How To Grow On Substack (and How I Gained 1176 New Subscribers In 2 Months As A Newbie)
I see it all the time. Writers arrive on Substack full of hope.
They start from zero. They find the community warm, supportive. They show up. They write. They connect.
Most don’t have a big social media following. Many are introverts. Quiet thinkers.
But on Substack, they find something rare. A space where they don’t have to perform. Where their words are enough.
It’s beautiful. I know, because that was me too.
But then something slowly starts to shift...
They write weekly posts.They share a Note here and there. They show up.
And still - No comments. No likes. No replies.
It gets quiet. And that’s when the demotivation starts to grow.
“Is anyone even reading?”
And slowly… they stop. Not because they don’t love writing.
But because the silence feels too heavy.
The Truth About My First Year on Substack (Starting from Zero)
I started my Substack journey last May. Almost a year ago.
‼️ Want to be more seen on Substack? You can place your newsletter or products in front of 7,000+ writers and entrepreneurs: Reach out to me here.
How to Find Your People (and not loose motivation)
What’s the difference between someone who gets 100 subscribers in a day and someone who takes months to get there?
It’s not magic. It’s not luck. It’s time—and consistency.
Most successful writers on Substack didn’t have a viral moment. They just kept going when it got quiet. They didn’t stop when it felt like no one was watching.
I know, because I’ve been there. Those first few months felt incredibly lonely.
But imagine if I had stopped then. I would’ve missed everything that came after.
Other than trusting yourself, the process and giving it time, here are my must do steps to grow your audience.
Find writers you genuinely enjoy.
Leave comments on their Notes and posts. Follow people who inspire you, especially those who also engage with writers you like.
Tip: You don’t need to subscribe to everyone. A simple follow is enough.Write consistently—especially Notes.
This is your best chance to get discovered.
Ideally:1–2 posts per week
2–3 Notes per day
Recommend writers you really like, and let your own name grow naturally.
Over time, people will start recommending you too. I’m personally not a fan of asking others to recommend me, it feels more meaningful when it happens through real connection.If you're open to it, host LIVE sessions.
Letting your audience hear and see you builds trust and helps them feel more connected to you.Keep your bios up to date, both personal and publication.
Make it easy for people to quickly understand what you’re about. Think of your profile page as your shop window. You can find it here:https://substack.com/@yourusername(mine is https://substack.com/@claudiafaith).Engage in Chat communities regularly.
Substack Notes isn’t the only way to connect. Chats and thoughtful comments help you stay visible, build relationships, and become part of the ecosystem. I know that some people who join my boost sessions, gained 200 subscribers in a single day. They can really work.Finally, don’t try to be everywhere.
If Substack is your main home, that’s enough. You don’t need to master every platform. Focus on creating depth here rather than stretching yourself thin across Twitter, IG, LinkedIn, etc.
If I had to start all over again, these are the exact steps I’d follow.
They’re simple, but they work. And they’ve helped me build everything I have today.
If anything feels unclear or you want to go deeper on one of the steps, just let me know. I’m more than happy to help.
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Well said. Thanks. Doing this at the moment.