How to Write Viral Substack Notes that Get Noticed
How I write "viral" Notes and gain 10-30+ subscribers every single day
Ever hit publish on a Substack Note and watched it disappear into the void?
That was me in mid-2024.
I had just relaunched my Substack and discovered the whole LinkedIn-Substack Flywheel thing (thankfully). Subscribers were growing steadily, my content was getting traction...everything was slowly working.
So, I decided to try out Substack Notes. It seemed interesting and like my kind of people, but I honestly had no idea how it worked.
I kept hearing whispers about Substack Notes. How some writers were exploding their growth using this "new" feature.
I decided to test it out.
My first Note? Complete crickets. Zero comments. Zero likes. Not even a courtesy like from my best friend.
I thought, "How in the heck does this actually work?"
Fast forward 90 days: I've gained over 2,000+ new subscribers since then. Not all from Notes, but a significant chunk came directly from cracking the Notes code. Today, I'm going to break down exactly how I did it.
The Moment Everything Changed
Here's what nobody tells you about Substack Notes: it's not social media. It's not Twitter/X. It's not LinkedIn.
It's a community of writers & thinkers supporting writers & thinkers.
When I finally understood this, everything shifted. Here's what I did:
First, I became a student of the platform. Instead of randomly posting and praying (like everyone else), I started studying Notes that were getting engagement.
I looked for patterns. What made people stop scrolling? What sparked real conversations? Why did some Notes get 50+ comments while others got crickets?
Next, I jumped into the community aspect. This wasn't just about posting my own content - I started genuinely engaging with other writers' Notes. Building real relationships. Adding value to conversations. Restacking.
Then I discovered Notes Boosts - think of them like writer meetups in digital form. I started joining them to get my Notes more visibility and eventually started hosting my own in my Substack Chat.
This wasn't just about promotion - it was about building genuine connections with other writers who were on the same journey.
My Exact Process for Writing Notes
After months of testing (and plenty of failed Notes), here's my proven process:
1. Find Your Inspiration
I deliberately seek out 5-6 successful Notes from different creators. Not to copy - but to understand what resonates with the Substack community.
2. Generate Fresh Angles
I use tools like Claude.ai to help me brainstorm new angles based on what's working. But here's the key: I never just take what the AI suggests. It's purely for sparking new ideas that I can make my own.
3. Make It Uniquely Yours
I take an idea I love and completely rewrite it in my voice. Your unique perspective is what makes a Note stand out.
4. Master the Formatting Game
This is the game-changer most people miss. Formatting isn't just about making things pretty - it's about making your ideas instantly digestible. Here's what works:
Use white space like it's your best friend
Break up thoughts with bullet points
Add bold and italics for emphasis
Make everything skimmable
Your Note should be understood at a glance. The core concept should jump off the screen and grab attention immediately.
Why Most Notes Fail
Let's be real: most Notes fail because people treat them like tweets or LinkedIn posts. They drop a random thought and wonder why nobody engages.
But here's the truth: Substack Notes is a different game entirely. It's not about hot takes or viral moments. It's about sparking meaningful conversations that build real connections.
Think about it: every viral Note teaches us something about what the Substack community values. It also builds community and gets the conversation going. When you study what works, you're not just copying - you're learning the language of the platform.
What's Coming Next?
Tomorrow, I'm sharing something special: the 3 different types of Notes that consistently get noticed on Substack. These aren't just templates - they're proven frameworks you can adapt to your unique voice.
This weekend? I'm breaking down the art of storytelling in Notes. Because great formatting and solid strategies are important, but it's storytelling that makes people stop scrolling and start engaging.
The Quick Win: Write Your First High-Engagement Note Today
Want to test this strategy right now? Here's a simple framework that works:
Start your Note with: "The biggest mistake I see writers make is..."
Then share:
One common mistake you've noticed
Why it doesn't work
What to do instead
A personal story of when you made this mistake
End with a question: "What's the biggest writing mistake you've learned from?"
Obviously, you can insert anything you want in place of “writing.” Make it related to your niche.
This framework works because it:
Hooks attention immediately
Provides real value
Shows vulnerability through your story
Encourages engagement with the question
Try it today and watch what happens.
Ready to Master Substack Notes?
If you're tired of posting Notes that disappear into the void...
If you're ready to build genuine connections with other Substackers...
If you want to tap into one of the most powerful growth tools on Substack...
I'm hosting a Substack Notes Challenge & Workshop soon where I'll walk you through my entire process, step by step. You’ll be able to sign-up beginning next week. The 7-day Challenge will be absolutely *free* to join and then there will be a very affordable workshop that details my strategy.
We'll cover everything from crafting your first viral Note to building a sustainable Notes strategy that grows your subscriber base.
If you’d like to get first access and be on the waitlist, click the button below and join us inside the group:
📌 Need more help NOW? Six-Figure Substack Growth Masterclass (Re-opened)
PS – For those who are ready to go big in 2025 on Substack, I’ve reopened my Six-Figure Substack Growth Masterclass below for the next 48-72 hours. This is the same class I’ve now taken 300+ Substack writers through who are killin’ it on Substack and growing every day.
Listen, I know Substack can feel a little lonely at first. It’s actually not difficult to grow on Substack once you have a good strategy. Going it solo can be tough.
Jake said about the class: “I wanna say thank you for putting this together, sharing it, and making it accessible. This was one of the best, most concise explanations of how to scale and monetize a newsletter I’ve ever come across. Keep up the good work.”
This class has helped a lot of writers get their bearings on Substack and take first steps. Inside the class, I share the same strategy I’ve used to go grom Zero to 4,200+ subs and $5K+ per month consistently 👇
You’ll also get access to our private community of writers who collaborate and share ideas.
Hope to see you in the class!
Notes.
I've been writing, reading, and commenting on Notes for a couple of weeks, but I still don't know where they go when I create one. I've written them four different ways and not one of them has shown up on my Substack homepage or dashboard under Notes. Is there a KISS way to figure out where the ether is that they are piling up in?
Defiantly want to know more about Notes. My question is similar to Jim's. I'd like to know a simpler way to understand these and make them work for my community and myself.