The 5 Types of Substack Notes That Attract Readers (and Keep Them Coming Back)

Simple templates for you.

If you’re serious about growing on Substack in 2025, you can’t afford to ignore Notes.

Most writers still see them as extra - a place to share quick thoughts when they have a moment.

That’s a mistake.

Substack Notes are one of the fastest ways for new readers to discover you.

Every time you post a Note, you have a chance to appear in front of people who have never heard of you, but are already interested in the type of work you do.

Unlike your posts, Notes spread through conversations. If someone restacks, comments, or replies, their audience sees it.

It’s like free word-of-mouth marketing at scale.

But most creators treat Notes like social media throwaways instead of powerful business tools.

If you want Notes that grow your audience and your income, you need to understand one thing:

Your Notes will only resonate if they make readers feel something specific.

That’s what this framework is about.

I call it The 5 Resonance Triggers - five things your Note can do to stop someone from scrolling, make them engage, and get them to check out your work.

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Trigger #1: "I can do something with this"

This trigger works because people love posts that give them something to do right away.

It doesn’t matter if they’re a fitness coach, a parenting blogger, or a B2B consultant; if you show them a quick win they can act on today, you’ll grab their attention and build trust instantly.

The key is to give a small, specific, and doable action that gets a result (or at least feels like progress).

Template:

• [Action challenge]. Don’t overthink it. By [time frame], you’ll [expected outcome].

• Set a [time limit]. [Action step]. [Encouraging finish].

Three examples from different niches:

Health & Fitness
Do 10 push-ups before you touch your phone tomorrow morning. Don’t overthink it. By the end of the week, you’ll feel stronger and more focused.

Parenting
Set a 10-minute timer tonight. Read with your child until the timer ends. No phones, no distractions. See how it changes the bedtime routine.

Gardening
Pick one plant in your garden today. Remove every dead leaf and give it a deep water. Small actions like this keep your plants thriving all season.

This trigger is powerful because it makes the reader think, I can try that right now.

When they try it and it works, they trust you more - and trust drives subscriptions and sales.

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The other 4 triggers that make your Notes spread like wildfire

The “I can do something with this” trigger is just one of five. The other four are:

• Trigger 2: "I can relate to this" — How to make your audience feel like you’re in their head (with 3 cross-industry examples).

• Trigger 3: "This reflects something I believe" — The fastest way to get readers nodding along and hitting subscribe.

• Trigger 4: "This gives me a new perspective" — How to make your readers think, I’ve never thought of it like that before.

• Trigger 5: "This will change me" — How to inspire people to take action toward a change they want.

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Trigger 2: "I can relate to this"