It’s been 4 months and I have a lot to report, my friends.
It’s always interesting to go back to older posts like this where I update you on my growth and see what has changed, what has stayed the same, and how my mindset is different (that might be the most important part!)
One thing is sure, though. I engaged more than ever, and the community responded with the same.
But aside from the advice you hear everywhere on Substack (engage, read, write good comments, publish good content), what actually works?
That’s what I’ll list below.
Let’s dive straight into it.
1. Treating Substack like a business.
When I first started my blog in 2013, I treated it like a hobby for the first 2 years.
It took that long to believe it can become something more and to learn more about the business model behind it. I then switched to a self-hosted WordPress site, installed powerful plugins, began monetizing in different ways, posted consistently, optimized for SEO, and started my email list.
That’s when things really started happening.
I could have done this from day one, but I didn’t have the right mindset.
Now, I don’t waste time anymore.
I saw the potential on Substack when I joined (and had heard about it from others, plus watched many big entrepreneurs move their audiences here).
What I didn’t plan, though, was to start writing about Substack growth. It was so natural it was basically inevitable for me.
I quickly applied all the principles I’ve learn from the blogging industry to growing here, started writing a lot and engaging with people. I learned from experience, and I adjusted quickly.
I knew there was nothing to lose, and each article and Note were simply showing me what works and what doesn’t.
Although we have to keep in mind that sometimes the timing or the lack of a bigger audience can mean a good piece goes unnoticed. So keep posting!
I also thought about monetization early on. I mean, I had already monetized - I had the digital products (but for bloggers), I had my original email list, sponsorships on my blog, etc. I could use Substack as a trust engine and grow my existing audience.
But I quickly noticed I was more passionate about what’s going on here, than what I’ve built outside of it (as it was quiet, and the growth has been feeling limited for a long time now).
So this became my main content hub pretty soon. I found successful Substack creators to learn from (by observing them - more on that below), and I saw Substack for the business ecosystem that it is. I started reflecting on how it can work for me, and wrote posts like these during the process:
I also started looking at my analytics often, using more Substack features, reading even more about how the platforms works, looking into Substack SEO, etc.
So, my question to you is: are you treating Substack like a hobby, or like a business?
If your newsletter still feels like a hobby, what needs to change (in both your mindset and your actions) to start thinking and operating like a paid writer, a business owner, or the founder of a thriving newsletter?
2. Posting more of the content that gets engagement.
Sounds simple, but we often forget that.
I’ve spent most of my years as a blogger and content creator publishing the things I felt like, not exactly what my audience needed.
Now, I stay excited about my topics, but focus more on what gets results, because this is what creates impact. This is what people need more of, how I can help them, and - of course - what grows my writing business as a result.
I posted a Note about this recently:
And as I concluded at the end of it, this is your content strategy. It’s as simple as that.
To get there, though, you’ll have to post consistently, try out different formats and angles, see what people respond to and what comes easily to you.
Look at the numbers but also at the non-tangible outcomes.
That includes DMs, more trust in you, recommendations, and people opening up to you more (in the comments or messages).
Don’t let the vanity metrics distract you. A Note or post can get many likes, but zero comments or subscribers. That means people scroll past it and it doesn’t leave a lasting impression.
It often means you need to go deeper with your words, try a different angle, or ask more questions so people have a reason to stop, think and respond.
3. Studying other Substack creators.
You can buy a course on how to write Notes, or you can test it yourself and observe what others are doing (learn, but don’t copy).
You can get on a coaching call with someone who tells you how to grow, or you can watch what big publications are posting, how often, what their Welcome email looks like, how they’ve priced their tiers, in what other ways they monetize, what they post about in their publication chat, and anything else.
Instead of reading a long guide on how to write an About page, you can read 5-10 About pages of bigger creators who seem to be doing well, and analyze why they work and what elements you’d like to include in yours.
It’s all out there, right in front of you. Taking the time to study the experts and what they are doing has been a growth factor for me, I believe. But I also truly enjoy it, so that makes it easier.
It’s not just another task in my list. It’s something I’m genuinely curious about.
4. Monetizing before being ready.
Ready is a state of mind. I’ve been too afraid to sell in the past, and I don’t want that anymore. But I also make sure I’m not salesy as I myself don’t like being on the receiving end of that.
I believe that to sell is to serve, and in my work, that happens mostly by informing people of what new things I’m working on, of the paid tier, of a new offer, etc.
I turned my paid tier on some time ago and have 4 paid members now. That wouldn’t have been possible if I was scared to even turn paid subscriptions on.
I’m saying this because I know many writers are. But if you already have an idea of what your exclusive content will be like, and you’re ready to post both free and paid posts weekly (or one that has plenty of value for free, with a paywall right before you dive deeper into what you teach), you might be good to go.
There’s no perfect moment when you’ll be ready. Many writers report regretting not starting this earlier.
There are more ways you can monetize early on. You can pitch brands for collaborations or add your Substack to creator marketplaces that connect publishers (you) with advertisers. I’ll write more about that soon.
You can also do affiliate marketing, sell coaching or any other service, or create digital products.
I just released my first offer that’s specifically for what I’m building here, The Substack Growth Audit. Price goes up soon, by the way, because it turned into a way more valuable thing than I expect, and it takes me a lot of time.
I could have waited longer to release the offer, but why? I had the idea, the outline, I prepared the sales page, some promo copy, and had the vision of how I wanted to incorporate it into everything else I’m doing.
It fits perfectly into the annual paid subscription (as a bonus), so 3 members already took me up on it and I’m working on my first audits this week. That’ exciting. And again, this wouldn’t be possible if I was afraid to launch the offer.
Plus, here I used a strategy that’s quite common in a digital product business - pre-selling something, or monetizing a product before you make it.
It’s usually when you already have an audience, share the idea with them and a super simple sales page, and give them a chance to purchase.
Only when you have buyers do you start creating the product. That not only validates the idea, but gives you the biggest motivation to do your best work - you have both people who are excited to see the product live, and revenue that already came in.
The audit takes work, but it’s after someone has already purchased. It’s personalized and I review their publication, profile and content strategy. So releasing an offer like that isn’t such a big project.
That’s just an example that proves your first digital product doesn’t need to be this time-consuming project you imagine it to be.
It can be a PDF file, a Notion template, a quick tutorial you record on your screen, or anything else. And you can create it after you get paid for it. So think about that.
5. Reputation matters.
I think your starting point on Substack doesn’t matter. But who you are for the weeks or months spent on this platform does.
Here’s what I mean.
You might be a 6- or 7-figure business owner. Maybe you just left a high-status job to start something on your own. Or maybe you’ve been working for a big company for 10+ years, and are ready to share what’s being going on there.
But if you don’t:
show up on Substack daily;
treat everyone as equal;
post Notes to share your thoughts, ask questions and restack other people’s content;
respond to every comment;
show humility and genuine interest in others;
and form relationships in the DMs;
… then you’re a nobody here.
If, on the other hand, you’re a student who goes all in on Substack, invests all their free time here, writes weekly, posts on Notes daily, leaves meaningful comments, starts conversations, checks their metrics and takes decisions based on that and learns from other creators - now that’s a good reputation. That’s an account others want to follow, and a publication worth subscribing to.
See the difference?
I think that’s pretty awesome because there are many authors here who have no prior experience in online business. But if they engage and write a lot, they have a chance to grow on Substack.
At the same time, many professionals from LinkedIn with a big following joined, but their success here is not guaranteed unless they do the work and really mean it when they engage.
My reputation?
You tell me.
What I’m going for is transparency/authenticity, a beginner’s mindset but also using what I’ve learned from blogging and applying it to Substack.
I am passionate about the posts I write, the people I connect with, Substack as a platform and learning more about it. And you can probably tell that.
I also always respond to every comment and message. (Have I missed one? Remind me, please. 🙃)
People say they like this.
I’m also all about sharing my journey and anything I learn while growing on Substack, and I walk my talk.
I share my numbers, goals, reflections, and strategies. You can apply them too if you feel like.
I’m not worried about anything because your growth doesn’t take anything away from me. It only creates more abundance in the world.
I hope this was helpful.
The next 3 insights are ones I haven’t shared anywhere else. I’m saving them for my paid subscribers as a thank-you for supporting my work.