I had just about had it with Substack advice. I was tempted to not even read this post.
But I did—and it's refreshingly great. So great that I'm going to print it out, keep it on my desk, and not read any other advice for the rest of the year.
Agree!! This advice is SOLID! It is so great that she shared perspectives from so many other Substackers who have found their place here on the platform.
Newly arrived here, super helpful to hear what others have figured out. As someone who was blogging back in 2008, I agree with Beth Kempton, there’s a similar feeling of collegiality to those early days.
Same. That was the comment that resonated with me too. I started blogging I think back in 2007 and there was a community aspect to it vs a gimmicky salesy feel.
Wow this is so helpful. I've noticed how much more authentic this platform seems to be compared to others online. This genuine and encouraging advice from those who have been at it a while makes me even more excited to dive in just for the pure joy of it and let growth happen more naturally.
There is an interesting thread here in comments about a disillusionment or a pissed offness with Substack advice on growth. I get it. And so, I was almost not going to read your post, Claire. But I’m glad I did for its collegiate message.
I don’t think I’m off to alter my approach here (The Tarnished Gloriole, weekly instalments, free, have a look, subscribe if you like it…I just hype it everywhere as we are each our own publicists, and, after all, I’m its writer so I have a responsibility to its growth) and there are some suggestions that resonate and some that don’t so much. It’s more the sense of being part of a conversation with people who are thinking about how to approach it all.
I guess my takeaway is - above all else - to do the work on my Stack, be cool and open on Notes, not kvetch and plotz about all the growth froth you can’t do anything about because it just is what it is and just such an inevitability on a gig like this. Keep it light: just because the work is serious, doesn’t mean overthinking the stuff around the edges.
The growth froth! I love that phrase! I think Substack is unique in internet marketing land (where I’ve spend some timeeeeeee, folks) in that you have a big contingent of true writers, and so there’s this critical wave that is critical (said twice) who push against the How-To growth frothers. It makes an interesting for an intersting soup of growth deniers with growth frothers, hitting against each other, with some of the frogs eventually getting out of the bucket to soar, in one way or another. Not frogs? I forget.
Yay! Did you turn on paid immediately for all posts? How did you break it up / or how do you recommend?
"Turn on paid immediately. This was advice I took from a free workshop by Farrah @Substack as I already had an audience, I got to share with them what I was doing and invite them to come with me at a pilot price"
I used to only do a monthly so I kept that free. But told the monthly people I would be offering extra posts for paid. Some are prompts so I make the prompt itself and first bit of advice free and then you pay for extra. Everything else like personal essays or monthly lives is under PayPal. BUT I like to make gifts for my free so every now and again will do advice articles for them too.
I am no expert so definitely can’t recommend other than being super clear for yourself what is free and what isn’t.
AND making sure that is sustainable. I think people can overcook content at first when they turn on paid and then they burn out
Sounds cool! I could be wrong but it's based on my own experience - this is an estimate and yet I see it growing everyday, which is why I need this follow limit lifted ASAP! I will send you a screen shot of the pop up limit message.
Thanks for reaching out to all these smart Substackers--very smart of you to do so and generous of you to share with us. So many tips and tricks to try out here. Appreciate it!
Thank you so much for including me. Some great advice here. I was very much making it up as I went along when I wrote that post - still am, but with more consistency🤣 I think my main strategy here is to have a good time❤️
There are lots of books and crannies in the “Substack advice world,” and this just kinda Keeps It Simple, Stupid from some people who’ve made it reasonably big here.
Glad to hear it. It's interesting. I've heard complaints about how the Substack advice world is growing, and I get it - but it seems par for the course; it always does in any network...
This is a bomb of a post! Thank you so much for this, Claire. I absolutely love the ideas gathered here - they are inspired and meant to keep us all motivated.
Hi Claire, I thought I disabled free trials, is it showing up as an option for you? 🧐
I didn’t want to use it as I have had some people come in and leave immediately, who are writing in the same genre which made me feel uncomfortable! I think for mine a longer term commitment is better so I’m trying to encourage annual subscriptions with a lower investment.
Yes -- I just looked! That was one of the tips from one of the folks in the piece so it stood out to me. (Although I know some writers do say it works for them.)
I also disabled it because I have £100’s worth of downloadable content for paid subscribers so it doesn’t sit right. I will investigate. It works for some though, you could try it for a month and see what happens. I know I wouldn’t bother using it as a reader - if I want to invest, I will!
I had just about had it with Substack advice. I was tempted to not even read this post.
But I did—and it's refreshingly great. So great that I'm going to print it out, keep it on my desk, and not read any other advice for the rest of the year.
Thank you.
Agree!! This advice is SOLID! It is so great that she shared perspectives from so many other Substackers who have found their place here on the platform.
Makes me feel all cozy and... not alone on Substack :-).
That's so kind! Thanks!
Man, snap.
Newly arrived here, super helpful to hear what others have figured out. As someone who was blogging back in 2008, I agree with Beth Kempton, there’s a similar feeling of collegiality to those early days.
Hi Jonathan! Blast from the past. Yes, also like Twitter in 2006-2008, I'd say!
So true. Though with twitter, you were as likely to get the fail whale as you were to be able to tweet back then, but we loved it anyway.
Love me a fail whale! ;)
Oh the days of Google Reader!
Same. That was the comment that resonated with me too. I started blogging I think back in 2007 and there was a community aspect to it vs a gimmicky salesy feel.
Totally. The blogspot days. No mailing lists. No selling. Speaking of which, I got a notice recently I had to log in to prevent deletion. Beware!
Thanks for letting me know
I didnt get that notice. I had actually totally forgot about my old blog until recently.
Don't let it die!
Wow this is so helpful. I've noticed how much more authentic this platform seems to be compared to others online. This genuine and encouraging advice from those who have been at it a while makes me even more excited to dive in just for the pure joy of it and let growth happen more naturally.
a MUST read {!!!!!!}
yay!
There is an interesting thread here in comments about a disillusionment or a pissed offness with Substack advice on growth. I get it. And so, I was almost not going to read your post, Claire. But I’m glad I did for its collegiate message.
I don’t think I’m off to alter my approach here (The Tarnished Gloriole, weekly instalments, free, have a look, subscribe if you like it…I just hype it everywhere as we are each our own publicists, and, after all, I’m its writer so I have a responsibility to its growth) and there are some suggestions that resonate and some that don’t so much. It’s more the sense of being part of a conversation with people who are thinking about how to approach it all.
I guess my takeaway is - above all else - to do the work on my Stack, be cool and open on Notes, not kvetch and plotz about all the growth froth you can’t do anything about because it just is what it is and just such an inevitability on a gig like this. Keep it light: just because the work is serious, doesn’t mean overthinking the stuff around the edges.
The growth froth! I love that phrase! I think Substack is unique in internet marketing land (where I’ve spend some timeeeeeee, folks) in that you have a big contingent of true writers, and so there’s this critical wave that is critical (said twice) who push against the How-To growth frothers. It makes an interesting for an intersting soup of growth deniers with growth frothers, hitting against each other, with some of the frogs eventually getting out of the bucket to soar, in one way or another. Not frogs? I forget.
I’m going to do as my publication says and Hype myself and stick mine in here. Just because I’m very much a one-size fits no-one and I’ve definitely grown in some ways I’ve been told not to on here:https://hypeyourself.substack.com/p/borrow-everything-i-know-about-growing
Yay! Did you turn on paid immediately for all posts? How did you break it up / or how do you recommend?
"Turn on paid immediately. This was advice I took from a free workshop by Farrah @Substack as I already had an audience, I got to share with them what I was doing and invite them to come with me at a pilot price"
I used to only do a monthly so I kept that free. But told the monthly people I would be offering extra posts for paid. Some are prompts so I make the prompt itself and first bit of advice free and then you pay for extra. Everything else like personal essays or monthly lives is under PayPal. BUT I like to make gifts for my free so every now and again will do advice articles for them too.
I am no expert so definitely can’t recommend other than being super clear for yourself what is free and what isn’t.
AND making sure that is sustainable. I think people can overcook content at first when they turn on paid and then they burn out
So you have an immediate paywall on those everything else posts?
I do have a FREE to read section and try to do some of my best or most helpful writing there outside of my monthly.
Sometimes paywall is immediate, sometimes lower down, depends on the type of post.
I really dig your willingness to hype your work . Cool.
Walk your talk and all that....
Walk!
For a minute I thought I had written a bad typo 🤦🏻♀️
;;)
Sounds cool! I could be wrong but it's based on my own experience - this is an estimate and yet I see it growing everyday, which is why I need this follow limit lifted ASAP! I will send you a screen shot of the pop up limit message.
Thanks for reaching out to all these smart Substackers--very smart of you to do so and generous of you to share with us. So many tips and tricks to try out here. Appreciate it!
Glad you liked!
Thank you so much for including me. Some great advice here. I was very much making it up as I went along when I wrote that post - still am, but with more consistency🤣 I think my main strategy here is to have a good time❤️
I just saw your book front and center in a small bookstore in Rio de Janeiro. Looked beautiful, as always ❤️
Oh how lovely! It’s amazing how they travel. Thank you for letting me know. Hope you had a great time there Xx
Thanks for doing this.
There are lots of books and crannies in the “Substack advice world,” and this just kinda Keeps It Simple, Stupid from some people who’ve made it reasonably big here.
Glad to hear it. It's interesting. I've heard complaints about how the Substack advice world is growing, and I get it - but it seems par for the course; it always does in any network...
Thanks for sharing my post!
Thanks to you! I love your newsletter!
Fantastic roundup. Thank you for sharing this.
glad you liked!
Great roundup so helpful, some new to me Substackers with great advice, thank you for sharing 😊
Thanks for reading!
This is a bomb of a post! Thank you so much for this, Claire. I absolutely love the ideas gathered here - they are inspired and meant to keep us all motivated.
I'm so glad you like it. Would love any links you've found to particularly good posts also.
This is such a great round up, thank you! I love these kinds of posts, they are all about support and community in the end! 🙏🏻
I wrote my reflections after two months here last month if it’s of interest: https://lettersfromtherapy.substack.com/p/two-months-on-substack-my-story-so
Oh thanks for this! I see you're using the 7-day trial. Has that worked for you?
Hi Claire, I thought I disabled free trials, is it showing up as an option for you? 🧐
I didn’t want to use it as I have had some people come in and leave immediately, who are writing in the same genre which made me feel uncomfortable! I think for mine a longer term commitment is better so I’m trying to encourage annual subscriptions with a lower investment.
Yes -- I just looked! That was one of the tips from one of the folks in the piece so it stood out to me. (Although I know some writers do say it works for them.)
I also disabled it because I have £100’s worth of downloadable content for paid subscribers so it doesn’t sit right. I will investigate. It works for some though, you could try it for a month and see what happens. I know I wouldn’t bother using it as a reader - if I want to invest, I will!
;)
Really great round up, thanks for putting this together.
Thanks for reading, David!