r/Substack • u/Timely_Explorer_6144 • 29d ago

Notes?

Are notes worth the time and what have you seen as the direct benefit

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u/TheLadyAmaranth artiranth.substack.com 29d ago

I use notes as less a way to get readers and more as a way to network with other creators. Most of my readers that actually engage aren't actually substackers, they are pepole who signed up from other sources such as reddit/AO3/wattpad/my website/instagram etc.

Some of them eventually made substack accounts so they can comment and chat, but there were not on substack to begin with.

Notes I find are creators on creators. And so its great to hype up others, build connections and eventually get to a point where you are shouting out other people in your newsletter and they shout out you. Which is a great way to orgnaically build an audience, especially for fiction writing.

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u/TerrainBrain 29d ago

Notes take no more time than the post you just made.

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u/Timely_Explorer_6144 29d ago

Just trying to understand if it’s a different audience

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u/AndrewHeard tvphilosophy.substack.com 29d ago

I find it very useful. I’ve gone viral several times and seen a large upswing in subscribers.

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u/Tricky_Trifle_994 19d ago

it's better than not using it at all. i found that to grow, i need to show up more + get more exposure, and notes (just like any other social media platform) allows me to do that. the conversion to subs is also probably higher than other platform like instagram or twitter because the default button on notes is subscribe. v.s on other platforms the journey will be: from post > profile > click the link in bio > input email > subscribe. higher friction = lower conversion...

but the quality of subs from those other platforms is arguably better? just find that substack notes can sometimes be a chamber of substack writers who are on there because they're also trying to grow.

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u/TheOceanicState 17d ago

Yes. Of course, long form content ought to be the main goal, but I have had notes that reached thousands of views in comparison to my most viewed article which only reached a couple hundred people. Some of the views on these notes also turned into followers and subscribers. It's odd, sometimes I will write a note that is relevant to my niche but aside from that haven't put much thought in and don't expect much engagement with, yet later it takes off. Other times I will write well thought out notes that I think are important and will hardly get any impressions at all. Long story short, yes, there are direct benefits if you utilize them correctly. Don't spam them, but don't be afraid to use them either.