Why aren’t people subscribing? Many reasons, of course. But at least partly because you may not be considering your readers and making your posts accessible, i.e., structuring them to draw people in and keep them reading. So how can you structure your Substack posts (while still retaining your artistic integrity), so they lead readers through your posts and convert? Read on...
This was very helpful! I would most of the time I am an “F” pattern reader. I read the heading and skim to find sentences that stick out to me. If it someone who’s work I have come to really love, I will read the entire thing. So this was good to know that a great focus is to have a great headline and enticing opening line.
Maybe it comes down to Ben Franklin's famous adage: "Either write something worth reading, or do something worth writing."
Personally, my focus is the later. I write non-fiction, and try to limit my output to things that I think have value to readers - be it informative (i.e., sales) or educational - both at a professional level, not consumer tripe. Otherwise, I tend to keep my mouth shut - though, admittedly, I am prone to snarky commentary. (I'm also reminded of Robert Heinlein's adage, "Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of, but do it in private and wash your hands afterwards.")
I keep coming to the same conclusion: This emphasis on writing to capture & hold folks attention - whether for money, or to feed narcissistic tendencies - just adds to the noise level, and generally does a disservice to readers - who are bombarded with way too much crap (can you say "information overload?"). And, it seems a disservice to society - where, what passes for political dialogue, has devolved to a battle of emotional, and nonsubstantive, slogans. (can you say "cognitive overload?").
And it does a disservice to folks who have (or think we have) something of value - that's worth reading for the reader's benefit, not the writers. It's a lot harder to get a reader's attention, when battling with masses of noise.
Perhaps modern politics provides the perfect example: It seems that my email, text, and web streams are filled more with asks for campaign contributions, than for any kind of substantive political messaging - contributions that are basically used to generate more asks for more money. Who is being served by any of that? And, meanwhile, crowding out useful messages, or, heaven-forbid, actually discussion.
Note: I'm writing from a non-fiction perspective. For fiction, where readers are looking to be immersed in the experience, the situation would seem to be different. (Still, there does seem to be way too much derivative crap floating around.)
Perhaps the better question might be: How do we change the incentives to favor substance, over noise?
Thank you!. And awe shucks. Still.. the question remains, and I hope that someone out there, or the wisdom of the crowd, can come up with an answer. Otherwise, I think we all might be terminally screwed. :-(
A new one for me, I'm an old geezer, is hyperlink. I've used it. However, when I asked a few friends if they had made use of the hyperlink, I got blank looks. Guess that answer was no.
A question.....is FACEBOOK doing something to block Substack.com? I've been posting my DECADE SEVEN posts on Facebook regularly, but a few weeks ago, when I posted to FB, I started getting an immediate note that the post had been removed. The post involves a weekly political conversation in an electronic newsletter. It is not the subject matter because using the YouTube link works every time, but when it's part of my Substack link, it is deleted with a note saying I've violated the FB rules. Curious
Yes, Meta is blocking anyone and everything that tries to move people off their platforms in any way. It's why we're getting so many people from social media writing on Substack. Meta wants you to have to buy ads to reach people. Sorry but true.
I'm doing almost all of these and have a 60% open rate, but I've noticed two things when reviewing my post stats: 1) very few subscribers, mostly one or two every 4-5 posts at the most and 2) On one post I had a 76% open rate and only 21 views. How is that possible? And what does that mean?
I’m not sure. I need to see your dashboard. Check the post and make sure you didn’t send it to only paid subscribers. That’s a possibility. I’ve done that before.
I figured it out. I looked back through my stats and found my post on 7/14 (the one I referenced) ONLY went to paid subscribers. Although I don’t know what I set differently for it to do so, I went ahead and sent it separately to my free subscribers. It was a great (IMHO) resource for Meal Prepping and I also mentioned in it the BIG change I’m making on August 1 to include my weekly meal plans as a perk for all paid subscribers with the enticement to sign up before then as I’m also raising my price that day from $5 to $7.99. Hopefully that will make a difference and I will see subscribers come out of it.
OK, so here’s a question about that… most of my post I sent is paid with a preview and for most of those paid posts. I have a 60% opening rate with a view rate that is much much higher than the one I referenced. If I try to set them for everyone it removes all of my walls. Am I doing something wrong?
Great post! I can't even wrap my head around the numbers you're mentioning here. I guess I really need to learn some of this because I've never even reached 100 views of a post. 10,000 sounds bonkers to me!
A couple of thoughts If I may: my subscriber rate continues to grow at a rate of about 30 people per month. I realize that may be an anomaly, but I think the greatest reason is because of the recommendations I receive from other Substacks, writers and friends. That is a tremendous way to grow your work, joining Substack together and supporting each other's work.
Also, I am a poet, so altho your very excellent formulas for engaging readers sound like they would work well for nonfiction, even fiction writers, I am convinced one of the best way to grow a Substack is the recommendation track.
My 2 cents. And as usual, thank you for your excellent insight and sight and help!
Changed the headline and sub headline around - put in headings - so much easier to read - little touches - better for the reader - thinking up some great "viral" Headlines for future posts - not nasty - but to get attention - make it worth the reader time
so looking forward to our one to one in August. I love finding someone whose skills, knowledge abilities are so different to mine - gold mine learning opportunity.
Off my sick bed -horrid hospital procedure- but hurrah - Cancer - the Sequel has been cancelled - I just like saying this - no need to respond!
Great advice, so useful and helpful. I love reading so can commit , unless it does not engage. My main reason to leave even if i have enjoyed essay , is it becomes too long .
This is brilliant stuff, but I have a broader question. I get new subscribers these days who subscribe to 350 other Substacks. My immediate question is when will they find the time to read mine? I assume they won't and while my subscriber count goes up, my open rate goes down (now about 55%). We are all super over-subscribed and it is just a balloon ready to burst. Would love your thoughts on this some time.
Ann, I know. It's one of those things that we can pay attention to or disregard. I never look at the number of Substacks my subscribers subscribe to. And prefer to assume they always read me. Also that the 50% open rate cycles through my subscribers so everyone is reading part of the time. Pollyanna had something.
And I thought I was an optimist! But it's a good way to think. And in your case, you are probably right because you are offering genuine help to people on something they care about. All I am offering is a stimulating thought or two and a possible smile! But being 82, I am just happy to be taking part in it all. And amazed at the number of subscribers who do take an interest.
I can't resist telling you (despite the fact that I appreciate you have many calls on your time) that just today, after writing the above, I received the following comment from someone i do not know at all: "I have been greatly enjoying your Substack - very insightful and written with great humor. Who can resist getting to know a granny who stands on her head?!!" How very pleasing that some person out there is really getting what I am trying to do and enjoying it. It makes up for a lot of days when I feel I am getting nowhere.
This whole essay is packed with insight and is so helpful. Thank you, Sarah.
I know for me, your mentioned pattern of online skimming is true. I walk (sometimes crawl) through a book. Online articles or essays - I run or hop scotch through (the exception being my favorite authors whose words I tend to savor). This frustrates me for two separate (though related) reasons.
1- as a reader: I tend to oversubscribe as to what my actual capacity is for reading. I leave so many essays unopened and then I fight that inbox zero battle which I’ll never win. So I feel I am missing out on and not valuing some writers who I WANT to engage with and whose work I want to read. I guess I’m not comfortable always skimming (or else I would move through my inbox faster). I think my brain moves faster and skims on Notes and then when I click on an essay restacked there, my eyes want to slow down the pace but it’s like they are stuck in online scroll mode.
2- as a writer: I struggle over how to trim and cut the fat off my essays so that they are “online friendly”. My natural tendency and voice leads me to write essays that can,sometimes, be a stream on consciousness so to go back and be methodical, while I know is necessary, is often hard for me.
Thank you so much for writing this, Sarah! When I read a book printed on paper, I never miss a word - acknowledgements included. When I read online, I usually find myself skimming posts that are over 7 minutes long and/or contain large blocks of text. This is true no matter how interested I am in the content and how beautiful the writing.
This is great structural information, Sarah! Thank you. Can we take this a step further and consider my scenario? I have over 716 subscribers with a 30-45% open rate, with 7 paid subscribers, and the majority are from email subscribers, not the Substack App. Will the next Cohort of paid subscriptions help me obtain more subscribers on the app or does it matter where they come from?
Hi there! I’m not sure what you mean by the next cohort of pace, subscribers, but your goal is to get in front of people on the Substack network. That could be on the app or it could be on desktop. We are going to start having a Notes network every single month for paid subscribers in lieu of the office parties. I want you all growing and that’s a way to do that so hang tight for three more weeks regarding Notes and app growth.
Thanks! I meant the cohort of Writers at Work. I need to dig into the past videos to gain more traction on the app rather than outside emails it seems.
This was very helpful! I would most of the time I am an “F” pattern reader. I read the heading and skim to find sentences that stick out to me. If it someone who’s work I have come to really love, I will read the entire thing. So this was good to know that a great focus is to have a great headline and enticing opening line.
Maybe it comes down to Ben Franklin's famous adage: "Either write something worth reading, or do something worth writing."
Personally, my focus is the later. I write non-fiction, and try to limit my output to things that I think have value to readers - be it informative (i.e., sales) or educational - both at a professional level, not consumer tripe. Otherwise, I tend to keep my mouth shut - though, admittedly, I am prone to snarky commentary. (I'm also reminded of Robert Heinlein's adage, "Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of, but do it in private and wash your hands afterwards.")
I keep coming to the same conclusion: This emphasis on writing to capture & hold folks attention - whether for money, or to feed narcissistic tendencies - just adds to the noise level, and generally does a disservice to readers - who are bombarded with way too much crap (can you say "information overload?"). And, it seems a disservice to society - where, what passes for political dialogue, has devolved to a battle of emotional, and nonsubstantive, slogans. (can you say "cognitive overload?").
And it does a disservice to folks who have (or think we have) something of value - that's worth reading for the reader's benefit, not the writers. It's a lot harder to get a reader's attention, when battling with masses of noise.
Perhaps modern politics provides the perfect example: It seems that my email, text, and web streams are filled more with asks for campaign contributions, than for any kind of substantive political messaging - contributions that are basically used to generate more asks for more money. Who is being served by any of that? And, meanwhile, crowding out useful messages, or, heaven-forbid, actually discussion.
Note: I'm writing from a non-fiction perspective. For fiction, where readers are looking to be immersed in the experience, the situation would seem to be different. (Still, there does seem to be way too much derivative crap floating around.)
Perhaps the better question might be: How do we change the incentives to favor substance, over noise?
Very, very, very wise. (I need all those very's. Not one is superfluous.)
Thank you!. And awe shucks. Still.. the question remains, and I hope that someone out there, or the wisdom of the crowd, can come up with an answer. Otherwise, I think we all might be terminally screwed. :-(
A new one for me, I'm an old geezer, is hyperlink. I've used it. However, when I asked a few friends if they had made use of the hyperlink, I got blank looks. Guess that answer was no.
So funny.
Headings and boldings. F pattern. Pretty basic. Techniques I learned in college journalism classes and look where they are showing up today.
I really try hard to make my issues easy to skim. I know that is my preferred format for things that I read online. Great info here!
Me too! So glad it was helpful.
A question.....is FACEBOOK doing something to block Substack.com? I've been posting my DECADE SEVEN posts on Facebook regularly, but a few weeks ago, when I posted to FB, I started getting an immediate note that the post had been removed. The post involves a weekly political conversation in an electronic newsletter. It is not the subject matter because using the YouTube link works every time, but when it's part of my Substack link, it is deleted with a note saying I've violated the FB rules. Curious
X is too but that's just Elon being Elon.
Yes, Meta is blocking anyone and everything that tries to move people off their platforms in any way. It's why we're getting so many people from social media writing on Substack. Meta wants you to have to buy ads to reach people. Sorry but true.
I'm doing almost all of these and have a 60% open rate, but I've noticed two things when reviewing my post stats: 1) very few subscribers, mostly one or two every 4-5 posts at the most and 2) On one post I had a 76% open rate and only 21 views. How is that possible? And what does that mean?
I’m not sure. I need to see your dashboard. Check the post and make sure you didn’t send it to only paid subscribers. That’s a possibility. I’ve done that before.
I figured it out. I looked back through my stats and found my post on 7/14 (the one I referenced) ONLY went to paid subscribers. Although I don’t know what I set differently for it to do so, I went ahead and sent it separately to my free subscribers. It was a great (IMHO) resource for Meal Prepping and I also mentioned in it the BIG change I’m making on August 1 to include my weekly meal plans as a perk for all paid subscribers with the enticement to sign up before then as I’m also raising my price that day from $5 to $7.99. Hopefully that will make a difference and I will see subscribers come out of it.
OK, so here’s a question about that… most of my post I sent is paid with a preview and for most of those paid posts. I have a 60% opening rate with a view rate that is much much higher than the one I referenced. If I try to set them for everyone it removes all of my walls. Am I doing something wrong?
I'm going to print this out so I can remember and implement these formatting tips.
Yay!
Great post! I can't even wrap my head around the numbers you're mentioning here. I guess I really need to learn some of this because I've never even reached 100 views of a post. 10,000 sounds bonkers to me!
It will happen, Colleen. It will happen.
Aw thanks Sarah! I keep plugging away!
A couple of thoughts If I may: my subscriber rate continues to grow at a rate of about 30 people per month. I realize that may be an anomaly, but I think the greatest reason is because of the recommendations I receive from other Substacks, writers and friends. That is a tremendous way to grow your work, joining Substack together and supporting each other's work.
Also, I am a poet, so altho your very excellent formulas for engaging readers sound like they would work well for nonfiction, even fiction writers, I am convinced one of the best way to grow a Substack is the recommendation track.
My 2 cents. And as usual, thank you for your excellent insight and sight and help!
I was listening to this in my sick bed - got up and made changes in structure etc - worth the effort cheers my dear
Such high praise! Thank you!
Changed the headline and sub headline around - put in headings - so much easier to read - little touches - better for the reader - thinking up some great "viral" Headlines for future posts - not nasty - but to get attention - make it worth the reader time
so looking forward to our one to one in August. I love finding someone whose skills, knowledge abilities are so different to mine - gold mine learning opportunity.
Off my sick bed -horrid hospital procedure- but hurrah - Cancer - the Sequel has been cancelled - I just like saying this - no need to respond!
Great advice, so useful and helpful. I love reading so can commit , unless it does not engage. My main reason to leave even if i have enjoyed essay , is it becomes too long .
Agreed.
This is brilliant stuff, but I have a broader question. I get new subscribers these days who subscribe to 350 other Substacks. My immediate question is when will they find the time to read mine? I assume they won't and while my subscriber count goes up, my open rate goes down (now about 55%). We are all super over-subscribed and it is just a balloon ready to burst. Would love your thoughts on this some time.
Ann, I know. It's one of those things that we can pay attention to or disregard. I never look at the number of Substacks my subscribers subscribe to. And prefer to assume they always read me. Also that the 50% open rate cycles through my subscribers so everyone is reading part of the time. Pollyanna had something.
And I thought I was an optimist! But it's a good way to think. And in your case, you are probably right because you are offering genuine help to people on something they care about. All I am offering is a stimulating thought or two and a possible smile! But being 82, I am just happy to be taking part in it all. And amazed at the number of subscribers who do take an interest.
I can't resist telling you (despite the fact that I appreciate you have many calls on your time) that just today, after writing the above, I received the following comment from someone i do not know at all: "I have been greatly enjoying your Substack - very insightful and written with great humor. Who can resist getting to know a granny who stands on her head?!!" How very pleasing that some person out there is really getting what I am trying to do and enjoying it. It makes up for a lot of days when I feel I am getting nowhere.
Ann, that's so wonderful! How moving and exhilarating. Yes, remember this on those days. Remember this.
This whole essay is packed with insight and is so helpful. Thank you, Sarah.
I know for me, your mentioned pattern of online skimming is true. I walk (sometimes crawl) through a book. Online articles or essays - I run or hop scotch through (the exception being my favorite authors whose words I tend to savor). This frustrates me for two separate (though related) reasons.
1- as a reader: I tend to oversubscribe as to what my actual capacity is for reading. I leave so many essays unopened and then I fight that inbox zero battle which I’ll never win. So I feel I am missing out on and not valuing some writers who I WANT to engage with and whose work I want to read. I guess I’m not comfortable always skimming (or else I would move through my inbox faster). I think my brain moves faster and skims on Notes and then when I click on an essay restacked there, my eyes want to slow down the pace but it’s like they are stuck in online scroll mode.
2- as a writer: I struggle over how to trim and cut the fat off my essays so that they are “online friendly”. My natural tendency and voice leads me to write essays that can,sometimes, be a stream on consciousness so to go back and be methodical, while I know is necessary, is often hard for me.
Thank you so much for writing this, Sarah! When I read a book printed on paper, I never miss a word - acknowledgements included. When I read online, I usually find myself skimming posts that are over 7 minutes long and/or contain large blocks of text. This is true no matter how interested I am in the content and how beautiful the writing.
Me too!
This is great structural information, Sarah! Thank you. Can we take this a step further and consider my scenario? I have over 716 subscribers with a 30-45% open rate, with 7 paid subscribers, and the majority are from email subscribers, not the Substack App. Will the next Cohort of paid subscriptions help me obtain more subscribers on the app or does it matter where they come from?
Hi there! I’m not sure what you mean by the next cohort of pace, subscribers, but your goal is to get in front of people on the Substack network. That could be on the app or it could be on desktop. We are going to start having a Notes network every single month for paid subscribers in lieu of the office parties. I want you all growing and that’s a way to do that so hang tight for three more weeks regarding Notes and app growth.
Thanks! I meant the cohort of Writers at Work. I need to dig into the past videos to gain more traction on the app rather than outside emails it seems.