From 1-on-1 to Group Magic with Substack Chats

Plus one mistake I made

Credit - Midjourney

Do you have any articles already up on using Chats effectively?

Do you normally use it in conjunction with a publication?

How to initiate participation / conversation? 

One of my readers asked me these questions this week. Since my answer to the first question was no, I wanted to answer them in a quick post today.

It’s not rocket science, but I’ll share what worked for me and how I got started.

Let’s jump in.

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• My Top 3 Tips for New Substackers and Aspiring Pros

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Getting Chatty with Substack Chats

One of the most rewarding aspects of building a community is the connections that form through chats. Over time, I’ve received such thoughtful feedback, heartfelt messages, and even opportunities for 1:1 consulting.

All thanks to the power of chats.

These moments have made me truly appreciate how impactful chats can be when used wisely. If you’re not leveraging chats yet, you’re missing out on an incredible way to connect with your audience and strengthen your community.

Here’s how I’ve made them work for me.

1. I Message Every Subscriber. I personally send a message to every new subscriber. Not followers, but subscribers. Because for subscribers it’s worth the effort. Subscribers have already demonstrated genuine interest in what I offer, while followers might just be casually observing. Focusing on those who are truly invested helps create meaningful connections right from the start.

2. Personal and Group Chats: When to Start. Chats are an amazing tool for building relationships. I use personal chats to connect individually, answer questions, and stay active. Later, I introduced a group chat, which I now wish I had done much earlier. Group chats allow your community to connect, support each other, and grow together. If you’re wondering when to start:

   • Begin personal 1:1 chats on day one.

   • Start a group chat around the time you introduce paid subscriptions, ideally when you have 100–300 subscribers. This creates a shared space for real engagement.

3. Chats + Publications: A Perfect Match. You can use chats even if you haven’t launched a publication yet, but I highly recommend starting a publication sooner rather than later. The main purpose of chats isn’t just to promote your newsletter, it’s to build genuine relationships. One connection at a time, you create a community that’s built on trust and interaction. It’s simple, yet incredibly effective.

Tip: I started my group community chat a bit too late, and it took longer than I expected to get people involved. Start your chat as soon as you feel you have a few engaged community members who can help drive it forward.

Now, I personally invite everyone to join my group chat, which has really helped it grow. Here’s how I do it:

1. At the end of my posts, I encourage readers to join the chat.

2. I include the chat link in the welcome message I send to new subscribers.

3. There’s a link to my chat in the top menu on my newsletter’s homepage, right next to the Notes section.

Well, there we have it. This is how I currently use chats and I absolutely love it.

It really helps me connect with readers and get to know real people.

In a kind and supportive way.

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