I’ve posted hundreds of Substack Notes over the past year.
Some received plenty of likes and brought almost no subscribers…
Others attracted new readers for days, even when the visible engagement wasn’t particularly impressive.
That taught me one of the most important lessons about Notes:
The Notes that make you look popular aren’t always the Notes that help your Substack grow.
If I wanted to attract more subscribers over the next seven days, I wouldn’t post whatever came to mind and hope something caught on.
I would focus on three specific types:
Educational Notes share one useful idea your ideal reader can quickly understand and apply.
Not a complete guide or miniature version of your newsletter. Just one clear lesson.
For example:
These Notes work because they immediately demonstrate how you think and what readers can expect from your newsletter.
The key is specificity. Don’t try to teach everything you know in one Note.
Choose one useful idea, explain it clearly, and leave readers with something they can apply or think about.
Story Notes take something you experienced and connect it to an idea your reader can recognize in their own life.
You don’t need to share your deepest secrets or turn Notes into a public diary.
A useful Story Note can be a few sentences about something you tried, a mistake you made, or an opinion you changed.
For example:
The story makes the lesson feel lived rather than copied from a generic list of advice.
Someone may initially notice you because of something useful you share, but they often subscribe because they connect with the person behind it.
You don’t need a dramatic story. You just need an honest one with a point.
Community Notes are honestly my favorite because invite other writers to contribute, share something useful, or participate in a meaningful conversation.
For example:
These Notes work because they turn content into participation.
But the most important part happens after you publish one.
Don’t just invite people into a conversation and then disappear. Respond to them, visit their posts, and support work you genuinely appreciate.
Community Notes shouldn’t be empty engagement bait. They should give relevant people a reason to connect around a shared interest or experience.
One popular Note can receive 100-200+ likes and bring almost nobody to your newsletter. (trust me, I’ve written plenty of these…)
Another may receive less visible engagement but attract several readers who are genuinely interested in what you write about.
That’s why I don’t judge Notes by likes alone.
I pay attention to whether a Note starts relevant conversations, communicates what my Substack is really about, and gives the right reader a reason to visit my profile and subscribe.
There’s nothing wrong with occasionally sharing something funny, casual, or unrelated to your primary topic. Those Notes help your feel more human.
But if growth is your goal, at least some of your Notes need to help readers understand who you are, what you know, and why they might want to hear more from you.
If I were trying to build momentum over the next week, I would keep the plan simple:
Day 1: Publish one specific lesson you’ve learned.
Day 2: Explain another useful idea from a different angle.
Day 3: Share a short story about a mistake, realization, or change.
Day 4: Connect another personal experience to your newsletter’s topic.
Day 5: Invite readers into a relevant conversation.
Day 6: Create a Community Note that helps writers discover one another.
Day 7: Revisit the strongest idea from the week and express it more clearly.
I wouldn’t try to master every possible Notes format in seven days.
I would practice these three, pay attention to which ideas attracted the right readers, and start building a routine I could realistically continue.
You could absolutely follow the seven-day plan above on your own.
But if you want the complete strategy behind writing Notes that attract subscribers—not just a handful of ideas to post this week—that’s exactly why I created the Notes Growth Workshop.
Inside, I’ll show you how to:
Choose Notes topics that attract relevant readers
Turn your newsletter content and existing ideas into multiple Notes
Write Notes that create curiosity without relying on gimmicks
Avoid chasing likes and comments that don’t produce growth
Improve your profile so more visitors become subscribers
Engage strategically without endlessly scrolling
Create a sustainable Notes routine in approximately 20 minutes a day
You’ll also receive my Notes Writing Playbook, with more than 30 prompts and templates you can adapt to your topic, experiences, and voice.
If you’re ready to jump in, join below:
Join the Notes Growth Workshop
At one point, Notes brought me 225 new subscribers in one week and 916 over 30 days.
Those results didn’t come from spending my entire day on the app or stumbling onto one lucky viral Note.
They came from consistently using a system I could repeat.
The Challenge begins Thursday, August 20. For seven days, I’ll send you one focused Notes assignment, prompt, or template each day so you can immediately put the Workshop strategy into practice.
I’m also opening a private Substack Chat cohort for 25 writers.
Cohort members can share their daily Notes, connect with one another, and participate in a daily Notes Boost.
I’m keeping the group small so participants can recognize and meaningfully support one another instead of simply dropping links into another crowded thread.
Enrollment closes Tuesday, August 18. The Challenge begins Thursday, August 20, but the 25 private cohort spaces may fill sooner.
You don’t need to master every type of Note this week.
You need to start posting the right ones consistently enough to discover what works for you.
📌 Question: I’m curious, how are you finding Notes? Are you enjoying writing them or have they been a challenge?
♻️ Restack: If you found this post helpful, would you consider restacking? Hitting “restack” will bring this post into your feed, so more writers can find it.
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