e. not recorded audio/video interviews)
I really love the chat method-- perfect hybrid of live discussion and thoughtful (already transcribed) dialogue. I find different interviewees are given toward different methods tho- some prefer slow thinking their ideas in email, some would rather just hop on a call. (Just checked out your page and love it- new subscriber here!)
Great input Lisette, thanks!
That’s a good idea to give people the choice. It seems like the less pressure the better.
And thanks for subscribing, I appreciate it!
I give an interview outline. Never the full question list. But I like people to know the gist of what we’re talking about. I’ve found this helps people feel comfortable, but still fresh and not rehearsed
I try really hard not to do email interviews, although sometimes I have no choice (mostly because of timing issues or because they're halfway across the U.S.). Also, I find the best interviews are a bit unpredictable and I like being able to do unexpected follow-ups.
Generally, whether it's Zoom or on the phone, I do interviews in a Q&A style. I record them and transcribe them pretty much as they happened (other than the mild edits for clarity). In either case, I run the audio through Otter to get a rough transcription, then listen to the interview manually and correct the text as I go.
Granted, I'm usually dealing with Hollywood folks who don't usually have an hour. But generally my interviews run in the 20 minute or so length, which seems to work fine for my readers.
Have you tried the new Descript/Squadcast set up? There is some cost to it, but works great for remote interviews and allows for easy editing whether you do videos or podcasts. My early use of it so far has worked well.
I do it the same way you described but I go in and edit for flow so I add my own comments here and there to help it transition better and sometimes move answers around. Here’s an example of what it ends up like: https://createmefree.substack.com/p/art-and-mental-health-interview-with-e2e
This is pretty much the method I use (emailing questions) but I've changed my approach over the past year. I used to email the full list of questions (usually 10) at once. I changed my approach where I send two sets of five questions. The first 5 usually come from a standard set of questions but now I use the answers to the first five questions to formulate the next five. I hope that's helpful.
I'm just getting back into doing podcast and video podcast. I use different set ups according to the person and their inclinations and preferences, but generally lay out the interest I have with a few question and ask that the interviewee send me some areas that they would like to discuss. Interviews are kept casual, fun, and friendly. I have been experimenting with the new Descript/Squad cast set up which so far is great.
I have done two interviews via zoom so far. I have had them transcribed and will be posting excerpts from them. I eventually want to post the interview with video and audio, but am just learning at this point.
I have not sent out interview questions by email yet because I thought that might be too impersonal, but will likely try that too. I think the best advice is to experiment and see what works best for you and your interviewee.
Speaking as a longtime magazine journalist, I ALWAYS interview by phone because you really do get better quotes, and you never know where a conversation may go (sometimes somewhere surprising!). I send questions via email before the call, so the interviewee can prepare, but when you're in live conversation other questions will, of course, come up. You can do follow-up Qs via email., if needed. Substack's transcription still leaves something to be desired, but I find Rev.com's auto-transcripts to be a good value (affordable and extremely accurate).
As a journalist who does a lot of interviews for work—and as someone who is going to introduce Q&A posts soon—there are pros and cons to email/form interviews, as you've seen, vs. talking directly. I personally the latter for a few reasons:
* more natural responses
* allows me to ask follow-up questions right there
* requires less time of my interviewee
It means more time for me editing responses, but I think it's worth it in the end. I do Zoom chat, record the chat, and then transcribe in Otter (and I ALWAYS check the otter transcription, because it's never perfect). I edit responses so they're succinct from there.
Depending on who you're talking to, a live chat could be a great compromise. If you're able to share topics in advance of your chat, that can help any interviewees you may have that like to overthink things.
I recently did a text message interview with @nathanwoods and it worked really well. I wanted to avoid sending a list of questions for the exact reason you mentioned: it always comes out stilted.
The text messaging allowed for a more natural progression of the conversation and we were able to engage a little more with each other. After we finished the conversation, we went back and edited the parts of our dialogue as necessary.
It took a little more time since we both have families and couldn't devote undivided attention to the interview, but I was very happy with the results.
I do this through read.ai that does the reanscriptions and audio notes.
✏️ my question is: is the substack strategy to attract more authors / ‘blog style’ writers and for that to be the future of the platform? My substack is a curation of news about women’s healthtech and I see limited news type substacks and so the benefits to the network effect I worry are going to be more limited! Thanks
I have a hybrid newsletter, part curation, and part original content. I think sharing news is definitely something worth sharing; several top accounts are doing this. However, original content will often be the thing that pulls people into your publication because they get a sense of your voice.
Yes absolutely, I tend to do an original piece to start and then the rest is curation but also with my thoughts on each link to add context/ commentary. That seems to be working well and I enjoy writing it too
My two cents is there’s room for it all and if you stick to your lane and do it well then it’s going to do just fine here. 💙🦋 I write nonfiction and at first I wondered if I belonged here among so many fiction writers. For what it’s worth.
Thank you Kathryn, that does make sense and I do hope as substack grows the author mix diversifies as much as possible so there’s something for everyone!
I think one of the things that helps is that the idea is for you to build your own subscriber list that's uniquely yours so while you can search the network for people who respond to the writing, you can also easily bring in readers from all of your other facets of online and offline life. Then once they're here, they might poke around and find others they like. And others' readers may find you.
That makes sense. I’m building my profiles on LinkedIn and Instagram to attract subscribers too. It was just one of the things that attracted me to substack is the network effect within here. A similar newsletter to mine has just moved across to beehiv which offers similar and I’m just wondering if that’s because there’s more non-fiction / greater opportunity for growth over there. I think it’s probably the case that quality is more important than platform, but it’s just something I was thinking through
Totally makes sense. Not familiar with beehiv so it'll be interesting to see how that develops. I do think that there's a great network here and I love connecting with the people here ... but ultimately everyone whose writing here is also looking for paying readers so there seems to be a cap on how many more they're willing to pay for regardless of topic.
I've wondered the same thing. But now I feel there is probably a fine line between fiction writing and non-fiction as a lot of similar skills are needed in the development and delivery of your written works, especially if narrative or a captivating message or story is involved. It seems today that many people struggle with the separation of personal fictions from the consensus reality others have of the world.
I've been doing a lot of research browsing through health Substacks (and some other topics) and I've found that the most engaging, non-boring news susbtacks are precisely well curated content that keeps me engaged. I've been even surprised how some of them in topics such as politics or epidemiology (which can be quite heavy and dull) have been truly fascinating reads thanks to the art of curation. If that's your thing, I'd say trust your instincts and go for it!
New subscriber here! Super interested to see what you share. Cheers! 🙌🏼
Thank you Mariana!
That’s so true! The right writer can make anything engaging. I think I’m doing pretty well as have consistently high open rates (70%+) it’s just my impatience to grow faster haha!
Exactly what you just said! And 70% sounds fantastic for sure. Keep going and above all, enjoying it!
I talk about this in stage 4 of my no-opt in, free 45,000 word guide. https://authorstack.substack.com/p/substackgrowth
Thank you, just glanced at it and emailed myself the link. I think it will be very helpful!
Thank you, will take a look!
Another thing to consider is the growth rate of Substack. It is still bringing in writers and readers at a rapid rate so the more we polish and improve our Substacks for reader engagement and interact with the community, the more likely we are to grow with the inflow.
Definitely Joyce , I’m hearing more and more interest in substack which can only be a good thing
🧠 Did you know you can change the phrase “No thanks” on the subscribe home page to something more interesting or positive? I changed mine to “Lets take a look first”. Just seems to offer the possibility of more subscribers.
🟧 I read this in Hamish’s piece today and thought it was interesting: “exceptional writing, considered argument, and robust debate—the key factors, as we have learned in six years here, that drive subscriptions.”
Exceptional writing I totally get as a subscription driver. Do you have data to suggest arguments and debating increase subscriptions? What do those kinds of posts / newsletters look like? Thanks!
Been reflecting on Hamish's piece as well, the same quote in fact. Coupled it with the idea here in Silicon Valley that "Innovation + distribution = diffusion / adoption". In other words, innovation (exceptional writing) is not enough on its own (although the creator / inventor has personal / professional satisfaction / intrinsic motivation). Distribution has to be part of the equation for the magic to happen.
Just a caveat: I believe the definition of "exceptional writing" has to have the reader in mind. It's the old creativity vs innovation question. Creativity =s new. Innovation =s new and useful.
I guess that's why we're here 😅
Creating community, connection, and conversation on LinkedIin has been a huge driver of new subscribers to my Substacks.
Yeah, that sounds very... blue bird to me, quite frankly. The louder you're shouting, the more people are subscribing to keep up with the fight. Is that the same as exceptional writing though? I'd like to see examples too.
argument and debate aren't exactly my reasons for reading or writing. Incendiary posts/newsletters stir the pot for some, making wild claims that then are refuted by comments etc. are quick hits. Am I in the wrong game at the wrong playground? this could get rough
Gonna ask, do you promote your paid only content? Or just the free content?
I’ve historically only promoted my free stuff on social media because it’s more likely to get people to sign up for free.
But I am going to have some exclusive content coming up and wondered if I should promote it too?
I create teasers, leading people to the paid post and keeping enough of the post visible to free readers to hopefully e
Dave ... I know teasers work ... however, I'm finding, from a reader's point of view, I'm growing very weary of opening a post and reading enough to get interested and then getting cut off. I read a lot of stuff just to see what people are doing, so a lot of it isn't interesting enough or critical enough to become a paid subscriber. (I'm already way over budget in subscriptions.) So I wind up feeling cheated. Even when there's a 7-day free trial which makes me feel guilty if I use it just to read one post. I'm looking for other options.
This is an interesting perspective Joyce, thanks for sharing. I'm always hesitant to send out paywalled posts for exactly this reason. I try not to do more than one a month for exactly this reason.
Valorie ... I think it's a dance of value creation. Every post is a connection with a reader, possibly building a relationship, possibly ending it. I believe writing is important and making a living as a writer is a worthwhile endeavor. My life has been changed by some writings I've been touched by here on Substack. Most were probably free and prompted me to subscribe after the fact.
The complications of this dance are part of what keeps me here trying to figure it all out. ;-)
Thanks for this perspective, Joyce. Yes, it's so tricky - and if it's just a total rug-pull with nothing else ("Hi everyone! Welcome back. So, here are my best tips for living a great life [PAYWALL BREAK]...) is pretty exhausting to encounter, and I think it's just not effective either. It seems very hard on here to annoy people into wanting to support your work - they just go elsewhere. But if you can make them truly WANT to read more while not feeling disrespected in getting less access than other people, that's the engagement sweet-spot. In my case, that process of getting them hooked usually requires me to give a lot of stuff away for free, including above paywall breaks in posts.
I get that other people are doing things differently, and that's a sure sign that there are *so* many ways to tackle this issue, so many different spins - so we have to test everything ourselves to see what works for us and not just adopt advice wholesale from other people. But in my case, what really seems to work in a paywalled post is as much about what's *above* the paywall than below it.
You could always go the "first hit is free" route, giving a free post away once in a while and letting the rest stay behind the paywall.
What I'm about to start doing for my publication is sharing some deep-dive content for free and then sharing a more personalized version for my private podcast, where it's a bit looser, and I can expand on ideas more.
Dave, I've been doing battle with this issue for months ... a new idea is forming and it relates to your idea of having something other than posts to paywall. Always appreciate your wisdom.
How much do you tease? I have debated where to put the paywall in my content. Currently for my exclusive content, it’s after the first line. However for my early access content, I give people a few hundred words.
Depends on the post. If it's text-heavy, I'll give a good portion of the post but keep the more actionable information behind the wall. Pretty much the same with podcasts.
I like your approach ... it's honest. It isn't leading the reader on to the cliff hanger in hopes they will be seduced into paying. There's a lot of subtlety in all of this and my view is that a paid subscriber who winds up feeling hoodwinked or dissatisfied is the worst possible outcome.
I promote my paid content because I think it's some of my best stuff (I host "Ask an Editor" where writers can talk to a developmental editor). But when I do promote or nudge folks to give my paid stuff a try, I include some anecdotal information about process, writing or musings so there's some value just for stopping by. And I make sure it's clear that it's for paid readers so there's no chance of a "gotcha" feeling.
Amanda, what do you mean when you say you promote your paid content?
When you say you promote your paid content Amanda how do you do that? This may require an answer too long for Notes, maybe you need to write an article about it😊
I second-guessed the use of the word "promote" in this sentence because it felt very fancy to me. And I was right! ;)
I just mean that I share about it in Notes and in comments sections where it makes sense (and sometimes on LinkedIn). Lately, I've been VERY pumped about Ask an Editor where everyone shares a first paragraph from their next essay and I workshop it with them together, so I've been pretty chatty about it everywhere I go.
If I step back and try to be helpful in this thread, I do think there's maybe some benefit to the fact that Ask an Editor is a standalone, recurring paywalled feature. It's not something that I have to re-explain or re-pitch to all my readers every single time it happens. There is also a growing archive of examples for people to see, which I think gives folks an easier "yes" or "no" to signing up.
FWIW, I tried paywalling some of my writing at the very beginning of my Substack journey, and I quickly realized that paywalling writing for a writer no one has ever heard of is not a winning recipe. Building trust takes so much time, and I'd rather readers be able to access ALL of it and then slowly triage down to a paywalled experience over time.
Amanda ... thank you for such a detailed and important comment. It needs to be restacked ... and your Ask an Editor is a perfect example of value creation that deserves to be paywalled. It is individual feedback which is very difficult to find in the writing world. Congrats.
Thank you so much for this detailed response❤
I have tried some of that but it doesn’t seem to work. At least for me anyway.
It takes a lot of experimentation to figure out what works for you.
Usually I only promote free. I make sure it's as good as my paid stuff or better. I also make everything free for the first three weeks. I used to promote paid content, but the free trials I offered almost never paid off.
Do you find that the 3 weeks free actually helps? Like having an only paid archive makes people want to become a paid subscriber?
I have a mostly free archive and I am posting the oldest stuff elsewhere to try and drive traffic. But I have thought about making my previous years of content paid.
It's been great for me. It allows me to get people to share it and read it, but it allows my back catalog and archive to build.
When you say "promote" what do you mean specifically?
Well generally speaking I mean share it on social media. Like Facebook, Twitter, etc. Occasionally, I will post paid content on Notes.
I think there are two main avenues ... social media as you mention and Substack internal such as Notes ... and Office Hours which is amazingly rich for making friends and gaining subscribers.
I promote that paywalled post if there's also something there for free readers - something of value in itself.
The great thing about the paywall break is that you can put a lot of stuff before it and give free readers - and readers finding that post via the Web or via your Archives - something that's properly worth their reading time, even if they don't go on to upgrade. I try to do that these days when I add a paywall break. As Joyce says below, it's so easy to burn readers out with nothing but a teaser, and to me, it can feel disrespectful super-quick if you do it a few times in a row. But I *do* want to tease my paid stuff a bit, because it does convert, and I do believe in what I'm putting out there...
So I try to write posts with paywall breaks as having two identities that can stand apart from each other: above the break for the free readers, and below the break for the paid. The best I've done of these got a level of engagement (Likes, clicks etc.) comparable to the best of my free stuff - which is absolutely what I'd want to aim for!
✏️ For fellow writers publishing creative prompts/ inspiration work: How have you engaged your readers to use the chat or notes features?
While I get many personal emails and DMs from folks sharing their prompt responses with me, most of my audience hasn’t converted to the app & doesn’t use these features but I long for this communal energy.
I love the magic that happens in the collective creative setting of a workshop, for example, but see slow adoption of community tools here.
I engage in a lot of notes conversations and then I round them up into a digest every week to showcase them and elaborate on them and turn it into more of a conversation which I think has helped because then the people reading in email see what's happening in Notes.
Here's an example of what that looks like: https://createmefree.substack.com/p/things-i-said-in-substack-notes-this-048
Oh! Kathryn, thank you for this advice-- that’s a great way to pull these threads together. (Love the work you’re doing here!)
🟧 ✏️ - Posting this for any who might have a clue, but maybe it's a systems thing.
Is there any way to direct subscribers to a page where they can write a testimonial? I know readers will get this prompt from Substack at some point, but I've been scouring the settings and pages and cannot find a way to link to it for people who want to write something about my publication.
I don't believe this exists now, but you could hack it quite easily I think using a thread post (https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/360037462672-How-do-I-start-a-discussion-thread-) that asks readers for testimonials, which you could link them to ongoing.
Thank you.
Ohhh, I love that idea. I request them on LinkedIn and have about six.
✏️ when is a good time/milestone to go paid? Should you build up some # of readers first?
There are different schools of thought on this. Some people say get quite a few subscribers first and then launch paid. Some say go straight away as you've nothing to lose by having a paid option. I've been on here for 6 months turned on paid at about 100 subscribers, on a whim really. Also I don't offer anything extra to paid - I see it as a tip jar if they want to support me in that way.
Thank you for the reply! How do you think it went at 100 subscribers? How often do you post and how much time goes into each one?
I think it went OK. I've got just over 200 subs now and 2.5% paid. Bearing in mind I dont offer anything extra I'm pleased.
I think you should set up pledges immediately. I talk about this in Stage 3 of my 45,000 word free guide. https://authorstack.substack.com/p/substackgrowth
I turned on paid after 6 months. Mostly because I realized I will often pay for subscriptions to writers that are new and are offering something interesting to me. So I want to support them. Then I figured I should make the same offer available for myself. I don’t offer anything distinct for paid yet, but I may in future.
I’m not a huge fan of paywall’s.
🧠 One suggestion for promoting your Substack I haven't seen anyone else mention is to share it on Post (post.news) a social media site that allows longform posts, includes a tip option under all posts automatically (and also allows you to paywall content). My Substack now automatically gets shared on Post via the RSS feed. Post reached out to me to encourage that and explain how to do it; I'm not tech-savvy enough to explain it to anyone else.
Also, if you do have your own website in addition to writing here, or a digital product you sell on Gumroad or another platform, or anything else related to your Substack content, you can add tabs to the top of your Substack page that redirect to those other sites! See mine (wendigordon.substack.com) for examples.
Hey Wendi, thanks. I didn't know you could do that (the tabs with a link). Going to check it out.
Also, going to check out post.news
Glad you found the info helpful. I like Post much better than any other social media platform. It’s far more civil and has some substantive content along with pet and nature photos.
🟧 If we'd like to send out "re-runs" of old posts, is there a way to do that without duplicating them and publishing as new posts (and creating two of the same post in our feed)?
Hi Kamil- I don't know if that article applies. I want to send out a previously published post to all subscribers as a throwback/re-run (original subscribers will have seen it before, but it will be new for anyone who has subscribed since the original posting). I don't want to duplicate the post into a new draft and publish because that would create two of the same post in my feed. I hope that clarifies my question...
It would also be nice to re-send posts to those subscribers that didn’t open it the first time. 🤔
I see! Thank you.
🟧 — Is there a button or some sort of link to get writers to leave a little blurb about my substack? I'd like to include this in my substack pieces as a way to encourage others to leave reviews of my work for my welcome page.
Right now, I believe only other Substack writers can leave a blurb about your newsletter. I believe readers are limited to making comments on individual posts.
I think this suggestion is really important. Substack writers make up a small minority of anyone's reader base. It's way more helpful to know why readers are subscribing than to know why other writers are subscribing.
There was a lengthy discussion about this topic earlier this summer: https://on.substack.com/p/office-hours-82/comment/18529622
Thanks for sharing the link Eric, much appreciated. Good to know there are other writers who are interested in this! I have people tell me they enjoy my writing but they have no way of leaving a review or blurb and I have no way of sending them a link to do so!
Thanks, Eric for including the past link about this important topic.
Couple of questions:
🟧 - What's the difference between followers and subscribers?
🟧 - Is there a way to delete inbox (other than archiving it?)
🟧 ✏️- I think it's important to have a distinction in notifications: some of my subscriptions aren't 'so important' that I want to receive an app notification for them on my app every time, but other writers I want to. Is there a way to remain subscribed without being notified? I just want to see them on my inbox.. that's enough.. anyone agrees/anyone hacked this?
Also: ✏️ - What's the song playing in your ears now?
Skip this Part by Kelly Clarkson is currently in my ears.
Been ages since I heard anything from her. You didn’t ask but here’s mine: https://spotify.link/2Y8WyrvN5Cb (also: Can we agree on the majestic album cover?)
I am loving her new album chemistry.
unfortunately no. It's only a global setting.
Thank you Kamil. 🌷
The editorial strategy series was fire! Thank you for creating these awesome resources to support writers!
So glad you enjoyed it <3 Thanks for the kind words.
🟧 How can my Substack, Field of View, which is about photography, appear in Search when searching “photography”?
As far as I can tell, Substack Search is based on Title, profile and brief description.
Do you mean literally change the title of my substack (Field of View) or is there somewhere to add a "tag"? Thanks!
Patrick ... you can tweak your title to add a searchable word ... for instance to your title of "Field of View" you could make it "Field of View Photography" ... no need to change url, just change title in Settings (Dashboard). Best ... j
I like to think of myself as tech- and social media-saavy, and have been lurking for two years since I set up my account, reading email pointers and testimonials along the way. Well, I finally retired a few days ago, and was excited to fire up my Substack account from dormancy.
However, the only way I could find to put any text into a post was via a counter-intuitive "writers dashboard", where it took me 10 minutes to determine the only way I could upload text was via "poetry notes", and that the only images one could upload weren't jpegs. I have no clue what the difference between "Notes" and "Posts" is, and I have to say it's really been a baffling ordeal so far.
Perhaps some sort of beginner's flowchart would help?
I just shared this feedback with the team. Thanks Gunnar.
Thank you very much. You have just proven that Substack is, in fact, very user-focused ... unlike a lot of social media companies who hide behind generally unhelpful FAQ pages.
I think I almost have it sussed out https://substack.com/@gunnarmiller .
I feel you. I’m new and it’s taking me sometime to grasp all the parts of the experience we can create here. For example, my first real post I think was like my “about” page and welcome email. I guess I need to do another version so it lives there and is ready when they subscribe. I also see value in updating it often.
You know, that's another odd thing ... I went to edit the above, and (after hunting for which set of dots went with which comment) and there's no edit function visible. I'm surprised this user interface hasn't had a lot more QA testing and subsequent refinement. Addendum: I eventually found it, but it took a while.
Gunnar ... I haven't gotten around to creating a "map" ... but the whole Substack Field Guide is designed to help newer Substack Writers know what to do first and why to do some of the almost overwhelming possibilities of getting started. You might find it helpful ... and it's free. https://gratitudemojo.substack.com/p/substack-field-guide-and-a-simple
I think I almost have it sussed out https://substack.com/@gunnarmiller .
Looks like you've got it down! Enjoy the ride.
I have an entry in my AppleID list my 85-year-old mother-in-law's iPad where she somehow managed to name her iPad a whole paragraph of random German text!
Ty! I will dig into it!
Notes are like Tweets, simple ideas only published to the Notes feed.
Posts are what go wide to subscribers.
When I write offline, I simply copy/paste what I write directly into a new post, and yes, the Writer's Dashboard is the place to start any new post.
I think I almost have it sussed out https://substack.com/@gunnarmiller .
... and oddly, I just had to press a button that said "post" rather than "reply" or "comment". The nomenclature is really all over the place.
Thanks, that helps visualize things. That said, there might be a bit of a catch-22 in that it appears as though one can't easily write posts without any followers (for instance, no conspicuous "post" button anywhere), but can't garner any followers without any posts. Perhaps I'm not thinking of this correctly ... should I more properly view SubStack as a MailChimp-style listserver with social media cross-posting bolted on?
It's a newsletter + blogging platform. You can write as much as you like by clicking "New Post" in your dashboard.
Gaining followers/subscribers is a whole other story. If you have a preexisting following, direct it to your newsletter. If you don't, try to leverage social media and network with other writers here.
We do need a map. After a few bunglings around it becomes second nature. a debungling map would be great.
🟧 Hi! So, there seems to be either a strange "bug" in the new subscriber system or perhaps something particular to me: Frequently when someone subscribes, they send a note as to why. But it's not clickable for me; there's nowhere I can go to respond and thank them. (Or at least, I've looked everywhere.) Is this something Substack can do? It'd be great to acknowledge the note, but I can't figure out how to do so without going and getting their email under "subscribers," and that seems not quite helpful. Thanks in advance!
Someone asked this before, and the answer was that you had to email them directly (just 'reply' to the subscription notification), which is what I do, but some writers don't want to have their email address shared with readers.
Exactly- I'm one of them. Thanks for the info.
I believe you would have to email them directly.
🧠—Just a friendly reminder for all my fellow northerners, because winter is coming, don't forget not to eat yellow snow.
Old but gold!
😂😂😂 I'm Canadian and that is my number one tip when anyone asks me for tips 😁😁
Some cliches hold their humor.
🟧 I am seeing if its possible to see the average demographics of your readers, specifically if its 40 and over given the proliferation of video and audio among the younger generation. This is just for my own peace of mind as I am trying to understand who the readers are these days.
This would be helpful, but unfortunately, it is not possible since the only info you really have is their email address.
You could always create a poll in a post.
Dave ... I've noticed that you have strung polls together in a very engaging way. Does that work? (assume it does) ... what's the biggest benefit of doing that?
I don't believe we have age data about readers...!
Couldn’t we start by sharing our ages here in this forum? HA-kidding! 😛
🧠 Be active on Notes. I have had such a boost in the rate of subscriptions since I started getting on Notes. I get great engagement (and higher subscriptions) from asking open-ended questions. I think the best response I got was from asking "What's your favorite type or brand of tea?"
Plus it's a fun way to meet interesting people!
🟧 Will you please host another thread where writers "meet & greet" to promote each other?
I saw this several weeks ago. I had just launched and felt too nervous to jump in. I'm ready now.
Hey Flesche it's been awhile since we've done a Shoutout Thread! We'll do one again on the first Thursday in October. Always feel free to jump over to Notes and introduce yourself. Tag @Substack writers and tell us more about the writers you want to meet so we can see it.
thanks Katie. I took your advice and posted the note today. Thanks for responding and helping me to get found.
I'd be very interested in this too
✏️🟧 - Aside from these weekly chats, are there any other communities where Substack writers gather to ask these kinds of questions, give advice, etc.? A Slack or Discord community to discuss things—without responses getting lost in a sea of 100s of unsearchable responses—could be valuable.
There IS a Discord for Substack writers! I think it is searchable....but in case it isn't, here,
https://discord.gg/aeREZcJx
Carolyn!! Thank you!!!!
You're welcome.
Following!
My publication focuses heavily on photography. Is there a chance of developing more freedom for placing pictures within a post? Perhaps with text to the left or right of a photo? Also, the photo grids contstrain pictures to a square aspect ratio. Could there be a way to allow multiple photos of different sizes to be included together? Thanks for all that you do!
🟧 I'm trying do do this at work from my phone and realize I didn't add the orange square to my original comment. Apparently I cannot edit that comment, so here it is! 😁
You guys rock!
✏️ If you're determined (and inspired by the Editorial strategy series) to create a structure and a process that supports consistency in your publishing and your writing...what's stopping you? If a genie could magically give you the perfect system, what would it allow you to do?
I'm creating a Notion system for myself (scattered ideas and decision overwhelm are my current roadblocks). I'd like to turn it into a template specifically designed for Substackers and I want it to feel like that- supportive magic!
Once upon a time, I used ClickUp to help me organize things. Each post was a task, with a "due date" and a "publish date" and subtasks that put time on my calendar to write, edit, and record. It was useful for a while, but I've been so overwhelmed with deadlines lately I haven't been using it.
Oh I've never used ClickUp, but my original Notion worked (and broke down) in a similar way! Phase 2 of this next Notion is integrating all my processes and workflows– writing and work-for-hire– in one, simple place so it's actually useful!
I love the metaphor that every post is like a "mini-date" and I used the 5-step Reader Engagement Process to make a plan for each "date." All covered in this post: https://gratitudemojo.substack.com/p/what-if-we-planned-every-post-as
I love the intentionality and structure of this Joyce! And thinking of it as a "mini date" helps to orient around the reader's experience, which is so lovely (and key)
Thanks, Tami ... I agree on intentionality. I think most of us want to write posts that are useful and engaging for readers but I recognized that too often I was drifting into my stories that might be interesting but not useful. I like the idea that I've designed a structure that I can let my creativity play in.
✏️ Hi! Curious how collaboration with fellow Substack writers has worked for you. Do you guest post something original on each other's Substack? Or agree to cross-post? Co-author a piece?
If you've tried multiple collaboration strategies, which has worked best? TIA
I took my book on a virtual tour here on Substack so for that I did several things ... I wrote guest posts that they published on their pages, answered interview questions, sent them chapters for review, etc.
In exchange, sometimes they were just part of the tour which I was promoting and they got links in from other people on the tour. But sometimes I also interviewed them and shared that on my page. And sometimes I wrote a related article and linked back to the guest post on their site. And I cross-posted as well.
Nothing honestly seemed to work better than anything else. Everything got a mostly positive response.
Yup Kathryn. Collaborating with you has been amazing.
https://greatbooksgreatminds.substack.com/p/researching-the-artist-mind-in-five
Thank you. I was thrilled when you wanted to be part of it.
What a cool idea. Congrats on the book & book tour!
Fantastic. Thanks for the explanation, and congrats on the book!
I have loved every collaboration. I mostly do interviews and such on other people's substacks and then recommend in my weekly digest.
Sounds perfect, thanks Russell.
🟧 I’d love to be able to support more authors through micro-subscriptions (10 cents to $1 per month). I wrote up one way this could work on my Substack, and I’m wondering if an option like this has been considered or is under consideration by the Substack team.
Penny Subscriptions: https://krissyferris.substack.com/p/penny-subscriptions-for-substack
Hi there! We've avoided micro-subscriptions so far because the economics don't work out very well for the writer. We want to help writers make full-time livings, or close, and such small payments make it very hard for that to be possible. But we've been dreaming up some ideas here that might help, and know there's a desire for this!
Thanks so much for the reply Bailey! As Eric pointed out, it’s not “easy,” but as Substack grows I’m glad it’s a consideration. I would definitely not want micro-subscriptions to *replace* existing subscriptions -- instead, this would be in addition to existing options, probably without any perks. Pushing primarily on a higher, paid subscription tier first makes sense, but having alternatives would allow the benefits of generating revenue on Substack to spread (albeit in a smaller way) to a broader group of writers, not just those who with readers who have plenty of disposable income.
This is definitely an interesting idea. There's one *really* important thing to understand about why Substack probably isn't rushing into a system like this. Right now, Substack doesn't hold any funds on behalf of its users. Every transaction is a purchase, whether it's for a monthly subscription, or an annual subscription.
As soon as Substack starts collecting funds that will be disbursed at a later time, their financial obligations become much more complicated. They've now got to track how much they're holding from every user, deal with unused funds, and deal with a host of different regulations. In some jurisdictions, businesses that implement this kind of model start being treated similarly to a bank.
The idea is simple, but building this kind of system is way more complicated than many people realize.
Yeah, that's definitely the blocker. The current route -- having Stripe handle everything -- is definitely the simplest, operationally. However, as Substack grows and becomes a bigger platform, they'll have to develop more resilient and complicated financial systems. Since the complexity will happen anyway (or at least, that's what tends to happen as businesses scale), I'd love to see something along these lines on the roadmap.
This is a great idea and opens up a new paid audience
🧠 If you'd like to see an example of how Substack Recommendations helped to boost my subscribers list (tremendously!), please check out this week's newsletter: https://howaboutthis.substack.com/p/dunbars-numbers-substack-recommendations
Thanks ... will check this out after Office Hours
✏️ What are some ways to reach out to writers that you enjoy reading and would like to interview?
Sometimes I comment directly on a post I'm loving or a Note and ask if they'd be open to an interview. Sometimes I find their contact information and craft a more detailed email. It kind of depends on their vibe if I think they'd prefer more casual or more formal. Either way, I let them know my niche and why I'm loving what they do.
Thanks so much for response, Kathryn. I like that approach.
We wrote a guide a while back to writing a cold email that might be worth a read! https://on.substack.com/i/39924671/build-your-support-network
Thanks, Bailey! I'll check it out.
I like just getting an email, so that's what I do. I almost always say yes and almost nobody does it.
I appreciate your answer, Russell. That's a good insight.
I'm one of your subscribers and I appreciate the thought and effort that goes into your posts.
Thanks so much for reading :)
🟧 If possible, I'd like a bit more info on where subscribers are coming from and I wonder if there is a list somewhere that defines some of the locations such as "other Substack Network" or "/Com"
You can add Google Analytics to your settings and that should help you better understand where people are coming from (if you can figure out Google Analytics — I get lost there).
Oh, and you can add a Facebook pixel too, which will give you data within FB's business tools.
This might be helpful if you haven't seen it already? https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/5320347155860-A-guide-to-Substack-metrics
Hi Rick, "Other Substack Network" includes features that connect publications and users together like recommendations. On the Network chart, you can hover over each category to see definitions of each one.
Yes please! I’m so confused on what the locations are!
🟧 I would like to launch my paid subscription but holding back until I can confirm my question. I don't want any gotch's which I have had in the past. 1) The paid subscription I am creating is mainly done with the podcast. When I create a podcast post will it only be seen in any way by a paid subscriber. I dont want the free subscriber seeing a bunch of content not targeted for them. the forem say they will not see it but I want to be sure. thanks so much.
I think as long as you tick “paid subscribers only” in the settings no one else should get the post.
This! and also, you can add a free preview version of your audio if you want to tease it to free subs.
thank you Linn!!
You could test it by subscribing to you Substack with another email and testing what happens as a free subscriber.
You can tick a box so that the email is only sent out to paid subscribers and that there is no free preview. I don’t know if you can hide the post from your main feed though
Thank you Cole. I think that is what I want to figure out. I am fairly new at this. Not sure what you mean by my main feed. This would be something going out daily and those subscribers don't want to see it. I will look into it further.
🟧 - I've noticed on my dashboard that my number of new subscribers in the past 30 days is always 2-3 lower than what I have in my subscriber list. Why is this?
Hi Karen, looking at your numbers everything seems correct. It's possible you're just catching everything at the right time when some of our data systems are syncing but we'll monitor to see if anything looks off.
I think there's a delay in them coming through the page. Sometimes if you refresh the page they pop in, but otherwise its sometimes 24 hours before new subs appear after the email.
But for the number I have currently displayed, I hit that number 10 days ago. So that's more than just a little delay.
Yes, I agree. I have no answer, I'm afraid.
Analytics might be delayed.
I’ve noticed the publication dashboard had a lag of a few days in other metrics, like open rate. Perhaps this is deliberate
See that too
🟧 I'd like to send out my first podcast issue with a free preview. When I send myself test emails, the button that shows up for free subscribers says "This episode is for paid subscribers." But in the support docs, the screenshot you've got there suggests the button will say "Listen to Preview".
Was wondering which it is? Thanks.
Hi Ali, have you uploaded a separate file for the free preview?
Have you switched the settings (bottom left in the post) from Paid to Free before previewing?
You could also upload the same audio file to the "Add Free Version."
In the bottom right, under Settings, I only see:
This episode is for...
Everyone
Paid subscribers
Free subscribers only
And under Send free preview, Free subscribers is ticked.
If I click Continue, as though I'm about to publish the post, the button in the bottom right does say "Send episode and free previews now".
🧠 sometimes you might not want to email a post out for fear of inundating your subscribers and yet you would still like to share it on Notes or Social Media.
In this situation you can opt not to send the email and just post to your Substack.
I did this recently with my Substack Posting Checklist:
https://open.substack.com/pub/neverstoplearning1/p/publishing-checklist?r=1nyz10&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
🧠 For those of you with websites, and where the website has a contact form, I recommend modifying the form so that after a visitor submits a message through it, have it display a confirmation page with a suggestion that they subscribe to your stack. You can display the Substack embed code below the suggestion. Visitors who contact you are more likely to subscribe than those who don't contact you.
🧠 this week I took the leap and migrated my podcast to Substack from Podbean! I was nervous about what would happen exactly 😅 but very good results. Already love drafting post-with-podcast and the transcript feature. So much easier when you schedule way ahead like I do. If you are playing with this, I’d love to connect :)
🎙️
🟧 also I’m curious if Substack plans to allow formatting in the transcript editing? It’s working amazingly, so impressive. It would just be nice to bold a few things or do paragraphs. But maybe this is coming after Beta anyway? Thanks a lot for doing that. Really didn’t want to not for yet another online tool!
🟧 I love the transcript set up - so fast! mostly accurate. But when I went in to do a little tweaking of punctuation, caps for sentence starts, the sync with the audio was lost. So I left it as is, and tried a work around of making a pdf then editing that so I'd have a readable transcript to use as a post. Is there another way?
*didn’t want to pay for
And also - limited format on transcripts has benefits. Less time! So I’m not sure I want what I’m asking for! Other opinions welcome.
I am glad bringing your podcast over was seamless. These are all great ideas that I passed along to the team!
🟧 I have no idea how to deal with these Thursday events. Hundreds of posts. I get depressed being on these things. What is a strategy?
Before you start, change the default ordering (at the top of the thread) from "Top First" to "New First." I've found this to be very helpful for keeping track of things. You can always go back to the top and click "X new replies" to make the new ones appear.
With "Top First", things are forever jumping around as comments are automatically reordered.
Plus, as Heather mentions, collapse comments to keep things manageable.
I wrote an Office Hours survival guide a while back that's still pretty useful for these longer all-in-one threads:
https://mostlypython.substack.com/p/using-substack
Hi Suzanne. It can be confusing - you are not alone!
To help you sort, you can click on the thin, vertical pencil line on the left side of the page. This reduces the comments so you only see the ones where a new conversation was started.
What thin veretical line? I don't see any.
I'm looking at your profile picture right now. Directly underneath it there's a very light color, gray vertical line. If you click on that, it will collapse the comments underneath. I'm using a laptop. If you hover over the line it turns darker gray.
Hey everyone! Happy writing. I just wanted to share that I had some success publishing a new fiction series via the Substack podcast feature. This is actually the first time I've published fiction at all on my Substack. I liked that I could include the podcast audio file but also the transcript below it.
Had a lot of fun making it. I'm calling the series "Untold New York," and my first episode, "Night-Spike: The Mystery Masked Hero of 1930s New York," is pinned to the top of my 'stack.
very cool Rian! I also write fiction, and actually am just returning from a trip to NY, so I will be sure to check it out!
Oh awesome - I am checking out Adventure Story now! Hope you had a great NY trip!!
thanks Rian!