The newsletter platform and the social media website, Substack, has become one of the hottest rooms for online creators -and now brands and celebrities join the band wagon. Boast More than five million paid subscribers On the entire platform, Substack like me invites you to build an audience, earn money and connect with other readers and writers.
My name is Alex Lewis and I came to a substance in December 2022. My newsletter, Feels like at homeNow more than 3,500 subscribers are home to and receives over 20,000 monthly reading processes. I started the newsletter to explore some of my favorite things (such as music, sports and pop culture) and have a creative outlet outside of my 10-year career in social media marketing.
Here are the steps that I have taken to expand my newsletter by 7,000% in less than three years, and how to continue to avoid burnout and maintain my love for writing. Let us go into it.
1. I wrote about what I enjoy.
The beauty of the substance is that you can write more about everything you want, and there is a good chance that you will find people who actually want to read it.
When I started with my substance, I started to write about things I love, and the people and moments that shaped me. This made sure that my letter would always be personal and always felt pleasant because I write about topics that I am really interested in, such as: NBA basketball And Healthy masculinity.
Consistency is much more accessible if the letter and publication are less stressed. I look forward to returning to the side because I follow my curiosities – and what I often find on the other side of this persecution are people who love and feel the same things, as well as people who are not so familiar with the topic, but receive a newly discovered appreciation for it.
Ana Calin, whose How we grow Newsletter has hundreds of paid subscribers, Encouraged creator To write the newsletter you want to read – not the one you believe that he “appears”. “
While you can mark your newsletter under 1-2 categories through inserts to help readers find their publication, they do not have to penetrate a certain niche to grow. Share your interests can pave the way for connection and consistency.
2. I cared for the people who have already supported me.
Substack makes your letter accessible to people who want to read it.
Before they joined Substack, sharing my work on Instagram, LinkedIn and X had the only way for people to find out that I published something new. Friends would tell me that they missed something I wrote because the algorithm was not available to them.
I decided to join Substack and started publishing a newsletter because I wanted the people who enjoyed getting my work directly in their inbox. While I am still posting my publication on social media, E -Mail is far from the top traffic driver of my newsletter and generates 186% more views than the Substack app (which is my next next).
By inviting the readers to choose an easier way to read my work, I started my trip to the substance with over 100 subscribers in the first week. That is more than 100 people who could share my newsletter and invite others to subscribe and share.
If you already have an audience but have problems reaching them online, you should start a newsletter.
As listed by Seth Werkheiser who writes his Social media escape club Newsletters to more than 6,000 subscribers: “Direct access to your audience is so important and the time and energy are very worth.”
Social media algorithms are unreliable. You can take over your email list via the Substack and speak directly to your audience, while you will continue to make support for your longstanding supporters.
3. I focused on consistent quality over consistent quantity.
Just because your favorite author author does not mean every day that you need to need it.
I started to observe that I achieved two new attachments per month before I started entering Substack. These were not just disparaged ideas; They were well researched, thoughtful, long -term pieces that came through reading, life, listening and struggling.
After starting my newsletter, I started a series of content. Take it or leave itto fill the gaps between essays. These began as weekly drops, but I shifted the cadence at the beginning of this year to monthly, when I learned how difficult it was to maintain a weekly rhythm-especially because writing is not my full-time job.
I also knew that my greatest metric for success was the work I am proud of, and that takes time. I am proud of it. I think this is work that readers can find at any time and still find a value.
The consistency in relation to their publication is often bound as growth. But Sarah Fay, whose Substack authors at work The newsletter has over 36,000 subscribers, says“The algorithm of the substance does not prefer the frequency.”
Fay adds: “Commitment is what counts.”
If you publish more, you can bring your newsletter to people more often, but it can also make your work difficult to keep up with the reader that has already been shaped or even bomb with the readers. By concentrating on a consistent quality over the increase in your quantity, you can provide better work that your readers do not want to miss because you know that you always do your best.
4. I “stole” my favorite authors.
Your colleagues are the best blueprint for getting started.
I started my interruption trip out of a mood. After months in which I had prescribed the start of a newsletter, I finally decided to jump everything. Didn’t know where to start, I looked at publications by substance authors who have already followed me, such as: Hunter Harris And Emily Sundberg.
By looking at your newsletter, I gained a better understanding of how I wanted to structure my overside and what I should include in the header and footer of my e -mails. While I made the words about my own, they helped me to learn what is possible with my publication.
Austin Kleon, whose Self -titled substance has written the book 297,000 subscribers. Steal like an artist. Within the guideline, Kleon fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto quotes: “Start copying what you love. Copy copy. At the end of the copy you will find yourself.”
Your best way to the front is not a plagiarism. It learns from the authors and creators who admire them. It allows the best of what you do, inspire you to do the best job you can.
Some of my favorite sub -stackers are:
5. I accepted playfulness and experiments.
There is no way to appear on the substance.
Since I started my newsletter, I have tried different types of articles outside of essays and content recommendations. I interviewed artists who I admire, like Louisville Rapper Horace Gaither and Senior Social Media Manager Jenn Crim. I have written Love letters with my best friends and worked on Series of conversation with other writers.
For reasons of self -care and creative freedom, I resist the rules and restrictions when it comes to substantial. I treat my newsletter as a playground instead of a prison. I set the guidelines for my creativity. And just like my own small playground, I can choose what I want to play with and how long I want to play with it.
Robert Monson, whose Considerations from a broken heart Newsletter has more than 7,000 subscribers, Is there “Permission to play and not perfectly on the substance.” Followers of his work, including me, swing with Robert’s openness and mark the journey where he decides.
Try things. Follow your curiosities and see where you could lead them. Mike Sowden from Everything is amazing Newsletter said His first year on the substance was “only experimented with everything”.
He also noticed: “I just didn’t want to write things that did not fill me with joy, curiosity and amazement.”
Sowden now has over 31,000 subscribers. Even if your playfulness does not lead to audience growth, this could lead to more joy – and that is just as important.
6. I shared my substalt of Substack.
There is an entire world outside of the substance that doesn’t know anything about your newsletter.
Before I came to a substance, I wrote an essay on rapper Kid Cudi, which I have had since then Newly published On my newsletter. I didn’t think about it, I divided the essay on Twitter (now X) and marked with Cudi. Less than 10 minutes later, he retired the essay and presented my letter to his millions of supporters.
I have transferred this strategy to Substack and now apply my newsletter regularly on social media. Some of my most popular pieces achieved traction on platforms such as X, threads and LinkedIn, which were more traffic for my newsletter.
Andy Adams who publishes Flacphoto Digest On over 38,000 Substack subscribers, listed“Instagram plays an important role in my Substack Workflow.” He added: “((Instagram) was instrumental in expanding the audience for my Substack newsletter. For me they go hand in hand.”
You are already on social media. Use it to bring your substance to more people. In a way, it can even be an expansion of your newsletter by inviting new readers to get deeper into their work.
7. I benefited from the characteristics of Substack.
Substack is packed with tools with which you can expand your newsletter audience.
The Substack network, including app functions such as Notes And ChatDriven 86% of my newsletter subscribers. Because cultural journalist Ayan Artan Recommended my substance using the platform’s platform Recommendation At the beginning of this year, feature won almost 1,000 subscribers in one month.
I regularly prohibit other authors and readers on notes that are similar to short-form contents such as X and threads. Notes also introduced me to new substances and inspired me. I am a better artist and a better person because of the relationships that I could build on the substance.
Mario Gabriele von The generalist says: “Substack is not just a place to publish or read – it is an ecosystem for writers and creators to work together and contribute to the growth of the other.”
You don’t have to go somewhere else to grow. Your new readers are waiting for you on the substance.
8. I was captured.
Substack growth could happen overnight, but it is more likely that it will take time.
I have been in substantial for more than two and a half years and it took over a year to reach my first 1,000 newsletter subscribers. Six months later, I won almost 1,000 subscribers in a month.
While every month looks different, my greatest achievement is that I have always returned to the side. Writing was a pleasure for me and I am grateful that I can promote this love through my newsletter.
Mika who publishes the Considerations of Mika Newsletter, wrote about Plateau on substance. “My secret sauce on the substantive enjoys the journey instead of only fixing the goal,” she said.
Mika continued this topic and wrote: “Showing and honoring what they have appointed to write, accept their authenticity, trigger real connections and release creativity, is the real magic of the substance!”
Sometimes the best for their growth can be to put the numbers aside and to remember what has primarily brought them to the substalt. She will keep that going even if the growth slows down.