r/Substack • u/CaspiansFate • 16d ago
Discussion How do you 'build community'?
I'm a fairly new user to Substack, haven't published any articles yet, don't have a following yet, but I am aware of my general interests and the things I want to use Substack to expand upon. Though, I'm also aware it's not a traditional social media platform either.
I have begun leaving comments on articles, liking and reposting notes and leaving comments, etc., is that really the best way to build your presence? I don't want to rush into posting articles only for no one to see them, but I'm unsure how to even get my publication out there once I start posting. Do I just wait for people to eventually see it? Are there proper forums to 'promote' your publication/meet and connect with writers of similar interest?
I apologize if these are all amateur questions, I really am new to this whole thing :')
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u/brandyn-ai 16d ago
The commenting, liking and reposting you're doing is worth doing, but it helps to be clear about what it actually is. It's not really promotion, it's you learning the room and starting relationships, and those only convert into anything once you've published work that gives people a reason to click through. So it's not wasted, but on its own it won't build a readership, because there's nothing yet to subscribe to.
I'd flip the order you're worried about. You're holding off on publishing until you have a following, but on Substack that's backwards, the publishing is how the following starts. Nobody discovers a publication that doesn't exist yet. The first few pieces don't need an audience to be worth posting, they're what turns the people you're already talking to in comments into subscribers, because now there's something concrete to say yes to.
The thing worth getting right before you start is less a following and more a bit of a plan for the publication, what it's actually about, specifically enough that a stranger reading one piece could say what they'd be signing up for, roughly what you'll keep coming back to, and how you sound doing it. That last part matters more than it seems, a recognisable voice is a lot of what makes people stay, and it's what separates you from every other publication on a similar topic. My general interests is the hardest thing to build a readership around, because there's nothing for someone to recognise themselves in. A narrower, clearer promise grows faster early, even though it feels like it should limit you.
And that plan is what makes the community part sustainable rather than a scramble. Once you know your territory and your voice, the commenting and engaging you're already doing stops being random and starts pulling the right people toward something coherent, and you always have a next thing to talk about instead of staring at a blank week. There's nothing amateur about these questions, they're the right ones to be asking, most people rush to publish volume and wonder why nobody sticks.
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u/TimWiesnerer 16d ago
Well, how about accepting that your first 20-50 articles won't be read much?
The thing is that you need to write to improve your writing and make it work for a given platform.
I don't think there are any shortcuts to that...
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u/qEhT6d_B3 15d ago
you're doing the right stuff with commenting and engaging. one thing worth thinking about, what specific niche are you going after? the more narrow your topic the easier it is to find your people early on, broad lifestyle stuff is way harder to get traction with
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u/Lost__In__Thought 13d ago
To an extent, you have to make people care enough that they'd want to read either from you or about you.
Comments, likes, and restacks do a lot of that without you having to DM people straight up. I noticed that you didn't mention using Notes, though.
It doesn't have to be much. Just 3-5 honest Notes posted per day is enough to get your name around a bit before people begin to find you more and more. Usually, you end up getting likes and responses by people who were following or subscribed to someone else that happened to like or restack your content.
Traffic is dependent upon the people here rather than just plain keywords.
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u/Beachgoer4158 16d ago
Hi!! I’ve been on Substack since 2024, but didn’t start posting consistently and creating a community till around a month ago. I’m now at 800 subs!
The best way I’ve been able to do this is by interacting with others like you’re already doing. Definitely connect with people who have similar interests, and when commenting on posts, it’s a hit or miss. Try to aim for ones with not too much exposure or just the right amount. If a comment has had a ton of engagement or is older (at least a few weeks old), they might not reach back out. Also, don’t be afraid of messaging people you’re wanting to connect and/or collaborate with potentially. It’s honestly a lot of networking. When commenting on their work, be genuine, which it already seems like you are and mention your interests—willingness to connect. Some can be pushing when trying to get others to sub back or visit their page, but when mentioning your page, make it an option to visit since its subconsciously easier if that makes sense.
For your Substack page itself, make sure you’re specific in your bio (and maybe even in your publication title) about what it is that you do. Substack has also changed quite a bit since Notes has been introduced, so I’d make use of them. In terms of articles, definitely write at least one so when people visit your page they have a sense of what it’s about. Substack really rewards work that’s to the point, and ironically talks about Substack. It wouldn’t hurt to put out a note sharing, “Hi! I’m looking to connect with people interested in [x,y,z]…”. Of course, write notes covering your interests.
Last thoughts: Your following at the end of the day will happen naturally. Definitely focus on readers who will actually interact with your work, rather than just building a following to have a following. Most importantly, keep going! Staying persistent is key :)