This is part one of the replay of Thursday’s Substack Growth Masterclass, where Sinem shares three systems that will help you grow your Substack on “autopilot”.
When we say “autopilot,” it means setting up repeatable, scalable strategies that keep working for you long after you’ve done the initial work.
(It doesn’t mean pressing a magic button and never lifting a finger again.)
So, how do you do that?
It comes down to three key areas:
Creating content that converts
Using Substack’s built-in growth tools
Collaborating with other creators
Let’s break it down.
System 1: Create Content That Converts
Not all content is created equal. Some posts get tons of engagement, new subscribers, and shares—while others disappear into the void.
So, how do you make sure your content falls into the first category? By mixing five key types of content into your strategy:
1. Inspirational Content
Inspirational notes tend to get a lot of engagement because they appeal to the reader’s emotions rather than logic.
Inspirational notes don’t necessarily teach anything new, but they help your audience change their mindset, overcome limiting beliefs, or motivate them to take action toward their goals.
When you’re able to inspire action or change (limiting) beliefs with your words, you’ll be able to impact your readers at their core, which turns ordinary subscribers into superfans.
2. Educational Content
Educational notes are straightforward and powerful: you teach your readers specific tips, strategies, or insights they can implement to solve a problem, achieve a desired outcome, or overcome a challenge they’re currently facing.
Educational notes work well because people love learning new things, and there’s a lot of value in a note that teaches you something new.
Besides, when you consistently share useful tips, strategies, or insights, it shows your expertise on your topic, and you’ll position yourself as the go-to person in your field.
This is especially important if you sell coaching, consulting, courses, books, or any other digital products.
3. Personal Stories
People connect with people. That’s why personal content works so well.
It could be:
A lesson you learned from a mistake
A behind-the-scenes look at your writing process
A personal struggle that your audience can relate to
Even if personal stories don’t always go viral, they help you build a loyal audience that trusts you.
4. Entertainment
Not everything has to be serious. Sometimes, people just want a laugh or a fresh perspective. Funny, lighthearted, or thought-provoking content is a great way to show personality.
(And if you have a pet? Congratulations—you now have a content goldmine.)
5. Engagement-Boosting Questions
Sometimes, the best way to get engagement is to simply ask a question that gets your readers to reply.
Look at this Note as an example:
That one question got 150+ likes and 400+ responses.
When you ask simple, easy-to-answer questions, you encourage interaction and start building a real sense of community.
Pro Tip: Don’t limit yourself to just one type of content. Mix these five to boost both discoverability (getting new eyes on your work) and conversion (turning casual readers into subscribers).
System 2: Use Substack’s Built-In Growth Features
Substack has some seriously underrated tools to help you grow. If you’re not using them, you’re leaving potential subscribers on the table.
1. Substack Recommendations
This is one of the fastest ways to grow on Substack. When another creator recommends your publication, their audience gets exposed to your work, leading to an instant boost in subscribers.
💡 Our results: Almost half of our subscribers (nearly 5,000 people) came from 300+ different Substack recommendations.
How to get more recommendations?
Build relationships. Connect with other writers in your space before asking for a swap.
Reach out via DMs. Be clear and genuine with your request to swap newsletter recommendations.
Don’t limit yourself to your exact niche. If you write about freelancing, a creator in personal finance or productivity might have an overlapping audience.
2. Substack Livestreams
This is a relatively new feature, and it’s a game-changer.
Live streams let you engage with your audience in real time—and they’re also a great collaboration tool. You can:
Go live with another creator to share insights and cross-promote your publications.
Host live Q&A sessions to answer subscriber questions and build trust.
Repurpose your live streams into written posts or short clips for future content.
If you enjoy talking about your knowledge and expertise, live streams could be a perfect way to connect with your audience.
System 3: Collaborate With Other Creators
Your network on Substack is your growth engine. The more you connect with other writers, the faster you’ll grow.
Here are two easy ways to collaborate:
1. Guest Posts
Writing a guest post for another publication instantly puts you in front of a new audience. But aside from bringing in new subscribers, guest posting also works like a stamp of approval. If another creator features your work, it signals to their audience that you’re someone worth listening to.
So, the more guest posts you have on respected publications, the more you’ll boost your credibility and position yourself as an authority in your niche.
2. Restack Notes
Substack Notes is one of the best places to cross-promote other creators because it’s built for discovery.
Here’s how you can use it strategically:
When you come across a great Note or post from another Substack writer, restack it in Notes and add a personal comment on why your audience should check it out.
If another writer does the same for you, you instantly get exposed to their audience.
Want To Grow Your Audience & Income On Substack?
Are you excited to grow your Substack, but still find yourself stuck with things like:
Struggling to publish consistently because life keeps getting in the way
Wasting time on things that don’t actually move the needle forward
Not knowing how to attract the right subscribers
Feeling like you’re just guessing instead of following a proven roadmap
Being overwhelmed with all the features of Substack (and not knowing which ones are the most effective)
That’s exactly why we created Substack System, a step-by-step program designed to help you grow your audience and income on Substack—without the guesswork, overwhelm, or burnout.
In the 70+ actionable videos of this course, you’ll learn how to:
Grow An Engaged Audience: Attract readers who truly appreciate your work
Create A Thriving Publication: Set your publication up for success
Write Viral Notes: Capture attention and drive subscriber growth
Build Your Paid Substack: Turn readers into paying subscribers every month
Boost Subscriber Growth: Use effective growth strategies to reach more readers with less effort
And much, much more…
But Substack System includes a lot more than just video lessons…
We've created all the resources you need so you can easily take action on what you learn - and succeed as quickly as possible.
Here’s what’s included when you join Substack System:
Weekly Group Coaching Sessions: Join us for three months of live coaching sessions, where all your questions will be answered
The Substack Bestseller Case Study: Learn how we've built a Bestselling Substack publication with 100+ paid subscribers in less than 60 days
Substack Expert Interview Series: We interviewed 10+ top Substack writers to uncover their best strategies for growth, writing, and monetization
Substack Operation System: Your personalized toolbox full of plug-and-play frameworks and templates to succeed on Substack
3-Months Of Private Community Access: You'll be supported by your coaches and an active community of like-minded creators
Keep in mind, enrollment to Substack System closes on Thursday, May 22nd. So if you want to join, take action before the doors close.
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