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.
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.
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.
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?
Hi! Geolocation doesn't play a role on Substack right now. We are also based in Europe, but the majority of our readers aren't. So, location in itself certainly is not the reason. Your content hasn't taken off yet! :)
You're welcome! I just took a quick look at your profile, and at first sight, what I'm really missing there is personality. You obviously have a lot of value and information to share, but as a reader, I need to be convinced that investing time in your work in particular is worth my time and attention.
When I scroll through your feed right now, I'm really lacking that personal connection or personal reasoning which makes it hard to stand out and build a connection with your readers so they want to keep coming back.
We are working with dozens of creators like yourself inside our Substack System program, as well as our one-on-one coaching programs, so if you are interested in getting proper support on this journey to make sure that you are not wasting your time and efforts, feel free to reach out anytime so we can discuss how we could potentially work together! :)
Love this! The simplicity of 10-5-1 is definitely one of those moments where I'm like "this makes so much sense" – but you never know until you know. Thank you :)
We're hosting a live Masterclass this week on how to take full advantage of Substack this year and grow your audience - could be very interesting for you as well!
We're hosting a live Masterclass this week on how to take full advantage of Substack this year and grow your audience - could be very interesting for you as well!
Thank you so much for the lovely feedback. I'm glad this made sense for you. I hope you're enjoying Substack so far. What are your goals on the platform? :)
Building a community around your journey is such a rewarding path, and the fact that you already have merch and digital products means you're ahead of most people starting out! Are you thinking of using Substack as your main hub for that community, or more as a traffic driver to your other offers?
As someone who is very new here, this was an important and interesting read for me. Thank you for taking the time to share. I subscribed and I will definitely be taking the 10-5-1 rule with me. Happy New Year!
Thank you for posting the 10–5 – 1 Rule. That is a fantastic goal to set.😊
I'm glad this was useful, Andi! Hope you'll enjoy using the rule! :)
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.
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.
Why does the algorithm favor certain accounts, and is there away to get more than 15 impressions on average for Notes?
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.
The right people? Who are the right people?
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.
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?
Thanks. Looking forward to the Masterclass tomorrow.
How many impressions do your Notes get? Mine get an average of 15 impressions per Note.
Hi! Geolocation doesn't play a role on Substack right now. We are also based in Europe, but the majority of our readers aren't. So, location in itself certainly is not the reason. Your content hasn't taken off yet! :)
You're welcome! I just took a quick look at your profile, and at first sight, what I'm really missing there is personality. You obviously have a lot of value and information to share, but as a reader, I need to be convinced that investing time in your work in particular is worth my time and attention.
When I scroll through your feed right now, I'm really lacking that personal connection or personal reasoning which makes it hard to stand out and build a connection with your readers so they want to keep coming back.
We are working with dozens of creators like yourself inside our Substack System program, as well as our one-on-one coaching programs, so if you are interested in getting proper support on this journey to make sure that you are not wasting your time and efforts, feel free to reach out anytime so we can discuss how we could potentially work together! :)
Here's more info on our flagship program: https://substacksystem.com/
Love this! The simplicity of 10-5-1 is definitely one of those moments where I'm like "this makes so much sense" – but you never know until you know. Thank you :)
I'm glad this resonated! :)
We're hosting a live Masterclass this week on how to take full advantage of Substack this year and grow your audience - could be very interesting for you as well!
You can sign up for free here: https://writebuildscale.com/masterclass
I am planning on following these suggestions
I'm glad this resonated! :)
We're hosting a live Masterclass this week on how to take full advantage of Substack this year and grow your audience - could be very interesting for you as well!
You can sign up for free here: https://writebuildscale.com/masterclass
Invaluable advice, Sinem. Being new to Substack, this is gold. I loved the six types of notes and will use them in my revised approach. Thank you!
Hi Dennis,
Thank you so much for the lovely feedback. I'm glad this made sense for you. I hope you're enjoying Substack so far. What are your goals on the platform? :)
1) to increase my readership beyond that which my web site was doing;
2) to connect with other creative writers and help them succeed;
3) to generate revenue (without making my friends and family feel obligated to be paid subscribers).
I watch on YouTube and you actually helped me to get focused and lock in. Thanks for providing valuable tips.
Thanks for the feedback Stephanie, I'm so glad you found value in our work! Welcome to Substack, what are your goals on the platform right now? :)
Late reply. My apologies. I had a bout with vertigo.
I want to build a community, write and support writers that resonate with my journey. I also have merch and digital products.
Building a community around your journey is such a rewarding path, and the fact that you already have merch and digital products means you're ahead of most people starting out! Are you thinking of using Substack as your main hub for that community, or more as a traffic driver to your other offers?
This is super helpful, thank you Sinem!!!
I'm glad it was useful. Thanks for reading! :)
I'm also hosting a live training this week that you might find useful: https://writebuildscale.com/masterclass
Thanks for sharing these tips!
Thanks for reading Anna, I'm glad if it was useful! :)
I'm also hosting a live training this week that you might find interesting: https://writebuildscale.com/masterclass
As someone who is very new here, this was an important and interesting read for me. Thank you for taking the time to share. I subscribed and I will definitely be taking the 10-5-1 rule with me. Happy New Year!
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Anna. I'm glad it was useful! :)
I'm also hosting a live training this week that might be interesting for you: https://writebuildscale.com/masterclass
Notes are quite simple to write. The fact you can gain that many subscribers from it is incredible ROI.
Agree!
So many helpful ideas, especially for someone like me who is new to the platform and really trying to understand the landscape. Appreciated!
Thanks for sharing the 10-5-1 rule. I’ve been looking for my rhythm over here.
Thanks for these tips. I’m gonna try them out.
Welllll, we’ll give that a try too. Thanks for the advice.
Hi, this has been very helpful. I understand the importance of notes now!💫🙏🏼✍🏼
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!