I left Twitter when Elon took over so I’ve never used it to promote my Substack, however it is steadily growing. I know I am more of a visual account than most of the writers here, but something to consider is adding an image to your Substack post and then pinning it to Pinterest, because Pinterest is one of my top traffic drivers to Substack. I do have a large following on Pinterest, but if you hashtag your pins appropriately, it will then be easily searchable and could help your growth. Just a thought to get around these rotten bastards. 😜
It's loaded with "trans" and Medium won't stop recommending enraged articles by "trans" writers.
But the software ones are the worst. I used to make $1500 a month on Medium writing about software development. Now? Some six-week-wonder in Bangalaore with a few months of experience and a mustache advises developers with 20 years of experience on how to become senior programmers: learn to "think outside the box."
Medium not only publishes it, they send a link in email as *recommended reading*. "Think outside the box."
Other than that, I don't tihnk the Indians (nor the Pakistani) or the trans people are the problem on Medium. The fact that each writer is competing for the same pot of dollars, is. The one who gets the most attention wins at the cost of others. That is very different from how Substack works.
Bangalore is in India, not Pakistan. Bangalore churns out "programmers" who come out of six-week class in some currently fashionable software language and who are then billed out as "senior software engineers."
They ban paying members by the hundreds. Anyone who isn't 100% on board with the "trans" lies gets booted, and no appeal. And the stuff they publish is mostly trash now.
I never scroll or read other people's articles on Medium, I just post and collect the cash. Not that there is much cash, but it takes me 2 minutes and I get enough for a good lunch every month. People do seem to engage with my posts though, maybe more than on here weirdly.
I have not been able to figure out how to make an honest buck out of the ten books I have written . Please give me a clue as to how you can make $1500 a month?
I wrote about software development. A third of that was a monthly $500 award from Medium, they said I was one of their best writers. I would dispute that but I didn't return the money.
One article I wrote about working with an absolutely horrible Indian developer struck a chord and had over 40,000 reads. That paid for my Moog. It's a widely-shared experience, even if I had to put up with shouts of "racism!!" in the comments (I never mentioned his nationality; I didn't need to).
I tried to get back on a few times, but they apparently have an allgorithm to recognize banned members and they are really adamant about protecting the "trans" garbage.
G. Edward Griffin tells that after writing Jekyll's Island he bought 8,000 copies. He and his wife were nervous but book stores requested copies by public demand and word of mouth. Started with 3 copies at a time then cases were requested. Now over a million sold. Not trying to compare your situations. Or maybe it's worth trying out new cover art for a few copies at a time and trial and error. Good luck to you!
I thought I was the only one this happened to on Medium. Weird stuff be popping up as Recommendations for me to read. I even had to unfollow some good pages 'cause I thought that was the issue. Appaz not.
I initially subscribed to Medium for the software articles that you and other published. I totally agree with your assessment of the current state. I stay only because I paid for a year and have a friend who is not yet migrated to Substack. I read almost nothing in my daily digest, which often contains resurrected pieces touting the greatest features of a "new" OS that was released 2 years ago.
Wow your comment really resonates with me. Here's my recent comment on a Medium article complaining about how Medium is dying: https://medium.com/p/fc1a3a516574
well I feel about the right like you feel about the left, but we are eye to eye on agile. TOTAL waste of time. Agile = meetings = interruptions = broken concentration = lousy code
three or four years ago Medium was great. Then the "trans" shit started and they started banning people a thousand at a time.
Never forget one article, the writer had a picture of "her"self flipping off the reader. Rage, one end to the other. Medium will teach anyone to hate "trans."
Yup. The Medium "trans" mania there is insane. I was acutely aware of it even though I never wrote on the subject. But anyone saying a word against it was simply removed. I think their entire staff is a super-Woke cult.
I hate all that too - it is an utter turn off - all about energising divisive and silly 'debate' over issues that were settled a long long time ago, it makes me think of 'Psycho' although Hitchcock dignified it because he had flair, it really is that low grade.
You've cherry-picked a bunch of "warm and fuzzy" articles loaded with supportive buzz, I've heaard of several of those studies and know that they were not based on any science in any way, and much of the actual studies that have been done re falsely presented.
There was one of these in Washington Post a few months ago, with a graphic loaded with Smile People of indeterminate gender and claiming that hormones and surgery had given them lives of joy. Then I read a real analysis by the author of the above (I will try to find it) pointing out that the conclusions from the article were absolutely unwarranted. There was no improvement in depression or suicidal thoughts, and many in the study got worse.
People who write "going forward" and "reaching out" should be taken out behind the chemical shed and shot.
I have never been censored here; there is one troll ib The Distance and Reality's Last Stand I sparred with for a while, he writes psychotic fake biology and nobody says a thing.
i think Substack can do a good job on 'showing folks how to be vigilant' - How to identify BS and block them.
there's so much AI BS out there right now; and even those without any demonstrable intelligence is an expert on AI.
it's an interesting comment you make about 'nobody says a thing' - very important that the platform factors in when sentient beings weigh in. that's how communities are built - that we 'care' for each other.
Same here. I haven't invested/posed heavily here because, even though this platform *seems* not to censor, as evidenced in some of these comments, it appears they might. But putting that aside, any platform that you don't own/control can do any damn thing they want to or with your content at any time. Or, worse, the platform could go belly-up without notice.
I just get nervous having content and subscribers tied to a platform over which I have zero control. Hence, like you, WordPress still--despite its quirks, security vulnerabilities, and tediousness--looks like the best option.
I personally recommend using Shopify. I don’t think all that much of Wordpress. Please don’t ask me to explain myself (slithers back under the skirting board).
Quite a concern. Was on Revue (Twitter newsletter) which shut down last year. Before shutting down, they gave premium time for writers to download their content. It was still messed up situation. So, yeah, I think having your site, as WordPress comes in handy in a situation like that. So you don't lose your subscribers or content.
Hmm. I would have to police my source material as opposed to slapping up images willy - nilly like last time, which brought me trouble & even warnings of possible litigation.
Boy, I have definitely ignored Pinterest as a traffic driver. What a great reminder, especially as I start to add more visual media to Outsourced Optimism. Any resources you offer or recommend for getting a foundational understanding of how to optimize on Pinterest?
It's all about making your pins very searchable. Not just for other Pinners but for the team at Pinterest as well. That way, the team can easily identify what your Pin is about and recommend it to Pinners searching Pinterest for information on your particular topic. I hope it helps!
It's all about making your pins very searchable. Not just for other Pinners but for the team at Pinterest as well. That way, the team can easily identify what your Pin is about and recommend it to Pinners searching Pinterest for information on your particular topic. I hope it helps!
Great idea! Thanks for sharing. I’ve been playing with AI images lately, and have started to share one in each post. Didn’t think of using Pinterest but now I will. 😀
I would be interested in learning more about how you grow your Substack through Pintrest, what do I actually do to make that work? I already follow you on Pintrest so will snoop around a little more. Thanks for this suggestion.
My substack is a little different in that it's less writing and more photographs, so I pin those images to Pinterest which drives traffic back to my Substack. You can read my Pinterest tips in the post I did a while back:
Hi, I’m starting to used Pinterest as well but I’m still a newbie and don’t understand ir completely. I didn’t know you can used hashtags on your pins. Do you add them on the description of the pin?
I too left Twitter, because it is a vicious toxic cesspool of self-serving folks and propaganda. Who benefits from it is not even important. That was 4 years before Mr. Messianic Visions 'Elon Musk' took over. However, all social media turns toxic one way or another, not because who owns it or uses it, but because we live in an age of rising Anger, Repression, Anxiety and Stress. Also social media in it's current form is a type of Surveillance Capitalism. Which exploits our lives, behavior, privacy and bodies into profit eventually. For a very few handful people, all white, all proponents of technology and not any human values (love, community, justice etc)
I am using Pinterest with minimal success. I would be interested in learning more about how to gain readers and use hashtags more effectively 😌 I will search your work there SFGirl
It's all about making your pins very searchable. Not just for other Pinners but for the team at Pinterest as well. That way, the team can easily identify what your Pin is about and recommend it to Pinners searching Pinterest for information on your particular topic. I hope it helps!
This works even with writing about culture, literature, or education? I've never been on Pinterest, because I didn't think of it as an ideas place (maybe my own ignorance showing). And I've thought that the typical Pinterest user would not be my ideal reader. Prove me wrong? :)
Hi Joshua, Oh, absolutely. But to test it, I'd try searching a typical topic you normally write about and see what comes up. Pinterest is all about ideas, and while it can be lots of DIY's or travel, fashion, cars or design inspiration, there are thousands of topics to learn from. I'm a big fan. Hope that helps!
Thanks for taking time to do that. I'll admit that I don't find much in those categories I'm supposed to select from at start-up that I'm actually interested in (funny quotes, not so much). And, perhaps hilariously, what comes up when I search "academia" (my main topic) are photos of weightlifters (?). But "literature" and "culture" seem more on point. I'll give it a shot! Thanks again.
I add images to my Substack content on Twitter but get limited engagement. I may have to restart Pinterest to test out your strategy. I wish you and every writer on here the best in all your endeavors. Cheers! 🍻
Twitter images never worked well for me either. I’ve been writing my blog since 2006 and Twitter was always the lowest traffic driver and Pinterest the best, with Facebook Instagram coming in next. Good luck to you, too!
Wow, thank you for the transparency. I normally never read these, but this makes me feel like Substack cares about their writers and their community. I would love to understand Substack’s SEO’s. I would like to know how I can encourage others to share my articles. Thanks!
I must have been living in an alternate universe, because I didn't know about the meta tag options. I've amended a couple of articles now. Has anyone found they make a difference?
I've had a few random hits come through from Google and (!) Bing since I started playing with these, though I'm sure I'm probably not optimising the wording enough.
People in other countries have paid option, and some use currency other than US dollars on their subscription screen. But you're saying only people with an American bank account can sign up for a Stripe account, is that right?
Same issue in South Africa. You need to have an American bank account to set up your Stripe account.
Perhaps wider coverage will be rolled out sometime soon but alas, this side of the world is often on the back foot when it comes to much needed updates and considerations.
Ah. I thought Stripe must be widely available, and not reliant on US bank accounts. Definitely need to look into that, since it's the only option used by Substack.
Good you've found a small workaround for now, albeit, not your ideal.
I've been on Medium, but became tired & took a break because people talk about writing on it for a side - hustle. That gets old after awhile. Making a few hundred is FINE, but I do writing mostly to share thoughts & ideas, not in the hope that I'll increase my income.
I write to make a name and influence people with my passion for legible and cleanly-structured code. The money was a side benefit, not the reason I wrote.
OTOH, I can see why people on a fixed income would like the extra income, but bragging about it gets like " Johnny One - Note " on a kazoo in an infinite loop.
I blocked a commenter once because his comments seemed to me to be irrelevant and self-promotional drivel. So there is a block feature, unless I've misunderstood you
This is why I'm hoping the Notes feed can start to include more than just subscribers. With low double digit subscribers, I'm posting to Notes but so far only about 2 or 3 people even see them, and I'm only seeing the same content from a few people, so it feels kinda pointless for a very new newby... would be **amazing** if Notes could feature at least some discoverability by subject or area of interest.
I mean... as many as I can possibly read without dampening people's email "opens" by getting overwhelmed. This is where the model still confuses me -- can we subscribe to a person without subscribing to a thousand actual newsletters? (I followed several hundred people and had thousands of followers on Twitter but it seems like this is a different level of commitment to "subscribe", or am I understanding that incorrectly?)
As of two weeks ago, I'm DONE with Twitter. So much time saved--even though I've made efforts not to spend much time there. It was getting downright annoying. Now... more time for Substack!
I quit Twitter about a month ago. That gave me back about an hour of my day I spent doom-scrolling, but it also gave me back all the time I spend marinating in all the crap I consumed on that website. It's been a really productive month since leaving Twitter.
I was talked into joining Twitter several years ago by someone on Youtube whom I can't even remember & my aunt talked me into joining FB about a couple of years back. Now want no part of either. If they crashed & vanished from the Earth, I wouldn't exactly go into mourning.....
I have a reasonable sized following on twitter that gets me attention very occasionally. I use it mainly as a source of information about education and writing
Yes, if you already have that number, I'd be inclined to stay. My numbers have never been particularly significant, and I haven't wanted to put in that type of time.
But once there, stay, and put in only what you absolutely need. What YOU need.
Kinda glad I never bothered with Twitter properly. The whole Musk thing made me realise it was likely going to implode. I feel for those who had heavy investment in it, though.
I dipped a toe into Twitter a time or two but never jumped all the way in. Now, I'm glad. But, I must admit that I'm having a similar response to diving into Notes, which of course means I'll never be discovered (ha!). Glad to have just discovered you, though. :)
Really well said. I've spent a lot of time, effort, and thought building up my twitter platform. When I set up my Substack, I saw it as a symbiotic relationship. It helped me grow my readership here and justified my time investment there. Most important, it's an audience I could take with me. A social media systems flaw I was already well aware of and pointed out in the years prior. The move by Elon was disappointing, but you're right, it can happen anywhere and I appreciate that Substack continue to try and find new ways to grow our audience without the need for other social media platforms. I also appreciate your transparency, stability, and commitment to allowing all different kinds of thoughts to be represented. As someone who is a reader in addition to being a writer, I appreciate that there's no echo chambers here. The readers that come to me have all sorts of points of views, and the content I'm able to read is also as diverse in thought as I'm open to...and I love being able to see the world represented through different lenses. Thank you.
I’m surprised at how good Notes is. I didn’t expect to enjoy it. But it is so refreshing seeing fabulous bakers explain their techniques, expats offering neighborhood restaurant guides in Paris, and farmers showing what real butter looks like. That hot stink of Feed garbage does not exist here. I hope it stays this way!
Unfortunately we cannot always control the reactions of those who dislike what we succeed in creating, but we can always control our ability to take the high ground and continue to do good, positive work to make the world a better place.
I've always prioritised quality (I hope) writing over SEO and always ignore or block the trolls. That's my recipe for a happy and successful writing life, or at least a few of the ingredients 😃
I'm very glad to be here. I only started using Substack with great enthusiasm after I quit Twitter on Halloween of 2022, and it has improved my writing (in my own mind, at least, I may be delusional on that one!) But I've truly had a better time since leaving Twitter and focusing on writing here and on doing a patrons-only podcast over on Patreon. Different sites are better for different things, and Substack is where it's at for newsletters and, in a way, a kind of fellowship among writers that I don't find elsewhere.
To test how strong Substack’s community is, I didn’t mention or share my Substack site and articles on other platforms. In the two weeks on Substack, I got more subscribers than my eight months on Ghost. Those 8 months included spending $200 on Google ads, $200 on Instagram ads, $100 on Facebook ads, joining Facebook writing communities, commenting on Instagram posts, posting on Reddit and Quora, and trying to collaborate with people I found on Ghost’s Explore page. The Google ads brought in 5 free subscribers, and the social media ads got me a few hundred followers and likes from people who only engage with material that takes under fifteen seconds to understand. Just imagine if I spent that money on fellow Substack writers instead of those poor passionate people at Meta and Google who finally felt valued thanks to my money they so desperately needed. In other words, I think Substackers can do fine without Twitter, especially if the writers who start from 0 get more support.
I’m impressed that you were able to get that many subscribers on Substack without any mention or sharing. I, on the other hand, have not had any luck with subscribers if I don’t engage outside of my page. I’m still at that phase where you follow for follow, or rather subscribe to subscribe. No real subscribers yet, just writers supporting other writers. :(
Kallol, I saw you posted this exact same message on almost every comment. If you want people to read your work, you need to build a relationship with them, show them that you've read their work, and don't spam the exact same message to everywhere. Best of luck.
Why don't you add sharing links for Signal and other private messaging apps? I think right now you have sharing links to Twitter and Facebook. That doesn't make any sense. Add one for email too. It's best not to rely on the tech tyrant platforms for sharing, many people share privately, so it makes sense to cater to that in your share links.
What you guys are doing is working. I have found several great writers through notes and quite a few subscribers have found me. The substack world is generally civil and upbuilding. It really is a thing of beauty and makes the life of a writer easier and more desirable.
I read a couple of your poems and didn't really get them. They might need a bit of contextualizing for someone who is not familiar with where you are coming from. They seem well written though. I wouldn't mind reading more but I am not sure that I understand.
I'm using Twitter as an idea-generator b/c so much of my audience is there. I'm spending more time in Notes and the Substack search bar for sustainable growth. The Recommendations feature has been good for me so far, hope that keeps up!
I am so happy with the networking aspects on Substack, it has provided me with most of my subscriber growth and it actually feels useful to spend time on and interact with. Not only because it leads to actual results (which I have barely or sporadically had on other platforms) but also because I genuinely enjoy it and find it informative, as you get to meet all sorts of wonderful people and learn so much from each other.
I left Twitter when Elon took over so I’ve never used it to promote my Substack, however it is steadily growing. I know I am more of a visual account than most of the writers here, but something to consider is adding an image to your Substack post and then pinning it to Pinterest, because Pinterest is one of my top traffic drivers to Substack. I do have a large following on Pinterest, but if you hashtag your pins appropriately, it will then be easily searchable and could help your growth. Just a thought to get around these rotten bastards. 😜
I'm on here AND sometimes Medium as well as thinking about going back on WordPress. I want NO PART of Twitter & / or FB.
Medium is a wasteland now.
It's loaded with "trans" and Medium won't stop recommending enraged articles by "trans" writers.
But the software ones are the worst. I used to make $1500 a month on Medium writing about software development. Now? Some six-week-wonder in Bangalaore with a few months of experience and a mustache advises developers with 20 years of experience on how to become senior programmers: learn to "think outside the box."
Medium not only publishes it, they send a link in email as *recommended reading*. "Think outside the box."
Bye, Medium.
Wow, you managed to be transsexist and xenophobic in one answer to a topic that had nothing to do with trans people or Pakistanis. That’s impressive.
Bangalore is not in Pakistan
Well aren’t you just special
Interesting reply, because you're the one who sounds aggrieved.
Should I be happy about losing a nice extra income from doing something I enjoyed? And for writing something inoffensive and factually true?
"Trans" is bullshit.
I think he likes you.
Eh, I thought Bangalore is in India...
Other than that, I don't tihnk the Indians (nor the Pakistani) or the trans people are the problem on Medium. The fact that each writer is competing for the same pot of dollars, is. The one who gets the most attention wins at the cost of others. That is very different from how Substack works.
Bangalore is in India, not Pakistan. Bangalore churns out "programmers" who come out of six-week class in some currently fashionable software language and who are then billed out as "senior software engineers."
Every other damned article seems to be " I made X amount on Medium ". Tedious as hell. I'm going back to WordPress as well.
Their partner program is dead now, you need a hundred followers to enroll, and before you get to ten you've been banned by "Roger (he/him)."
I bought a Moog and a dozen Behringer synths with my Medium money.
Let's see the braggers ( not you ! ) brag about their earnings now !
They ban paying members by the hundreds. Anyone who isn't 100% on board with the "trans" lies gets booted, and no appeal. And the stuff they publish is mostly trash now.
I've never seen anyone do that.
Why do you put spaces immediately inside parentheses? That looks goofy.
Nice!
I never scroll or read other people's articles on Medium, I just post and collect the cash. Not that there is much cash, but it takes me 2 minutes and I get enough for a good lunch every month. People do seem to engage with my posts though, maybe more than on here weirdly.
Buddy if time permits then do scroll a look at my recent reads, https://kallolpoetry.substack.com/p/story-of-a-woman-who-sells-her-flesh-b65d54e96b3a
I have not been able to figure out how to make an honest buck out of the ten books I have written . Please give me a clue as to how you can make $1500 a month?
I wrote about software development. A third of that was a monthly $500 award from Medium, they said I was one of their best writers. I would dispute that but I didn't return the money.
One article I wrote about working with an absolutely horrible Indian developer struck a chord and had over 40,000 reads. That paid for my Moog. It's a widely-shared experience, even if I had to put up with shouts of "racism!!" in the comments (I never mentioned his nationality; I didn't need to).
I tried to get back on a few times, but they apparently have an allgorithm to recognize banned members and they are really adamant about protecting the "trans" garbage.
Just subscribed. I prefer truth to trendy garbage.
I hope you like "trans women" telling you how much they hate you.
G. Edward Griffin tells that after writing Jekyll's Island he bought 8,000 copies. He and his wife were nervous but book stores requested copies by public demand and word of mouth. Started with 3 copies at a time then cases were requested. Now over a million sold. Not trying to compare your situations. Or maybe it's worth trying out new cover art for a few copies at a time and trial and error. Good luck to you!
I thought I was the only one this happened to on Medium. Weird stuff be popping up as Recommendations for me to read. I even had to unfollow some good pages 'cause I thought that was the issue. Appaz not.
I initially subscribed to Medium for the software articles that you and other published. I totally agree with your assessment of the current state. I stay only because I paid for a year and have a friend who is not yet migrated to Substack. I read almost nothing in my daily digest, which often contains resurrected pieces touting the greatest features of a "new" OS that was released 2 years ago.
Don't use switch-case!!!
Use polymorphism and move your cases to separate files! It's more readable that way!
I would like to break those people with hammmers.
Wow your comment really resonates with me. Here's my recent comment on a Medium article complaining about how Medium is dying: https://medium.com/p/fc1a3a516574
well I feel about the right like you feel about the left, but we are eye to eye on agile. TOTAL waste of time. Agile = meetings = interruptions = broken concentration = lousy code
Agile, like communism, never fails: https://medium.com/@davidziffer/agile-like-communism-never-fails-9125c42871e7
I live in a communist country. The cops don’t shoot your dog.
I despise the methodologies. All of them. A single one hour meeting a week is enough.
three or four years ago Medium was great. Then the "trans" shit started and they started banning people a thousand at a time.
Never forget one article, the writer had a picture of "her"self flipping off the reader. Rage, one end to the other. Medium will teach anyone to hate "trans."
Yup. The Medium "trans" mania there is insane. I was acutely aware of it even though I never wrote on the subject. But anyone saying a word against it was simply removed. I think their entire staff is a super-Woke cult.
99% agreement is the same as being ready to murder them
I hate all that too - it is an utter turn off - all about energising divisive and silly 'debate' over issues that were settled a long long time ago, it makes me think of 'Psycho' although Hitchcock dignified it because he had flair, it really is that low grade.
Please read my post, I hope you will find it insightful.
Happy readings!
https://open.substack.com/pub/ariastoneinsights/p/navigating-gender-identity-expert?r=2a3amd&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
You've cherry-picked a bunch of "warm and fuzzy" articles loaded with supportive buzz, I've heaard of several of those studies and know that they were not based on any science in any way, and much of the actual studies that have been done re falsely presented.
Try reading this one:
https://www.realityslaststand.com/p/current-concerns-about-gender-affirming
There was one of these in Washington Post a few months ago, with a graphic loaded with Smile People of indeterminate gender and claiming that hormones and surgery had given them lives of joy. Then I read a real analysis by the author of the above (I will try to find it) pointing out that the conclusions from the article were absolutely unwarranted. There was no improvement in depression or suicidal thoughts, and many in the study got worse.
People who write "going forward" and "reaching out" should be taken out behind the chemical shed and shot.
I have never been censored here; there is one troll ib The Distance and Reality's Last Stand I sparred with for a while, he writes psychotic fake biology and nobody says a thing.
What hive was this in?
i think Substack can do a good job on 'showing folks how to be vigilant' - How to identify BS and block them.
there's so much AI BS out there right now; and even those without any demonstrable intelligence is an expert on AI.
it's an interesting comment you make about 'nobody says a thing' - very important that the platform factors in when sentient beings weigh in. that's how communities are built - that we 'care' for each other.
Substack can Identify monitors and give them substack credit for weighing in and ferreting out BS.
Dear Scientific Progress,
agree with you. adults should know for themselves ... platform censorship doesn't serve any purpose. we should have block options directly.
Same here. I haven't invested/posed heavily here because, even though this platform *seems* not to censor, as evidenced in some of these comments, it appears they might. But putting that aside, any platform that you don't own/control can do any damn thing they want to or with your content at any time. Or, worse, the platform could go belly-up without notice.
I just get nervous having content and subscribers tied to a platform over which I have zero control. Hence, like you, WordPress still--despite its quirks, security vulnerabilities, and tediousness--looks like the best option.
I personally recommend using Shopify. I don’t think all that much of Wordpress. Please don’t ask me to explain myself (slithers back under the skirting board).
Quite a concern. Was on Revue (Twitter newsletter) which shut down last year. Before shutting down, they gave premium time for writers to download their content. It was still messed up situation. So, yeah, I think having your site, as WordPress comes in handy in a situation like that. So you don't lose your subscribers or content.
Hmm. I would have to police my source material as opposed to slapping up images willy - nilly like last time, which brought me trouble & even warnings of possible litigation.
Great idea, SFGirl!
Thanks, Tara. I've added a link above to a post I wrote about best Pinterest practices. Hope it helps!
Must check that out.
Boy, I have definitely ignored Pinterest as a traffic driver. What a great reminder, especially as I start to add more visual media to Outsourced Optimism. Any resources you offer or recommend for getting a foundational understanding of how to optimize on Pinterest?
Also! So happy to see you on here.
Thanks, Tami!
I wrote this post highlighting Pinterest's best practices that you might find helpful.
https://open.substack.com/pub/sfgirlbybay/p/pinterest-pro-tips?r=3swgg&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
It's all about making your pins very searchable. Not just for other Pinners but for the team at Pinterest as well. That way, the team can easily identify what your Pin is about and recommend it to Pinners searching Pinterest for information on your particular topic. I hope it helps!
Victoria
Amazing! Thank you!
That's a really useful tip. Thank you!
Thanks, Rachel. I've added a link above to a post I wrote about best Pinterest practices. Hope it helps!
Here's a post I wrote on best Pinterest practices for anyone interested:
https://open.substack.com/pub/sfgirlbybay/p/pinterest-pro-tips?r=3swgg&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
It's all about making your pins very searchable. Not just for other Pinners but for the team at Pinterest as well. That way, the team can easily identify what your Pin is about and recommend it to Pinners searching Pinterest for information on your particular topic. I hope it helps!
Thanks!
Thanks!
Great idea! Thanks for sharing. I’ve been playing with AI images lately, and have started to share one in each post. Didn’t think of using Pinterest but now I will. 😀
I never thought of using Pinterest. Thanks for the suggestion!
Buddy if time permits then do scroll a look at my recent reads, https://kallolpoetry.substack.com/p/story-of-a-woman-who-sells-her-flesh-b65d54e96b3a
I would be interested in learning more about how you grow your Substack through Pintrest, what do I actually do to make that work? I already follow you on Pintrest so will snoop around a little more. Thanks for this suggestion.
My substack is a little different in that it's less writing and more photographs, so I pin those images to Pinterest which drives traffic back to my Substack. You can read my Pinterest tips in the post I did a while back:
https://open.substack.com/pub/sfgirlbybay/p/pinterest-pro-tips?r=3swgg&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
I hope it helps!
Thanks so much! Sorry I didn't see this earlier.
I do that when I remember, but always forget to create images in portrait format which do better on Pinterest.
Definitely true. Horizontals seem to disappear!
Buddy if time permits then do scroll a look at my recent reads, https://kallolpoetry.substack.com/p/story-of-a-woman-who-sells-her-flesh-b65d54e96b3a
This is great. Never used pinterest other than looking at some random design ideas, but this is such a good suggestion. Will look into it.
Buddy if time permits then do scroll a look at my recent reads, https://kallolpoetry.substack.com/p/story-of-a-woman-who-sells-her-flesh-b65d54e96b3a
Buddy if time permits then do scroll a look at my recent reads, https://kallolpoetry.substack.com/p/story-of-a-woman-who-sells-her-flesh-b65d54e96b3a
Hi, I’m starting to used Pinterest as well but I’m still a newbie and don’t understand ir completely. I didn’t know you can used hashtags on your pins. Do you add them on the description of the pin?
Yes, exactly. I linked to a post I wrote on best Pinterest practices but in case it's lost in the thread, here you go: https://www.sfgirlbybay.com/p/pinterest-pro-tips?r=3swgg&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Thank you 🙏❤️
Buddy if time permits then do scroll a look at my recent reads, https://kallolpoetry.substack.com/p/story-of-a-woman-who-sells-her-flesh-b65d54e96b3a
I too left Twitter, because it is a vicious toxic cesspool of self-serving folks and propaganda. Who benefits from it is not even important. That was 4 years before Mr. Messianic Visions 'Elon Musk' took over. However, all social media turns toxic one way or another, not because who owns it or uses it, but because we live in an age of rising Anger, Repression, Anxiety and Stress. Also social media in it's current form is a type of Surveillance Capitalism. Which exploits our lives, behavior, privacy and bodies into profit eventually. For a very few handful people, all white, all proponents of technology and not any human values (love, community, justice etc)
I am using Pinterest with minimal success. I would be interested in learning more about how to gain readers and use hashtags more effectively 😌 I will search your work there SFGirl
Hi De, I wrote this post highlighting Pinterest's best practices that you might find helpful.
https://open.substack.com/pub/sfgirlbybay/p/pinterest-pro-tips?r=3swgg&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
It's all about making your pins very searchable. Not just for other Pinners but for the team at Pinterest as well. That way, the team can easily identify what your Pin is about and recommend it to Pinners searching Pinterest for information on your particular topic. I hope it helps!
I have always felt Pinterest had 'legs' so to speak.
Buddy if time permits then do scroll a look at my recent reads, https://kallolpoetry.substack.com/p/story-of-a-woman-who-sells-her-flesh-b65d54e96b3a
This works even with writing about culture, literature, or education? I've never been on Pinterest, because I didn't think of it as an ideas place (maybe my own ignorance showing). And I've thought that the typical Pinterest user would not be my ideal reader. Prove me wrong? :)
Hi Joshua, Oh, absolutely. But to test it, I'd try searching a typical topic you normally write about and see what comes up. Pinterest is all about ideas, and while it can be lots of DIY's or travel, fashion, cars or design inspiration, there are thousands of topics to learn from. I'm a big fan. Hope that helps!
Thanks for taking time to do that. I'll admit that I don't find much in those categories I'm supposed to select from at start-up that I'm actually interested in (funny quotes, not so much). And, perhaps hilariously, what comes up when I search "academia" (my main topic) are photos of weightlifters (?). But "literature" and "culture" seem more on point. I'll give it a shot! Thanks again.
https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=academia&rs=typed
weight lifting??? 🤣
I searched your Road to Billings, Montana on Pinterest out of curiosity:
https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=The%20Road%20to%20Billings%2C%20Montana&rs=typed
I add images to my Substack content on Twitter but get limited engagement. I may have to restart Pinterest to test out your strategy. I wish you and every writer on here the best in all your endeavors. Cheers! 🍻
Twitter images never worked well for me either. I’ve been writing my blog since 2006 and Twitter was always the lowest traffic driver and Pinterest the best, with Facebook Instagram coming in next. Good luck to you, too!
🙏 thanks for the advice and this comment!
you’re most welcome ☺️
Buddy if time permits then do scroll a look at my recent reads, https://kallolpoetry.substack.com/p/story-of-a-woman-who-sells-her-flesh-b65d54e96b3a
Let’s build a decentralized 4th branch of government that really isn’t part of government at all. It is 100% built and run by the people.
https://open.substack.com/pub/joshketry/p/lets-build-a-4th-branch-of-government?r=7oa9d&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post
Wow, thank you for the transparency. I normally never read these, but this makes me feel like Substack cares about their writers and their community. I would love to understand Substack’s SEO’s. I would like to know how I can encourage others to share my articles. Thanks!
https://on.substack.com/p/the-state-of-seo-on-substack-feb-23
Here's our recent update on SEO, which may be helpful.
I must have been living in an alternate universe, because I didn't know about the meta tag options. I've amended a couple of articles now. Has anyone found they make a difference?
I've had a few random hits come through from Google and (!) Bing since I started playing with these, though I'm sure I'm probably not optimising the wording enough.
I've just been tinkering around the edges. Frankly, life's too short! I'm happy to leave the bulk of the work to Substack techies
How do I get to the meta tag options?
When you're writing a post, or afterwards when you are editing it, go to Settings, and rigt down the bottom there's an arrow labelled SEO
thank you!
👍
Editing SEO features are available to Free substacks, too. The ones that you can edit for any given post, under the post's Settings menu.
People in other countries have paid option, and some use currency other than US dollars on their subscription screen. But you're saying only people with an American bank account can sign up for a Stripe account, is that right?
I'm in the UK and am running a paid substack account and I use Stripe here in the UK on this site and my personal website too in GBP.
And evidently don't need to provide a US bank account for transactions?
That's right, mine is a UK bank account and the money is paid in directly from Stripe.
I didn't realise that - I thought it was fairly widespread but I guess that globalists for you :-(
Same issue in South Africa. You need to have an American bank account to set up your Stripe account.
Perhaps wider coverage will be rolled out sometime soon but alas, this side of the world is often on the back foot when it comes to much needed updates and considerations.
Ah. I thought Stripe must be widely available, and not reliant on US bank accounts. Definitely need to look into that, since it's the only option used by Substack.
Good you've found a small workaround for now, albeit, not your ideal.
It could be ‘Brexit benefit’. Who knew?!
Same!
Buddy if time permits then do scroll a look at my recent reads, https://kallolpoetry.substack.com/p/story-of-a-woman-who-sells-her-flesh-b65d54e96b3a
I've been on Medium, but became tired & took a break because people talk about writing on it for a side - hustle. That gets old after awhile. Making a few hundred is FINE, but I do writing mostly to share thoughts & ideas, not in the hope that I'll increase my income.
I made $3.18 once from a Medium post😃
Careful - I may report you to the IRS ! LOL.
I've been looking 8nto tax havens 😂
Cayman Island banks ? I'd invest mine in Blue Horizon space flight or Virgin Aerospace. 🚀👨🚀👩🚀
I've subscribed to yours in a huge leap of faith because (a) you sound as insane as I am and (b) I don't know what open mic philosophy is
😂😂
Steady on Terry!
I know. I'm still trying to decide how to spend it!
Not all at once, obviously!
😂
I write to make a name and influence people with my passion for legible and cleanly-structured code. The money was a side benefit, not the reason I wrote.
OTOH, I can see why people on a fixed income would like the extra income, but bragging about it gets like " Johnny One - Note " on a kazoo in an infinite loop.
I became a writer for the $ 🤣
Hey, at least you're honest about it, instead of puttin' on airs, as the saying goes. Can I get a freakin' AMEN ?
Amen!
Oy, gevolt. Or Bismilla !
Buddy if time permits then do scroll a look at my recent reads, https://kallolpoetry.substack.com/p/story-of-a-woman-who-sells-her-flesh-b65d54e96b3a
Buddy if time permits then do scroll a look at my recent reads, https://kallolpoetry.substack.com/p/story-of-a-woman-who-sells-her-flesh-b65d54e96b3a
So far, quite vivid. " a way with words " is quite an understatement, like " The Mona Lisa is more enigmatic than the Sphinx ". I'll be back.....
Thanks buddy!
ANYTIME !
My soul still hasn't reentered my nervous system just yet, but take a look at them I shall. & thanks for the link.
This place desperately needs a block feature.
I blocked a commenter once because his comments seemed to me to be irrelevant and self-promotional drivel. So there is a block feature, unless I've misunderstood you
There is!
Buddy if time permits then do scroll a look at my recent reads, https://kallolpoetry.substack.com/p/story-of-a-woman-who-sells-her-flesh-b65d54e96b3a
Buddy if time permits then do scroll a look at my recent reads, https://kallolpoetry.substack.com/p/story-of-a-woman-who-sells-her-flesh-b65d54e96b3a
This is why I'm hoping the Notes feed can start to include more than just subscribers. With low double digit subscribers, I'm posting to Notes but so far only about 2 or 3 people even see them, and I'm only seeing the same content from a few people, so it feels kinda pointless for a very new newby... would be **amazing** if Notes could feature at least some discoverability by subject or area of interest.
Thanks for this feedback. We have a ton of work to do! Very early days for Notes, and so much opportunity. We hope you'll stay tuned...
Oh definitely! I’m sticking around... and thanks for listening!
How many people are you subscribed to? That will influence the reach of your own Notes, as well as those you see of course.
I mean... as many as I can possibly read without dampening people's email "opens" by getting overwhelmed. This is where the model still confuses me -- can we subscribe to a person without subscribing to a thousand actual newsletters? (I followed several hundred people and had thousands of followers on Twitter but it seems like this is a different level of commitment to "subscribe", or am I understanding that incorrectly?)
You can edit what you receive from a subscriber, yeah. There's setting to turn on or off email posts. I think you can do the same for the App.
Buddy if time permits then do scroll a look at my recent reads, https://kallolpoetry.substack.com/p/story-of-a-woman-who-sells-her-flesh-b65d54e96b3a
As of two weeks ago, I'm DONE with Twitter. So much time saved--even though I've made efforts not to spend much time there. It was getting downright annoying. Now... more time for Substack!
I quit Twitter about a month ago. That gave me back about an hour of my day I spent doom-scrolling, but it also gave me back all the time I spend marinating in all the crap I consumed on that website. It's been a really productive month since leaving Twitter.
I was talked into joining Twitter several years ago by someone on Youtube whom I can't even remember & my aunt talked me into joining FB about a couple of years back. Now want no part of either. If they crashed & vanished from the Earth, I wouldn't exactly go into mourning.....
I have a reasonable sized following on twitter that gets me attention very occasionally. I use it mainly as a source of information about education and writing
Yes, if you already have that number, I'd be inclined to stay. My numbers have never been particularly significant, and I haven't wanted to put in that type of time.
But once there, stay, and put in only what you absolutely need. What YOU need.
exactly, Alison: enlightened self-interest :-)
Very good--the productive month!
very, very close to joining you...
Kinda glad I never bothered with Twitter properly. The whole Musk thing made me realise it was likely going to implode. I feel for those who had heavy investment in it, though.
I dipped a toe into Twitter a time or two but never jumped all the way in. Now, I'm glad. But, I must admit that I'm having a similar response to diving into Notes, which of course means I'll never be discovered (ha!). Glad to have just discovered you, though. :)
I must say, I have an eye and a half on the clock...
Really well said. I've spent a lot of time, effort, and thought building up my twitter platform. When I set up my Substack, I saw it as a symbiotic relationship. It helped me grow my readership here and justified my time investment there. Most important, it's an audience I could take with me. A social media systems flaw I was already well aware of and pointed out in the years prior. The move by Elon was disappointing, but you're right, it can happen anywhere and I appreciate that Substack continue to try and find new ways to grow our audience without the need for other social media platforms. I also appreciate your transparency, stability, and commitment to allowing all different kinds of thoughts to be represented. As someone who is a reader in addition to being a writer, I appreciate that there's no echo chambers here. The readers that come to me have all sorts of points of views, and the content I'm able to read is also as diverse in thought as I'm open to...and I love being able to see the world represented through different lenses. Thank you.
Buddy if time permits then do scroll a look at my recent reads, https://kallolpoetry.substack.com/p/story-of-a-woman-who-sells-her-flesh-b65d54e96b3a
I’m surprised at how good Notes is. I didn’t expect to enjoy it. But it is so refreshing seeing fabulous bakers explain their techniques, expats offering neighborhood restaurant guides in Paris, and farmers showing what real butter looks like. That hot stink of Feed garbage does not exist here. I hope it stays this way!
Buddy if time permits then do scroll a look at my recent reads, https://kallolpoetry.substack.com/p/story-of-a-woman-who-sells-her-flesh-b65d54e96b3a
Please stop spamming everyone with your newsletter.
Unfortunately we cannot always control the reactions of those who dislike what we succeed in creating, but we can always control our ability to take the high ground and continue to do good, positive work to make the world a better place.
So keep it up!
Unity, Solidarity, Liberty !
I've always prioritised quality (I hope) writing over SEO and always ignore or block the trolls. That's my recipe for a happy and successful writing life, or at least a few of the ingredients 😃
Buddy if time permits then do scroll a look at my recent reads, https://kallolpoetry.substack.com/p/story-of-a-woman-who-sells-her-flesh-b65d54e96b3a
Buddy if time permits then do scroll a look at my recent reads, https://kallolpoetry.substack.com/p/story-of-a-woman-who-sells-her-flesh-b65d54e96b3a
Buddy if time permits then do scroll a look at my recent reads, https://kallolpoetry.substack.com/p/story-of-a-woman-who-sells-her-flesh-b65d54e96b3a
I'm very glad to be here. I only started using Substack with great enthusiasm after I quit Twitter on Halloween of 2022, and it has improved my writing (in my own mind, at least, I may be delusional on that one!) But I've truly had a better time since leaving Twitter and focusing on writing here and on doing a patrons-only podcast over on Patreon. Different sites are better for different things, and Substack is where it's at for newsletters and, in a way, a kind of fellowship among writers that I don't find elsewhere.
Buddy if time permits then do scroll a look at my recent reads, https://kallolpoetry.substack.com/p/story-of-a-woman-who-sells-her-flesh-b65d54e96b3a
To test how strong Substack’s community is, I didn’t mention or share my Substack site and articles on other platforms. In the two weeks on Substack, I got more subscribers than my eight months on Ghost. Those 8 months included spending $200 on Google ads, $200 on Instagram ads, $100 on Facebook ads, joining Facebook writing communities, commenting on Instagram posts, posting on Reddit and Quora, and trying to collaborate with people I found on Ghost’s Explore page. The Google ads brought in 5 free subscribers, and the social media ads got me a few hundred followers and likes from people who only engage with material that takes under fifteen seconds to understand. Just imagine if I spent that money on fellow Substack writers instead of those poor passionate people at Meta and Google who finally felt valued thanks to my money they so desperately needed. In other words, I think Substackers can do fine without Twitter, especially if the writers who start from 0 get more support.
I’m impressed that you were able to get that many subscribers on Substack without any mention or sharing. I, on the other hand, have not had any luck with subscribers if I don’t engage outside of my page. I’m still at that phase where you follow for follow, or rather subscribe to subscribe. No real subscribers yet, just writers supporting other writers. :(
Thank you, but I didn't say "many." I’m definitely struggling here as well, but it’s working better than any other platform I’ve used.
Buddy if time permits then do scroll a look at my recent reads, https://kallolpoetry.substack.com/p/story-of-a-woman-who-sells-her-flesh-b65d54e96b3a
Kallol, I saw you posted this exact same message on almost every comment. If you want people to read your work, you need to build a relationship with them, show them that you've read their work, and don't spam the exact same message to everywhere. Best of luck.
Why don't you add sharing links for Signal and other private messaging apps? I think right now you have sharing links to Twitter and Facebook. That doesn't make any sense. Add one for email too. It's best not to rely on the tech tyrant platforms for sharing, many people share privately, so it makes sense to cater to that in your share links.
Buddy if time permits then do scroll a look at my recent reads, https://kallolpoetry.substack.com/p/story-of-a-woman-who-sells-her-flesh-b65d54e96b3a
I started using Substack like my own personal Twitter page after twitter banned me last year.
I hope Notes gain more traction because it’s exactly what I was looking for as an alternative
I do the same!
This is why I really like Substack - you guys get it.
What you guys are doing is working. I have found several great writers through notes and quite a few subscribers have found me. The substack world is generally civil and upbuilding. It really is a thing of beauty and makes the life of a writer easier and more desirable.
Buddy if time permits then do scroll a look at my recent reads, https://kallolpoetry.substack.com/p/story-of-a-woman-who-sells-her-flesh-b65d54e96b3a
I read a couple of your poems and didn't really get them. They might need a bit of contextualizing for someone who is not familiar with where you are coming from. They seem well written though. I wouldn't mind reading more but I am not sure that I understand.
I'm using Twitter as an idea-generator b/c so much of my audience is there. I'm spending more time in Notes and the Substack search bar for sustainable growth. The Recommendations feature has been good for me so far, hope that keeps up!
Buddy if time permits then do scroll a look at my recent reads, https://kallolpoetry.substack.com/p/story-of-a-woman-who-sells-her-flesh-b65d54e96b3a
There’s a reason the quality of writers on Substack is far superior to other platforms
I am so happy with the networking aspects on Substack, it has provided me with most of my subscriber growth and it actually feels useful to spend time on and interact with. Not only because it leads to actual results (which I have barely or sporadically had on other platforms) but also because I genuinely enjoy it and find it informative, as you get to meet all sorts of wonderful people and learn so much from each other.