This guide walks you through connecting your Substack publication to Google Analytics 4 and Google Search Console, verifying your domain, and accessing the data you need to track traffic.
This is genuinely useful. I think a lot of people treat Substack like it exists in a sealed little literary terrarium, then forget that evergreen posts can keep working outside the platform too. The distinction between Substack analytics and GA/GSC is especially helpful for anyone trying to build with a longer horizon.
Yes, it’s easy to be in our bubble here and forget about the bigger picture. So I think when a Substack creator has built the foundation here, is publishing and engaging consistently and wants more page views and subscribers, they can start thinking about SEO.
Well , as a developer it is good option for those who don’t know much about the development and SEO , and it is helpful . And very easy to set up
need only google analytics - substack -console (one thing that keep in mind that you need same email in all platform to function it properly)
But in my case i don’t use same emails and I know about development so i build my own personal website using react , typescript so it become easy to showcase the whole works in different field and even better than substack , I also attached substack articles here so it will feel connected to each other not a separate identity
if you are interested to see it so you can check it out or simply skip it
That might be true, but the tools are still useful.
The Google search traffic itself can tell us a lot, such as what old posts to optimize better, what keywords we are already ranking for, and how people discover your content outside of Substack.
I always say the whole SEO thing is only for Substack writers who’ve built the foundation and are interested in building another traffic source, because this can bring quality subscribers.
This must be because of how you submitted the exact URL.
It’s not about Substack, it’s about the format of the URL.
What did you type exactly?
Make sure you’re adding your full Substack URL, including https:// (for example: https://yourpublication.substack.com), and choose the URL prefix option in Google Search Console rather than Domain.
This is genuinely useful. I think a lot of people treat Substack like it exists in a sealed little literary terrarium, then forget that evergreen posts can keep working outside the platform too. The distinction between Substack analytics and GA/GSC is especially helpful for anyone trying to build with a longer horizon.
Well said, Adeline. Thank you for reading!
Yes, it’s easy to be in our bubble here and forget about the bigger picture. So I think when a Substack creator has built the foundation here, is publishing and engaging consistently and wants more page views and subscribers, they can start thinking about SEO.
Ideally, it can be done from day 1, though.
Well , as a developer it is good option for those who don’t know much about the development and SEO , and it is helpful . And very easy to set up
need only google analytics - substack -console (one thing that keep in mind that you need same email in all platform to function it properly)
But in my case i don’t use same emails and I know about development so i build my own personal website using react , typescript so it become easy to showcase the whole works in different field and even better than substack , I also attached substack articles here so it will feel connected to each other not a separate identity
if you are interested to see it so you can check it out or simply skip it
https://www.devudainiya.com/
Hey, Dev.
Thanks for sharing but let’s stay on topic.
Most of us here aren’t tech-savvy and aren’t looking for more complex things.
That’s why I make sure to cover the necessary basics of SEO, and make it as simple as possible.
yah and that's why i read it and like it , here i share my story to connect the topic and problems i face.
i know building a website is really a big things and not possible for everyone !
sorry if you feel that I was digressing from the topic?
That’s okay.
Appreciate your comment, and thanks for reading!
It gives me great pleasure. If you wish, you can also check out the articles I have written and my website; I hope you will like them.
I remember when I asked about this issue of being seen on susbstack in the DMs.
You said you would address it in yiur next future post.
And here it is...
Thanks Lydia.
Yes ☺️ And that’s just one aspect of it, of course. There are many more to cover.
lidiya i cant navigate the google console. my website is not verifying
Let’s fix that. I assume you took the exact steps as mentioned in the tutorial.
What error message do you get exactly?
I have figured it out lidiya.
Waiting for 24 hrs no get to see everything.
Thank you
Yey, good to hear!
Could also be 48 hours, and there won’t be much data because it only begins tracking now. So you might even give it a week or so, no rush.
Exactly.
Subscribed..
I figured it out eventually.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but that tracking only "sees" everything outside of the Substack App.
When most of your Traffic is in the iOS and Android App it is not tracked...
Hey, Kay.
That might be true, but the tools are still useful.
The Google search traffic itself can tell us a lot, such as what old posts to optimize better, what keywords we are already ranking for, and how people discover your content outside of Substack.
I always say the whole SEO thing is only for Substack writers who’ve built the foundation and are interested in building another traffic source, because this can bring quality subscribers.
ok thank you !! WOMEN IN STEM :)
This is pretty straightforward. thanks for detailed steps
Welcome ☺️
Thank you - so very helpful!
Welcome, glad it helped ☺️
Hello when I try to do this, it tells me my Substack publication is not a real
Website url
Hello.
This must be because of how you submitted the exact URL.
It’s not about Substack, it’s about the format of the URL.
What did you type exactly?
Make sure you’re adding your full Substack URL, including https:// (for example: https://yourpublication.substack.com), and choose the URL prefix option in Google Search Console rather than Domain.
Done , thank you for commenting back ☺️
Yey! Happy it worked ☺️
saving this for later as it looks incredibly helpful! thank you so much for sharing angel!
Yey, so glad to hear! 🤍
Also running a Substack SEO challenge now that covers more of the basics.
Here’s day 1: https://2hourblogger.substack.com/p/how-substack-seo-works
Super useful! Thanks! ;)
Glad you liked it, Ilias! Thanks for reaching.
And today I posted Day 2 of the SEO challenge: https://2hourblogger.substack.com/p/keyword-research
There I talk about Google Keyword Planner. That, together with GA and Search Console are a killer combo :)
Thank you for this!
Welcome, Anthony.
And if you want more SEO tips, I’m currently running a Substack SEO challenge (by posting daily).
Day 2 just dropped: https://2hourblogger.substack.com/p/keyword-research
Thank you for this!
Welcome!
thank you, for sharing with us .
Welcome, Neha! Feel free to also join the Substack SEO challenge I’m running now (by posting daily).
Day 2 just dropped: https://2hourblogger.substack.com/p/keyword-research
Thanks for sharing. This will allow one to know where the traffic is coming
And many more insights than this become available too.
Welcome, Rohit.
I seem to only be able to add a Google tag. But not input the Google console property meta tag anywhere.
Hey, Valerie.
Did you see the update about the Google tag manager?
You only need a Google tag in this case, so it should be fine.
Okay I will read, but the console is telling me I have no properties. And it doesn't like my URL redirect.
We are adding a property to it now, it's your Substack.
And first you do GA, then GSC.
It's quite important to follow each step slowly, it only needs to be done once.
When I try to verify on the search console it only offers two options: any DNS provider and cloudflare.com
Any tips?
Seems like on step 3, you used the Domain property type, when instead it should be the URL Prefix. There’s a screenshot also.
“3. Verify site/Substack ownership.
Select the URL prefix and paste your Substack URL there (that of your publication).”
It’s important to really take each step carefully, it only needs to happen once.
Hope that helps.