If you’re looking for a step-by-step system to grow a thriving and profitable Substack publication in 2026, our flagship program, Substack System, is just for you.
Substack System has helped hundreds of creators start their Substack publication, grow an audience of people who love their work, and get paid for sharing their interests & expertise.
If you want to unlock all the strategies, templates, and frameworks to set yourself up for success on Substack in 2026, click the button below to learn more about the program:
Last Sunday, we hosted a Substack livestream with 180+ people joining us, and we received a lot of great questions about how to start, grow, and monetize on Substack.
If you weren’t able to attend the livestream, here’s the replay so you can still catch all the Substack tips we shared.
And right below, you can find the eight most popular questions we’ve received, including our answers. 👇
Q1: “I already sell courses or coaching. How do I use Substack without cannibalizing my existing business?”
Think of your paid Substack as an entry-point offer, not the end of the funnel.
For most people, Substack is the first place they discover you. A paid subscription is an easy first “yes” because it lives inside the Substack ecosystem.
Once someone pays you once, they’re far more likely to buy again. That’s when your courses, coaching, or community come into play.
So instead of seeing Substack as competition to your offers, see it as:
A filter for high-intent people
A lead qualifier for your higher-ticket products
The first step in your ascension ladder
Q2: “How should I use tags on Substack?”
Tags are not a growth hack.
They’re primarily for organization, not discoverability.
Their real value is:
Structuring your publication
Creating clean categories
Designing a homepage that’s easy to navigate
If you see advice telling you to add 30 tags to every post… ignore it.
Q3: “How should I set up my Substack publication when I’m just starting?”
A simple setup works best:
Customize your design (don’t stick with the default)
Pin one strong hero post at the top
Add a clear subscribe or upgrade CTA
Organize posts by your top 3 categories
Write a strong About page that answers: Why should I subscribe?
Q4: “I have 1,200 subscribers but only ~30 paid. How do I convert more?”
You already have proof of concept. That’s huge.
But instead of constantly pushing “go paid,”:
Bundle a specific outcome (bootcamp, resource, workshop)
Promote it in short, focused sprints
Then go back to value and research mode
Also: talk to your existing paid subscribers. Ask why they upgraded.
That’s where your best future offers come from.
Q5: “Early on, writing feels like shouting into the void. How do you stay consistent?”
Two things matter:
1. Keep going (non-negotiable). Everyone you follow started with zero readers. There’s no shortcut around that phase.
2. Don’t rely on publishing alone. Pair writing with distribution:
Engage with other creators
Comment thoughtfully
Collaborate
Guest post
Content + collaboration beats content alone every time.
Q6: “Should I moderate or delete comments that feel spammy or negative?”
Yes. Absolutely.
Your Substack is your party.
If someone shows up just to promote themselves, be rude, or drain energy:
Delete the comment
Block them if needed
Move on
You don’t owe anyone your attention online.
Protect your mental space.
Q7: “Do I need to niche down, or can I write about many things?”
Start with a niche.
That’s how people decide:
“Ah, this is for me.”
Once trust is built, you can expand to other niches.
But first, you’ll have to start with a specific topic to attract an initial following.
Q8: “Substack vs Medium vs Kit — how do these tools fit together?”
They serve different roles:
Substack → growth, community, visibility, relationships
Medium → distribution for writing
Kit → email automation and promotions
If you’re starting from zero, Substack alone is enough.
If you already have systems in place: Use Substack for discovery and Kit for launches.
Take Your Substack To The Next Level
Imagine how it will feel when you:
Build an audience that genuinely cares about your work
Get paid to do what you love
Build a lasting foundation for your creator business
On Substack, you’re not just building a following.
You’re building an actual email list, which is the foundation for everything you might want to do in the next years and decades.
If you’re ready to stop guessing and start growing with proven systems, we’d love to have you inside Substack System.
We can’t wait to see you inside the community and watch your publication grow!
— Sinem, Jari & Philip
Questions? Reach out via support@writebuildscale.com or drop a comment below. We read and respond to everything.
