The publication platform and social media web site, Substack, has develop into considered one of the freshest areas for on-line creators—and now manufacturers and celebrities are becoming a member of the bandwagon. Boasting greater than 5 million paid subscribers around the platform, Substack invitations creators like myself to construct an target audience, generate profits, and connect to different readers and writers.
My identify is Alex Lewis, and I joined Substack in December 2022. My publication, Feels Like House, is now house to greater than 3,500 subscribers and receives over 20,000 per 30 days reads. I began the publication to discover a few of my favourite issues (like song, sports activities, and popular culture) and to have an inventive outlet outdoor of my 10-year occupation in social media advertising and marketing.
Listed below are the stairs I took to develop my publication via 7,000% in lower than 3 years and the way it continues to lend a hand me steer clear of burnout and handle my love for writing. Let’s get into it.
1. I wrote about what I experience.
The wonderful thing about Substack is you’ll be able to write about no matter you wish to have, and there’s a great opportunity you’ll to find individuals who in truth need to learn it.
When beginning my Substack, I got down to write about issues I like and the folk and moments that experience formed me. This ensured that my writing would all the time be private and all the time really feel stress-free as a result of I’m writing about subjects that I’m if truth be told all in favour of, corresponding to NBA basketball and wholesome masculinity.
Consistency is a lot more doable when writing and publishing really feel like much less of a burden. I am getting excited to go back to the web page as a result of I’m following my curiosities—and what I regularly to find at the different aspect of this pursuit are individuals who love the similar issues and really feel noticed, in addition to individuals who aren’t as conversant in the subject however achieve a newfound appreciation for it.
Ana Calin, whose How We Develop publication has masses of paid subscribers, encourages creators to “write the publication you could possibly need to learn—now not the only you assume will ‘carry out.’” She provides, “Readers can inform whilst you’re being unique, they usually’ll stick round to your voice—now not some polished model of what you assume they would like.”
Whilst Substack allows you to label your publication below 1-2 classes to lend a hand readers to find your e-newsletter, you don’t need to nook your self into a selected area of interest with a purpose to develop. Sharing your pursuits can pave the way in which for connection and consistency.
2. I nurtured the individuals who already supported me.
Substack makes your writing obtainable for individuals who need to learn it.
Earlier than becoming a member of Substack, sharing my paintings on Instagram, LinkedIn, and X felt like the one manner for other folks to be told that I revealed one thing new. Buddies would inform me they neglected one thing I wrote for the reason that set of rules didn’t serve my posts to them.
I selected to sign up for Substack and get started publishing a publication as a result of I sought after the individuals who loved studying my paintings to obtain it at once of their inbox. Whilst I nonetheless submit about my e-newsletter on social media, e mail is my publication’s most sensible site visitors motive force via some distance, producing 186% extra perspectives than the Substack app (which is my subsequent closest).
Through inviting readers to decide into an more straightforward solution to learn my paintings, I began my Substack adventure with over 100 subscribers throughout the first week. That’s greater than 100 individuals who may just proportion my publication and invite others to subscribe and start sharing.
If you have already got an target audience however are having hassle achieving them on-line, believe beginning a publication.
As famous via Seth Werkheiser, who writes his Social Media Get away Membership publication to greater than 6,000 subscribers, “Direct get entry to in your target audience is so necessary, and really a lot well worth the time and effort.”
Social media algorithms are unreliable. Via Substack, you’ll be able to take possession of your e mail checklist and discuss at once in your target audience whilst making it more straightforward to your long-time supporters to proceed supporting.
3. I fascinated with constant high quality over constant amount.
Simply because your favourite Substack creator posts on a daily basis doesn’t imply you wish to have to.
What I started to look at, previous to becoming a member of Substack, is that I averaged two new essays per 30 days. Those weren’t simply throwaway concepts; they have been well-researched, considerate, long-form items that got here because of studying, residing, listening, and wrestling.
After I began my publication, I introduced a content material advice collection, Take It or Depart It, to fill within the gaps between essays. Those began as weekly drops, however I shifted the cadence to per 30 days originally of this 12 months as I realized how difficult it was once to handle a weekly rhythm—particularly since writing isn’t my full-time process.
Additionally, I knew my largest metric for good fortune was once making paintings I’m pleased with, and that takes time. Paintings I’m pleased with is figure I’m pleased with returning to and need to proportion even after its put up date. That is paintings I imagine readers can come to at any level and nonetheless to find price in.
Consistency, on the subject of how a lot you submit, is regularly mentioned as being tied to enlargement. However Sarah Fay, whose Substack Writers at Paintings publication has over 36,000 subscribers, says, “Substack’s set of rules doesn’t want frequency.”
Fay provides, “Engagement is what issues.”
Posting extra might get your publication in entrance of other folks extra regularly, however it could additionally make your paintings tougher to stay alongside of and even bombard readers’ already jam-packed inboxes. Through specializing in constant high quality over upping your amount, you’ll be able to do a greater process of turning in paintings your readers received’t need to pass over as a result of they know you all the time carry your best possible.
4. I “stole” from my favourite writers.
Your fellow Substack writers are the most efficient blueprint for purchasing began.
I started my Substack adventure on a whim. After months of disposing of beginning a publication, I in the end determined to leap all in. No longer understanding the place to start, I checked out publications from Substack writers I already adopted, corresponding to Hunter Harris and Emily Sundberg.
Through having a look at their newsletters, I won a greater working out of ways I sought after to construction my About web page, in addition to what to incorporate within the header and footer of my emails. Whilst I made the phrases my very own, they helped me be told what’s imaginable with my e-newsletter.
Austin Kleon, whose self-titled Substack has 297,000 subscribers, authored the e-book, Thieve Like An Artist. Inside the information, Kleon quotes model dressmaker Yohji Yamamoto: “Get started copying what you’re keen on. Reproduction replica replica replica. On the finish of the replica you’re going to to find yourself.”
Your best possible trail ahead isn’t plagiarism; it’s finding out from the writers and creators you respect. It’s letting the most efficient of what they do encourage you to make the most efficient paintings you’ll be able to.
A couple of of my favourite Substackers are:
5. I embraced playfulness and experimentation.
There’s no person solution to display up on Substack.
Since beginning my publication, I’ve attempted various kinds of posts outdoor of long-form essays and content material suggestions. I’ve interviewed artists I love, corresponding to Louisville rapper Horace Gaither and senior social media supervisor Jenn Crim. I’ve written love letters with my best possible buddies and collaborated on dialog collection with different writers.
For the sake of self-care and inventive freedom, I withstand regulations and restrictions relating to Substack. I deal with my publication as a playground as an alternative of a jail. I set the information for my creativity. And identical to my very own little playground, I will pick out and make a choice what I need to play with, in addition to how lengthy I need to play with it.
Robert Monson, whose Musings From A Damaged Center publication has greater than 7,000 subscribers, provides himself “permission to play and now not seem best on Substack.” Supporters of his paintings, together with myself, resonate with Robert’s openness and tag alongside for the experience anyplace he chooses to head.
Take a look at stuff. Observe your curiosities and spot the place they may take you. Mike Sowden of the The whole lot is Superb publication stated his first 12 months on Substack was once “simply experimenting with the entirety.”
He additionally famous, “I simply didn’t need to write stuff that didn’t fill me with pleasure, interest, and beauty.”
Sowden now has over 31,000 subscribers. Despite the fact that your playfulness doesn’t result in target audience enlargement, it could result in extra pleasure—and that’s simply as necessary.
6. I shared about my Substack off of Substack.
There’s a complete international outdoor of Substack that doesn’t find out about your publication.
Earlier than becoming a member of Substack, I wrote an essay about rapper Child Cudi, which I’ve since re-published on my publication. No longer pondering anything else of it, I shared the essay on Twitter (now X) and tagged Cudi. Lower than 10 mins later, he retweeted the essay and offered my writing to his hundreds of thousands of fans.
I carried that technique over to Substack and now often advertise my publication on social media. A few of my hottest items won traction on platforms like X, Threads, and LinkedIn, which drove extra site visitors to my publication.
Andy Adams, who publishes FlakPhoto Digest to over 38,000 Substack subscribers, famous, “Instagram performs a vital position in my Substack workflow.” He added, “[Instagram] has been instrumental in rising the target audience for my Substack publication. For me, they move hand in hand.”
You’re already on social media. Use it to get your Substack in entrance of extra other folks. In many ways, it could also be an extension of your publication via inviting new readers to dive deeper into your paintings.
7. I benefited from Substacks’s options.
Substack is jam-packed with gear that can assist you develop your publication target audience.
The Substack Community, together with app options like Notes and Chat, has pushed 86% of my publication subscribers. As a result of tradition journalist Ayan Artan really useful my Substack the use of the platform’s Advice characteristic, I won just about 1,000 subscribers in a single month at first of this 12 months.
I often connect to different writers and readers on Notes, which is analogous to short-form content material channels like X and Threads. Notes has additionally offered me to new Substacks and saved me impressed. I’m a greater artist and individual as a result of the relationships I’ve been in a position to construct on Substack.
Mario Gabriele of The Generalist says, “Substack isn’t only a position to put up or learn – it’s an ecosystem for writers and creators to collaborate and give a contribution to each other’s enlargement.”
You don’t have to head somewhere else to develop. Your new readers are looking forward to you on Substack.
8. I caught with it.
Substack enlargement may just occur in a single day, nevertheless it’s much more likely to take time.
I’ve been on Substack for greater than two and a part years, and it took over a 12 months for me to succeed in my first 1,000 publication subscribers. Six months later, I won just about 1,000 subscribers in a single month.
Whilst each and every month appears other, my largest success is that I’ve saved returning to the web page. Writing has been a supply of pleasure for me, and I’m grateful that I am getting to nurture that love thru my publication.
Mika, who publishes the musings via mika publication, wrote about plateauing on Substack. “My secret sauce on Substack is taking part in the adventure fairly than fixating only at the vacation spot,” she shared.
Proceeding in this subject, Mika wrote, “Appearing up and honoring what you’re feeling referred to as to put in writing, embracing your authenticity, sparking actual connections, and unleashing creativity is the true magic of Substack!”
On occasion, the most efficient factor to your enlargement could also be surroundings the numbers apart and remembering what introduced you to Substack within the first position. That can stay you going even though enlargement slows down.
