Hey S.Pam, it sounds like what you are looking for is a place in the article where a visitor who is not subscribed has to subscribe to keep reading. While we don't have that today, we do automatically show a pop up to subscribe if someone makes it part way through and is not signed in/subscribed, they will be prompted to do so.
But, I see where this could be helpful so I am sharing with the team.
Hey S.Pam, it sounds like what you are looking for is a place in the article where a visitor who is not subscribed has to subscribe to keep reading. While we don't have that today, we do automatically show a pop up to subscribe if someone makes it part way through and is not signed in/subscribed, they will be prompted to do so.
But, I see where this could be helpful so I am sharing with the team.
Just replying to add more voices to this one! I think this would be really impactful.
I've had tons of traffic from LinkedIn (teasing my newsletter or copy-pasting the hook there, then linking out to substack). And I've done my best to "give more" to my free subscribers in an effort to drive those linkedin folks to subscribe (ex. only cross-post on linkedin a few weeks after the original email)... but with mixed results. I've had many friends/colleagues quote my newsletter or text me a follow-up question, but they aren't subscribing... just reading.
I understand there might be trade-offs here -- allowing free reading can introduce your writing topic/style, gets more exposure for substack the platform, etc. But as a writer, especially early on, seeing the subscriber count go up is a huge motivator, and a sign that you're on the right track. Maybe for more established writers above Y threshold this matters less... but adding this feature might reduce writer churn and add more content/strength to the platform over time.
Technically, could track free reads of a specific newsletter (ex. Writes Moments with S.Pam), then add a wall halfway through the 4th read. Above Y subscribers, the wall goes away...
Hey S.Pam, it sounds like what you are looking for is a place in the article where a visitor who is not subscribed has to subscribe to keep reading. While we don't have that today, we do automatically show a pop up to subscribe if someone makes it part way through and is not signed in/subscribed, they will be prompted to do so.
But, I see where this could be helpful so I am sharing with the team.
Just replying to add more voices to this one! I think this would be really impactful.
I've had tons of traffic from LinkedIn (teasing my newsletter or copy-pasting the hook there, then linking out to substack). And I've done my best to "give more" to my free subscribers in an effort to drive those linkedin folks to subscribe (ex. only cross-post on linkedin a few weeks after the original email)... but with mixed results. I've had many friends/colleagues quote my newsletter or text me a follow-up question, but they aren't subscribing... just reading.
I understand there might be trade-offs here -- allowing free reading can introduce your writing topic/style, gets more exposure for substack the platform, etc. But as a writer, especially early on, seeing the subscriber count go up is a huge motivator, and a sign that you're on the right track. Maybe for more established writers above Y threshold this matters less... but adding this feature might reduce writer churn and add more content/strength to the platform over time.
Technically, could track free reads of a specific newsletter (ex. Writes Moments with S.Pam), then add a wall halfway through the 4th read. Above Y subscribers, the wall goes away...