The e-newsletter platform and social media web site, Substack, has develop into one of many hottest areas for on-line creators—and now manufacturers and celebrities are becoming a member of the bandwagon. Boasting more than five million paid subscribers throughout the platform, Substack invitations creators like myself to construct an viewers, earn cash, and join with different readers and writers.
My identify is Alex Lewis, and I joined Substack in December 2022. My e-newsletter, Feels Like Home, is now dwelling to greater than 3,500 subscribers and receives over 20,000 month-to-month reads. I began the e-newsletter to discover a few of my favourite issues (like music, sports activities, and popular culture) and to have a inventive outlet outdoors of my 10-year profession in social media advertising and marketing.
Listed here are the steps I took to develop my e-newsletter by 7,000% in lower than three years and the way it continues to assist me keep away from burnout and preserve my love for writing. Let’s get into it.
1. I wrote about what I get pleasure from.
The great thing about Substack is you may write about no matter you need, and there’s an excellent likelihood you’ll discover individuals who really need to learn it.
When beginning my Substack, I got down to write about issues I really like and the individuals and moments which have formed me. This ensured that my writing would all the time be private and all the time really feel pleasant as a result of I’m writing about subjects that I’m genuinely fascinated with, comparable to NBA basketball and healthy masculinity.
Consistency is far more attainable when writing and publishing really feel like much less of a burden. I get excited to return to the web page as a result of I’m following my curiosities—and what I typically discover on the opposite facet of this pursuit are individuals who love the identical issues and really feel seen, in addition to individuals who aren’t as conversant in the subject however achieve a newfound appreciation for it.
Ana Calin, whose How We Grow e-newsletter has a whole bunch of paid subscribers, encourages creators to “write the e-newsletter you’d need to learn—not the one you assume will ‘carry out.’” She provides, “Readers can inform whenever you’re being genuine, and so they’ll stick round on your voice—not some polished model of what you assume they need.”
Whereas Substack enables you to label your e-newsletter underneath 1-2 classes to assist readers discover your publication, you don’t need to nook your self into a selected area of interest as a way to develop. Sharing your pursuits can pave the best way for connection and consistency.
2. I nurtured the individuals who already supported me.
Substack makes your writing accessible for individuals who need to learn it.
Earlier than becoming a member of Substack, sharing my work on Instagram, LinkedIn, and X felt like the one method for individuals to be taught that I printed one thing new. Pals would inform me they missed one thing I wrote as a result of the algorithm didn’t serve my posts to them.
I selected to hitch Substack and begin publishing a e-newsletter as a result of I needed the individuals who loved studying my work to obtain it straight of their inbox. Whereas I nonetheless put up about my publication on social media, electronic mail is my e-newsletter’s prime site visitors driver by far, producing 186% extra views than the Substack app (which is my subsequent closest).
By inviting readers to decide into a neater option to learn my work, I began my Substack journey with over 100 subscribers throughout the first week. That’s greater than 100 individuals who might share my e-newsletter and invite others to subscribe and start sharing.
If you have already got an viewers however are having bother reaching them on-line, think about beginning a e-newsletter.
As noted by Seth Werkheiser, who writes his Social Media Escape Club e-newsletter to greater than 6,000 subscribers, “Direct entry to your viewers is so necessary, and really a lot definitely worth the time and power.”
Social media algorithms are unreliable. By means of Substack, you may take possession of your electronic mail checklist and communicate on to your viewers whereas making it simpler on your long-time supporters to proceed supporting.
3. I centered on constant high quality over constant amount.
Simply because your favourite Substack author posts day-after-day doesn’t imply you must.
What I started to watch, previous to becoming a member of Substack, is that I averaged two new essays monthly. These weren’t simply throwaway concepts; they had been well-researched, considerate, long-form items that got here on account of studying, dwelling, listening, and wrestling.
As soon as I began my e-newsletter, I launched a content material suggestion collection, Take It or Leave It, to fill within the gaps between essays. These began as weekly drops, however I shifted the cadence to month-to-month at first of this 12 months as I discovered how difficult it was to take care of a weekly rhythm—particularly since writing isn’t my full-time job.
Additionally, I knew my largest metric for fulfillment was making work I’m pleased with, and that takes time. Work I’m pleased with is figure I’m snug with returning to and need to share even after its publish date. That is work I consider readers can come to at any level and nonetheless discover worth in.
Consistency, by way of how a lot you put up, is commonly mentioned as being tied to development. However Sarah Fay, whose Substack Writers at Work e-newsletter has over 36,000 subscribers, says, “Substack’s algorithm doesn’t favor frequency.”
Fay provides, “Engagement is what issues.”
Posting extra could get your e-newsletter in entrance of individuals extra typically, however it may well additionally make your work more durable to maintain up with and even bombard readers’ already jam-packed inboxes. By specializing in constant high quality over upping your amount, you are able to do a greater job of delivering work your readers gained’t need to miss as a result of they know you all the time convey your greatest.
4. I “stole” from my favourite writers.
Your fellow Substack writers are the most effective blueprint for getting began.
I started my Substack journey on a whim. After months of laying aside beginning a e-newsletter, I lastly determined to leap all in. Not figuring out the place to start, I checked out publications from Substack writers I already adopted, comparable to Hunter Harris and Emily Sundberg.
By taking a look at their newsletters, I gained a greater understanding of how I needed to construction my About web page, in addition to what to incorporate within the header and footer of my emails. Whereas I made the phrases my very own, they helped me be taught what’s attainable with my publication.
Austin Kleon, whose self-titled Substack has 297,000 subscribers, authored the e book, Steal Like An Artist. Throughout the information, Kleon quotes dressmaker Yohji Yamamoto: “Begin copying what you like. Copy copy copy copy. On the finish of the copy you can find your self.”
Your greatest path ahead isn’t plagiarism; it’s studying from the writers and creators you admire. It’s letting the most effective of what they do encourage you to make the most effective work you may.
A couple of of my favourite Substackers are:
5. I embraced playfulness and experimentation.
There’s nobody option to present up on Substack.
Since beginning my e-newsletter, I’ve tried various kinds of posts outdoors of long-form essays and content material suggestions. I’ve interviewed artists I love, comparable to Louisville rapper Horace Gaither and senior social media supervisor Jenn Crim. I’ve written love letters with my greatest buddies and collaborated on conversation series with different writers.
For the sake of self-care and inventive freedom, I resist guidelines and restrictions with regards to Substack. I deal with my e-newsletter as a playground as an alternative of a jail. I set the rules for my creativity. And similar to my very own little playground, I can decide and select what I need to play with, in addition to how lengthy I need to play with it.
Robert Monson, whose Musings From A Broken Heart e-newsletter has greater than 7,000 subscribers, gives himself “permission to play and never seem good on Substack.” Supporters of his work, together with myself, resonate with Robert’s openness and tag alongside for the trip wherever he chooses to go.
Attempt stuff. Comply with your curiosities and see the place they may take you. Mike Sowden of the Everything is Amazing e-newsletter said his first 12 months on Substack was “simply experimenting with all the things.”
He additionally famous, “I simply didn’t need to write stuff that didn’t fill me with pleasure, curiosity, and surprise.”
Sowden now has over 31,000 subscribers. Even when your playfulness doesn’t result in viewers development, it would result in extra pleasure—and that’s simply as necessary.
6. I shared about my Substack off of Substack.
There’s a complete world outdoors of Substack that doesn’t learn about your e-newsletter.
Earlier than becoming a member of Substack, I wrote an essay about rapper Child Cudi, which I’ve since re-published on my e-newsletter. Not considering something of it, I shared the essay on Twitter (now X) and tagged Cudi. Lower than 10 minutes later, he retweeted the essay and launched my writing to his thousands and thousands of followers.
I carried that technique over to Substack and now repeatedly promote my e-newsletter on social media. A few of my hottest items gained traction on platforms like X, Threads, and LinkedIn, which drove extra site visitors to my e-newsletter.
Andy Adams, who publishes FlakPhoto Digest to over 38,000 Substack subscribers, noted, “Instagram performs a major position in my Substack workflow.” He added, “[Instagram] has been instrumental in rising the viewers for my Substack e-newsletter. For me, they go hand in hand.”
You’re already on social media. Use it to get your Substack in entrance of extra individuals. In some methods, it may well even be an extension of your e-newsletter by inviting new readers to dive deeper into your work.
7. I benefited from Substacks’s options.
Substack is jam-packed with instruments that will help you develop your e-newsletter viewers.
The Substack Community, together with app options like Notes and Chat, has pushed 86% of my e-newsletter subscribers. As a result of tradition journalist Ayan Artan beneficial my Substack utilizing the platform’s Recommendation function, I gained practically 1,000 subscribers in a single month initially of this 12 months.
I repeatedly join with different writers and readers on Notes, which has similarities to short-form content material channels like X and Threads. Notes has additionally launched me to new Substacks and stored me impressed. I’m a greater artist and particular person due to the relationships I’ve been in a position to construct on Substack.
Mario Gabriele of The Generalist says, “Substack isn’t only a place to publish or learn – it’s an ecosystem for writers and creators to collaborate and contribute to 1 one other’s development.”
You don’t need to go elsewhere to develop. Your new readers are ready for you on Substack.
8. I caught with it.
Substack development might occur in a single day, but it surely’s extra prone to take time.
I’ve been on Substack for greater than two and a half years, and it took over a 12 months for me to achieve my first 1,000 e-newsletter subscribers. Six months later, I gained practically 1,000 subscribers in a single month.
Whereas every month seems to be totally different, my biggest achievement is that I’ve stored returning to the web page. Writing has been a supply of pleasure for me, and I’m grateful that I get to nurture that love by way of my e-newsletter.
Mika, who publishes the musings by mika e-newsletter, wrote about plateauing on Substack. “My secret sauce on Substack is having fun with the journey reasonably than fixating solely on the vacation spot,” she shared.
Persevering with on this matter, Mika wrote, “Exhibiting up and honoring what you’re feeling known as to jot down, embracing your authenticity, sparking actual connections, and unleashing creativity is the true magic of Substack!”
Generally, the most effective factor on your development could also be setting the numbers apart and remembering what introduced you to Substack within the first place. That may maintain you going even when development slows down.
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