70 Comments
User's avatar
Andi Pigott Martin's avatar

Thank you for posting the 10–5 – 1 Rule. That is a fantastic goal to set.😊

Expand full comment
Sinem Günel's avatar

I'm glad this was useful, Andi! Hope you'll enjoy using the rule! :)

Expand full comment
WENDY TOMLINSON's avatar

Notes seem to have dropped for me. I wonder if I'm posting too much. Do you think if I'm not getting much traction at the moment, it's better to drop down to once a day, or do you think 3 is better? I've been following your tips from your previous Notes article.

Expand full comment
Sinem Günel's avatar

So far, I haven't seen any cases where posting too much would directly lower your reach. I wouldn't even consider 3-4 notes a day a lot. I've tested this myself by going without posting for several days to see if my notes after a pause would perform differently, but that wasn't the case. So I would definitely show up frequently and tweak the content of the notes in itself to have more data points on what's doing well.

Expand full comment
Jake Akins's avatar

Why does the algorithm favor certain accounts, and is there away to get more than 15 impressions on average for Notes?

Expand full comment
Sinem Günel's avatar

The algorithm shows you what it thinks you are most likely to like. If you're new to the platform, you have to ensure your work gets seen by the right people and is actually liked by them so that your next notes will be displayed to more readers right away.

Accounts that have a track record will naturally have an easier time attracting more views on average. That's the same on any platform, not just on Substack. It's all about slowly building trust and a positive reputation so that the algorithm as well as readers favor your work.

Expand full comment
Jake Akins's avatar

The right people? Who are the right people?

Expand full comment
Sinem Günel's avatar

The readers you actually want to reach. Those who will find value in your work and will be happy to come across your publication and work.

Expand full comment
Jake Akins's avatar

Yeah that’s the thing, without the algorithm showing your work, whether it’s Notes or full length articles, you’re sunk. I’ve seen accounts grow from the algorithm showing their Notes with no actual articles being published (the account had no articles), and accounts not grow that have lots of articles and Notes.

The algorithm is the gatekeeper, and it’s only known to the developers, and the rest of us just scratch our heads about what appears to be arbitrary selectivity and random favor or disfavor.

So with accounts like yours that seem to say that Notes can make an account grow, please tell me how to get more than 15 impressions on average. I will do whatever you ask me to do, and we will monitor the analytics as we go, is that a deal?

Expand full comment
WENDY TOMLINSON's avatar

Thanks. Looking forward to the Masterclass tomorrow.

Expand full comment
Jake Akins's avatar

How many impressions do your Notes get? Mine get an average of 15 impressions per Note.

Expand full comment
Cameron Goede's avatar

So many helpful ideas, especially for someone like me who is new to the platform and really trying to understand the landscape. Appreciated!

Expand full comment
DeKesha C Williams's avatar

Thanks for sharing the 10-5-1 rule. I’ve been looking for my rhythm over here.

Expand full comment
iamFunguy's avatar

Thanks for these tips. I’m gonna try them out.

Expand full comment
Multiple Views and...News?'s avatar

Welllll, we’ll give that a try too. Thanks for the advice.

Expand full comment
A-M Mawhiney's avatar

Hi, this has been very helpful. I understand the importance of notes now!💫🙏🏼✍🏼

Expand full comment
Pajay Haykins's avatar

This is insightful mahn. Thanks for sharing, Sinem. I've learned a lot from this piece, and I'll be applying what I've learned ASAP!

Expand full comment
Paul W. B. Marsden's avatar

Super advice and tips Sinem. I have decided today to stop flitting around liking odd notes and posting on every subject and start being professional. I write historical fiction and that’s my niche!

Your advice has been invaluable for me to plan how to use Substack as a tool to develop my writing career. Thank you! 🙏

Expand full comment
Jeff LaPointe's avatar

The 13 strategies Sinem posted for making use of Substack Notes make for just one of the kinds of things for why I love to write!

Expand full comment
Jeff LaPointe's avatar

Sinem, how did you and your co-writers discover those 13 strategies for using Notes, though? Before you tested them to confirm them?

I'm curious: Did you all perhaps examine many other users' own posted notes to get ideas on what approaches might work well? Or did you perhaps sometimes borrow analogies from other types of writing environments or media?

However you all might have achieved those findings, I'd certainly wonder whether we might be able to learn something from your experience that could be re-applied, somehow and somewhere and in some kind of context or contexts that perhaps any of us might not anticipate, yet.

Perhaps your experience could inform us all in how to innovate even still more either for Substack writing or elsewhere?

Expand full comment
repeat buyers club's avatar

Solid guide with smart simple ways to use Substack Notes to grow faster without burning out

Expand full comment
Harvey Hare's avatar

There’s one point I really agree with here. Most of the viral Notes you see have emojis and write naturally. I’ll need to try it.

Expand full comment
Kay Walten's avatar

Great information thanks

Expand full comment
Graham Lau's avatar

Thanks for putting this together. I really like Notes, but not being able to schedule ahead of time makes it feel a bit difficult to build momentum here (I travel a lot and also like having time off to focus on my family and my writing). Some of these ideas will def help me out a lot!

Expand full comment
Jess Dowdell's avatar

Thank you! As a new user this is very helpful! I love to 10-5-1 rule. I’m going to do that!

Expand full comment