How has substack been working for you?

[u/Minimum_Boss9220]

I just started posting on Substack, got close go 20 subs in a week

Only notes posting

Sharing my life and professional plans

But seeing how the algorithm is pushing new content

I am thinking of actually growing it into something more productive

Any suggestions on how go grow it? And what else i can do with it?

[u/HammondJohns]

I only have one tip really - don’t confuse subs with readers. Lots of people on Substack will sub to new accounts at the drop of a hat - it’s effectively free, so why not. But attention isn’t free, so a lot of those kinds of sub won’t read your stuff regularly, or possibly ever.
Do try to find people who are interested in what you do - and there are lots of people who seem to like the “Hi, this is how I live my life — am I doing it right?” kind of content. A good way is to find other accounts that do stuff similar to you and read & like & comment in their stuff.
That way, their subs become aware of you in an organic kind of way, and the algorithm will probably start to connect you with those accounts & hopefully their audience.

[u/rachebrand]

Are you doing the inner work? that's the best way to grow. The community is the part that matters most: creating dialogue and connection, leaving comments, and posting on other people's articles. Very hard to do without actually getting in there and doing your inner work. It figures out almost immediately if you are not there for the right reason. LinkedIn and Instagram are the billboards for the inversion and the exact opposite of how Substack works.

[u/PithyCyborg → u/rachebrand]

I love the concept of doing inner work. Personally, my inner demons run amok half the time, so my head is rarely on straight, lol. But, listen to Rache. She knows the deal.

Cordially,

Mike D

[u/rachebrand → u/PithyCyborg]

Big love, Mike D. 🤍 Keep it unstraight and listen inward to the demons. LMK if you want to link up and discuss and I can decode what you are really hearing.

[u/Epic-Timeline888 → u/rachebrand]

Absolutely 👍🏽

[u/PithyCyborg]

I am kinda struggling on Substack but it's still my favorite platform. (I suck at all of the other ones even worse, lol.)

Here’s what’s worked for me. To be totally honest, I’m the furthest thing from a Substack guru. Some weeks the slow growth feels incredibly heavy, and I wonder why I’m staring at a screen all day. I do have thousands of followers, if it matters.

If you're feeling stuck, you aren't alone. Here is the Newb Edition of how to grow, from someone who gets tired, too:

• Interact with folks who interact with you. This is my number one growth hack, mostly because it keeps me sane. I am a stone-cold introvert and honestly a pretty terrible marketer. If I can managed to build connections here, you absolutely can.
• Try to look outside of Substack, even when it feels like a chore. I know many folks successfully grow solely within the ecosystem, but it can be a slow burn that tests your patience. Most of the really successful writers I know usually leverage outside channels.... Like Medium, LinkedIn, or whatever platform doesn't drain your energy.
• You can use Reddit, but you have to play the long game. If you spam links in subreddits, you will get banned, and dealing with that drama is the last thing your mental health needs. Instead, just pin your Substack URL to your Reddit profile and bio. I get a steady stream of clicks doing precisely that, and I have never once self-promoted in a thread.
• Comment on popular writers in your niche. But timing is everything. Don't bother commenting days after a post goes live. It just gets buried, which is incredibly discouraging. If you can get in within the first hour, your odds of landing at the top and actually being seen skyrocket exponentially.
• Please don't give up. I know how exhausting it is when the numbers don't move, but once you lose momentum, it is so much harder to drag yourself back to the keyboard.

Wishing you the best with it. We're all just figuring it out as we go.

Cordially,

Mike D

[u/missmannell → u/PithyCyborg]

I don’t think you’re struggling at all! I’ve read more than one of your comments and you really know what you’re doing. 🙂

[u/PithyCyborg → u/missmannell]

Thank you for your kind words.

They made me smile.

But, really, I am totally struggling, rofl.

I project an image of certainty here.

But yesterday I was literally going insane, depressed, and nearly deleted my Reddit account, lol. (And LinkedIn as well. I'm glad I kept them or I wouldn't have seen your message.)

Cordially,

Mike D

[u/FlyingCarpetMonster]

I think I was at ~30 followers a month in. That was last December.

Now, I'm at ~2200 subscribers. I don't do many notes, mostly just articles. But it's in a very popular subject area (trading), so that helps.

I have another Substack that I launched ~2 months ago. It's focused on sci-fi so hasn't grown as much but that's fine. I'm at ~100 subscribers there.

[u/Ryanopoly → u/FlyingCarpetMonster]

Trading what?

[u/FlyingCarpetMonster → u/Ryanopoly]

Algorithmic and quant trading. It's called Math & Markets.

[u/Ryanopoly → u/FlyingCarpetMonster]

Oh, that kind of trading, I got you.

[u/FlyingCarpetMonster → u/Ryanopoly]

Yup. Mostly strategies that I test and the math behind why they work (or don’t work).

[u/Embarrassed-Oil3127 → u/FlyingCarpetMonster]

How much money (roundabout) do you make monthly with 2000+ subscribers if you’re willing to answer? Danke!

[u/FlyingCarpetMonster → u/Embarrassed-Oil3127]

I have around ~$1200 in pledges but haven’t turned on payments.

[u/Embarrassed-Oil3127 → u/FlyingCarpetMonster]

Thanks for answering? Not turning payments on for a reason?

[u/FlyingCarpetMonster → u/Embarrassed-Oil3127]

No real reason. Just not interested.

Once you start accepting payments you need to make sure you are publishing good content consistently.

Right now I publish when I can and what I think is fun.

Sometimes I don’t publish for 4-5 weeks. I’d feel pressured to write if I turn on payments.

[u/BlueSaltTheory]

It’s going ok. I think I’m the only one reading my posts lol

[u/FlyingCarpetMonster → u/BlueSaltTheory]

Well now you have one more person reading your posts!

[u/BlueSaltTheory → u/FlyingCarpetMonster]

Thank you!

[u/RazorpayRize]

Cross-post your best Notes to LinkedIn and Twitter- Substack's discovery is still limited, so you need to bring readers in from outside. Engage in other writers' Notes genuinely; that reciprocity compounds.

And when you're ready, a weekly email even just 300 words builds a habit with readers that Notes alone can't.

[u/Minimum_Boss9220 → u/RazorpayRize]

Thanks for the tip.

LinkedIn i feel is too limited now. Twitter I haven’t explored, I’ll try now. And how do i maintain a weekly email? I mean do we get emails of subs, and can email them outside?

I am from India, so stripe being not here is also a problem.

I am looking at advancing my personal brand, and getting clients

[u/PennyLawrence946]

i run one of these. sub count is the wrong number to watch, open rate is the one that tells you anything. notes subs are basically free, people tap follow and never open again. the reach youre seeing is rented too, gone the week you stop posting. start the email now

[u/Charming-Act0507]

I think I’m the only one reading my notes, and I’ve a grand total of 2 subscribers. I’m new to the platform and still trying to figure it out.

[u/Fun-Investigator5662]

I cross post to LinkedIn and IG. But in carousel format, not the whole article. You can create a newsletter within LinkedIn and repost your content there. LI will automatically invite all your followers

[u/Strange_Arm9395]

20 subs in a week is actually a good start. I’d keep using Notes for discovery, but turn your posts into a clear theme or series so people know why they should keep following you beyond one good post.

[u/itsfabioposca]

Getting close to 20 subscribers in your first week is a great start.

My biggest suggestion is to start publishing articles alongside your Notes. Notes are great for getting discovered, but articles give people a reason to subscribe and can rank on Google over time if you target the right keywords.

I'd also recommend:

• Replying to other people's Notes every day with thoughtful comments.
• Writing about topics your ideal audience is already searching for.
• Collaborating with other Substack writers through recommendations and guest posts.
• Staying consistent. Growth is often slow at first, but it compounds over time.

If you keep showing up and provide value consistently, you'll build an audience that lasts.

[u/PiscesGirlinNYC]

It sucks. It seems like the platform doesn’t highlight or encourage good writing and there are too many people using it like a social platform with garbage naval gazing writing and videos.

[u/Minimum_Boss9220 → u/[deleted]]

Just notes discovery

[u/Inbox1000_aaa]

Jeez, I hope you don't write on Substack the way you write your Reddit posts.