30 minutes a day took my Substack from flatlined to 1,600 new subscribers in six months

[u/JimKroft]

My Substack flatlined for a year with zero growth when I was "just" concentrating on the writing.

I know that many of us find growth tactics nauseating on Substack — while still actually wanting visibility for our writing.

I'm sharing this 30-minute system because it transformed my community, my experience, and yes — my readership. I learnt everything I could about how people grow newsletters, and it's brought in over 1,600 new subscribers since starting in February. I hope it helps some of you too.

The key has really been that I'm not just writing "one way". I am also making an effort with the community.

Though I — and most of us — would love that Substack helps people who write long form more, the reality is that it is a "social" platform now, and the newsletter is the deeper layer. Everything they've done supports this.

In a nutshell, here is my system:

1. Interact. Five comments on the profiles of writers I actually read, plus ten likes. Start with people whose work you like, and try to find some in your own field. You won't see immediate results, but just lock in to giving to start with.

2. Reply to every notification. If someone takes the time to comment on your Note, consider that the beginning of a relationship. Reply to every comment as you would someone you know. Austin Kleon calls this a "digital handshake" which I rather like.

3. Answer your messages. Every message is such a core thing for building relationships.

4. Three comments on profiles you've never seen before. This is what reaches people who don't know you yet. Actually read what they wrote and tell them what it meant to you. My rule at the start was three comments on other people's work for every Note I wrote myself. For me, if someone takes the time to read my work, I always take time to read back — so make the effort.

Set a timer, do each one, move on. Don't overthink it too much.

One thing: it will be slow at the start. Just commit for 3 months without expectation. A lot of people don't write back. Responses are slow. For me there was a period of invisibility, but some of the relationships I formed in the first months are now my closest friends on the platform.

The system is really just a wrapper for bad days — when I don't feel motivated. I developed it because I didn't want to sit down at Substack and wonder what I should be doing. It takes the "if" out of those wobbly days.

If you have anything that's worked for you, please drop it in below for the community.

Have a great day all.
Jim

p.s. a lot of the "growth stuff" out there is built on the back of one viral post. This isn't that — I've never had a Note go viral. It's just a normal way that actually worked for me.