Leigh Weingus and I became friends over a decade ago when we worked in digital media together—and I was not remotely surprised when, as this platform became a go-to for creators, she became a Substack savant. Leigh graciously answered my questions about the biggest mistakes authors make on this platform, how to grow your subscriber list, what the heck to actually write about, and more!
I’ve spent the past 16 years working as an editor in the digital media space. The industry has changed so much since then—print magazines were still a big thing in 2010, and Instagram didn’t even exist (!!)—and over the past few years, I’ve seen people grow these huge publications from essentially nothing on Substack. It’s a very cool pivot, and it felt like one I should get in on.
I started a home design Substack with my best friend, who’s an interior designer, and we’re having a blast. But I also do content strategy, ghostwriting, Substack notes, and general consulting for creators who know how important it is to have a newsletter, but don’t have the time or energy to devote to the strategy of it all.
Honestly, the biggest one is not tapping into your network. There’s a lot of advice out there to just “post great content consistently,” and yes, you should! And while something you write on Substack may get page views from SEO or be featured by Google News, it’s unlikely. So if you want to grow, the best way to do that is through exposure via other people’s platforms. Start a series where you feature other authors/Substackers, arrange a content swap (you guest-author one of their posts, and vice versa), do a Substack Live.
Also, don’t be afraid to ask someone to “recommend” your newsletter! Recommendations are a huge, under-discussed growth engine on Substack. The worst thing someone can say is no. Finally, if you have a following on any other platform, don’t be shy about promoting your newsletter tirelessly there.
There are two things I’ve learned over and over again as a writer and editor that apply to Substack, too: You need a good subject line, and then the content needs to deliver. When crafting a headline, I always try to zoom out and think about how I can create a little mystery (not a lot! Clickbait is so 2013) while also tugging at people’s emotions. [Ed. note: Leigh’s Substack is SO good at this. Check out its headlines for inspiration!] And then I make sure the newsletter delivers on the promise of whatever that headline is.
If you can provide any kind of service—genius writing tips no one’s talking about, the #1 tip you use to overcome writer’s block, what everyone gets wrong about finding an agent—people will love that.
Also, don’t forget to promote your book throughout! The main reason your agent/publishing house wants you to have a newsletter is so you can sell books. The more organically you can do it, the better, but an italicized reminder to pre-order/buy the paperback version of etc at the top, bottom, or both of each newsletter is always a good idea.
Utilizing Substack Notes. I honestly think Substack wants us to think Notes are more important than they are, but I will say that every so often a note will go viral and it yields tons of subscribers—and the type that are likely to stick around, since they found you via the app, and app users are more engaged and intentional about who they subscribe to than someone who isn't as familiar with the platform.
Another thing to know is that the more consistently you post Notes, the more “followers” you get. These are people who like your content but don’t necessarily want another newsletter in your inbox. One newsletter I manage, for example, has 40K subscribers and 52.3K followers. Those extra 12.3K followers are from Substack Notes alone. These followers could potentially convert to subscribers, but also, if you drop the Amazon link to your book in Notes a few times a week, you could see a nice sales bump from your followers!
Oof, it’s so hard to know. I once got someone over 500 subscribers by writing a note that started with “Hey Substack algorithm, send me the people who want…” and then a little blurb with what her newsletter was all about. It was crazy! I haven’t been able to replicate it since, but I still always suggest people try that formula.
I also recently met with someone who used to work at Substack, and he told me to restack and promote other people’s work because Substack rewards generosity, and to upload videos and photos with your Notes when you can. I haven’t seen huge yields from this, but I haven’t given up!
I also pull bits and pieces from published newsletters and post them as Notes, because a lot of work goes into them! Why not repurpose them as much as possible?
Do an audit of what other people are doing. This is time-consuming, but it’s the very first step I take as a consultant. It’s a great way to understand the competitive landscape and the gaps you can fill. People get so many newsletters, so whatever you create needs to be unique and feel like something no one else is doing. So before you dive in, take a look around. Make a PowerPoint presentation for yourself. It’s worth it, I promise!
Thank you so much, Leigh! Friends, did you learn anything new? What are you going to try? Any questions for Leigh? I want to hear it all in the comments! And be sure to subscribe to Leigh’s Substack, The Aesthetic Edit. Finally, you can learn more about working with her on your newsletter strategy by shooting her an email at lweingus [at] gmaildotcom!
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