The Substack Notes hack that converts more readers than your actual posts
How to use Notes as a free top-of-funnel for your paid Substack.
Happy Strategy Thursday Besties!
Today we’re talking about top of funnel for Substack and how to use NOTES to convert more of your audience into subscribers and then PAID subscribers. Because as always it’s my goal to keep your paid on social media!
Now, most creators are treating Substack Notes as an afterthought. Like it’s the Twitter clone inside the Substack app, and not worth the effort.
That is wildly wrong, and it might be the most expensive mistake in your Substack growth right now.
Notes is the discovery engine for your Substack. When someone engages with a Note, Substack actively pushes them to your profile, which has a giant subscribe button at the top. Notes drives more new subscribers for most accounts than the actual articles do.
The hack is choosing the right kind of Note.
Step 1: Use Notes as your article promo, not your article.
Don’t write a full thought in a Note. Pull a single line from a Substack article you’ve already published. Post the line. No commentary. Let the line do the work.
Reader sees the Note. Reader clicks into your profile to see who you are. Reader hits subscribe. The whole conversion takes 30 seconds.
Step 2: Post 3 to 5 Notes a week.
Once a week is not enough to get into Substack’s distribution. Notes algorithmically rewards frequency, not just quality. 3 to 5 a week is the sweet spot for visibility without burning out.
Here’s the hack that actually works.
