I Spent 30 Days Posting on Substack Notes Daily. Here's What Happened to My Subscriber Count
The 3-Note Strategy That Delivers 10-30+ New Subscribers Every Day
I gained 300+ new subscribers in 30 days.
Not from Twitter/X. Not from LinkedIn. Not from paid ads.
Just from Substack Notes. That’s around 10+ subscribers per day. (To be honest, I may even be underestimating this number…)
And the craziest part? Each Note took me less than 10 minutes to write.
But it wasn't always like this.
For months, I was doing everything "right." Publishing weekly newsletters. Crafting valuable content. Sharing on social media. And yet my subscriber count barely moved.
Each time I hit publish, my post seemed to vanish into the void. I'd refresh my stats obsessively, hoping for that sudden spike in subscribers that never materialized.
Meanwhile, other writers seemed to be growing effortlessly, gaining hundreds of followers while I was fighting for every single one.
The worst part? My content was good. Maybe even great. I poured hours into crafting thoughtful, valuable newsletters. But it felt like shouting into an empty room.
Most Substack writers are trapped in this exact cycle. They're creating quality content that nobody sees. They're spending hours on full posts that bring in a trickle of subscribers. They're told to "just keep publishing" and eventually growth will come.
I did that. For months. Until I decided to try something different.
The Growth Problem Noone’s Talking About
I first discovered Substack in 2023.
Like most writers, I started with grand visions. I'd write deep, thoughtful content. I'd grow an audience that appreciated quality over quantity. I'd build a sustainable newsletter business.
Reality hit hard.
My first few posts got a handful of views. Mostly from friends and family who felt obligated to click. My subscriber count was stuck in the double digits for what felt like forever.
I tried everything the experts recommended:
Cross-posting to Twitter/X
Sharing on LinkedIn
Joining Substack engagement groups
Writing longer, more comprehensive posts
Writing shorter, more digestible posts
Changing my publishing schedule
Tweaking my headlines endlessly
The results? Minimal growth. Lots of effort. Mounting frustration.
When I decided to relaunch my newsletter mid-2024 with a new niche, I was at a crossroads. Either find a way to break through this plateau or accept that maybe building a newsletter wasn't for me.
That's when I noticed something in my stats. As I started posting regular Notes, I was gaining more subscribers from Notes than I was from sharing on social media.
It made no sense. I was spending hours crafting newsletters and minutes writing Notes. Yet the Notes were driving more growth.
So, I decided to run an experiment: 30 days of posting daily on Substack Notes. No changing my newsletter schedule, no new promotion strategies. Just adding consistent Notes to see what would happen.
It was a decision that completely transformed my Substack journey.
The Treadmill Epiphany Moment
I remember the exact moment everything changed.
It was a Tuesday morning. I was walking on my gym's treadmill, scrolling through Substack on my phone. My coffee was getting cold on the cupholder as I checked yesterday's Substack stats.
Fourteen new subscribers. Not terrible, but considering the four hours I'd spent writing that post? The math didn't add up.
Then I noticed something. Eleven of those fourteen subscribers had come after I'd posted a quick Note I'd written. A simple idea I had about how Substack felt like sitting in a coffee shop with all our best friends.
Wait a minute…
Four hours of work = three subscribers.
Seven minutes of work = eleven subscribers.
Something wasn't adding up—or rather, something was adding up in a way I hadn't expected.
Curious, I dug into my analytics. Over the past month, I'd gained more subscribers from Notes than I had from my actual Substack posts and social media combined.
We're making this way too complicated.
The truth hit me: I was spending 95% of my time on the content that brought in 10% of my growth. This was the classic 80/20 principle staring me in the face.
I was investing the majority of my time and energy into activities that were generating the minority of my results. Meanwhile, the quick Notes I was tossing out as an afterthought were driving the bulk of my subscriber growth.
That day, I made a decision that transformed everything: I would flip the equation.
Instead of pouring hours into content that barely moved the needle, I'd reallocate that time to what was actually working. I'd become ruthlessly focused on the 20% of actions driving 80% of my results.
That didn't mean abandoning my newsletter—it meant being smarter about where my energy went.
The 30-Day Substack Notes System
Once I realized Notes might be my growth secret weapon, I needed a system. Not just random posting when inspiration struck, but a deliberate approach that would maximize results while minimizing time investment.
The system I developed was stupidly simple, but incredibly effective:
Write three strategic Notes each day (morning, midday, evening)
Spend no more than 20 minutes total
Track which ones actually bring in subscribers
That's it. No complicated content calendar. No overthinking. Just three strategic Notes that serve different needs at different times of day.
Here's how my daily routine looked:
Morning: Community/Introduction Notes
I started each day with a Note focused on building community. I'd invite people to introduce themselves, share links to their Substacks, or post their best work. These Notes tapped into something powerful: the desire for connection in what can often be a lonely writing journey.
Example:
If you've been here writing for at least 3 months, you're already in the top 10%.
We want to support you. Introduce yourself with a link to your Substack 👇🏼
Far too many talented writers quit just before their breakthrough. Keep showing up. Keep writing. ✍️
Midday: Educational Notes
My midday Notes delivered one clear, actionable insight about Substack growth, writing, or content creation. Not comprehensive guides. Not ten-step processes. Just one thing that works, explained clearly.
Example:
My Substack engagement jumped 5X when I started following a consistent plan:
✅ Write 2 specific types of Notes daily
✅ Publish 2 helpful posts every week
✅ Focus on solving audience problems
✅ Build a community-first newsletter
Following this simple, sustainable strategy helped me cross 6,000+ subscribers in 6 months.
My advice? Stay focused. Stay consistent. Stay generous.
Evening: Motivational/Inspiration Notes
My evening Notes focused on encouragement and perspective. Many were personal reflections on my journey or simple reminders about why this writing path matters.
Example:
Substack is more than a newsletter.
1 paid subscriber = a cup of coffee
10 paid subscribers = a utility bill
100 paid subscribers = a mortgage payment
1000 paid subscribers = freedom
For many, Substack is the catalyst that unlocks the freedom we've been looking for.
...and that's priceless.
Each Note followed a simple formula: hook, value, call-to-action. And each took less than 10 minutes to create.
At the end of each week, I'd review which Notes got the most engagement and which ones actually converted to subscribers. This data became invaluable for optimizing my approach.
The Surprising Results
I expected some growth. Maybe 50-60 new subscribers over the month if I was lucky.
The actual results blew me away.
Week 1: 30 new subscribers. Not bad, but nothing extraordinary. I almost stopped the experiment here thinking it wasn't working exceptionally well. Thank goodness I didn't.
Week 2: 82 new subscribers. Now I was onto something. The flywheel started turning as my earlier Notes continued attracting engagement while new ones added to the momentum.
Week 3: 106 new subscribers. This was when I knew something special was happening. My most successful Note this week brought in 27 subscribers alone – more than an entire newsletter post that took 5x longer to create.
Week 4: 96 new subscribers.
Total after 30 days: 300+ new subscribers
All from 20 minutes of daily effort. No paid promotion. No complicated strategies. Just showing up consistently with the right type of content.
But the raw numbers don't tell the whole story. Here's what else I discovered:
Community Notes outperformed everything else. My invitation-style Notes where people could introduce themselves consistently generated the most engagement and subscribers. One Community Note brought in 30+ new subscribers in a single day.
Note performance compounds over time. Unlike social media posts that disappear after 24 hours, Notes kept working for weeks. Some of my best-performing Notes were still bringing in subscribers 2-3 weeks after posting.
The Substack algorithm rewards consistency. When I started posting regularly, my overall Note performance improved across the board. It wasn't just about individual Notes but establishing a pattern of reliable engagement.
Format matters more than you think. Notes with clear visual hierarchy—short paragraphs, strategic bold text, and bullet points—consistently outperformed wall-of-text Notes, even when the content was identical.
Early engagement is everything. Notes that received comments and likes in the first 30-60 minutes after posting were significantly more likely to be shown to a wider audience.
What surprised me most was how many of these new subscribers eventually became some of my most engaged readers. They weren't random followers – they were people who genuinely connected with my message and stuck around.
The experiment wasn't just about numbers. It transformed how I thought about growth on Substack entirely.
Why Substack Notes Works So Well to Grow
Substack has a not-so-secret weapon that most writers completely overlook.
According to Substack's own data, around 30% of new subscribers come from within the platform itself. That means nearly one-third of all growth happens without external promotion, social media, or paid ads.
Let that sink in for a moment.
While most of us are killing ourselves trying to build audiences on Twitter/X, LinkedIn, or Instagram, there's a massive growth opportunity sitting right within Substack itself.
Notes is the primary driver of this internal growth engine. Here's why it works so well:
The Distribution Advantage
When you publish a newsletter post, only your existing subscribers receive it. Your growth potential is limited to how well they share it.
But when you publish a Note, it can be discovered by anyone on Substack through:
The Notes feed
Recommended Notes
Restacks from other writers
Comments sections
You're tapping into Substack's entire ecosystem rather than just your small corner of it.
The Community-First Approach
Substack Notes isn't just another social media platform. It's a community of writers supporting writers.
This changes everything about how growth happens. It's not about viral hot takes or controversial opinions. It's about creating meaningful conversations that build real connections.
When someone discovers you through Notes, they're not just finding content – they're finding a voice they connect with. This creates more engaged, loyal subscribers.
The Compound Effect
Unlike most social platforms where content disappears after 24 hours, Notes have staying power.
A Note you publish today can bring in subscribers weeks later as people discover it through comments, restacks, and the algorithm. This creates a compound effect where your Notes library becomes a powerful subscriber-acquisition tool that works 24/7.
The Barrier to Entry
The beauty of Notes is its simplicity. You don't need fancy graphics, video editing skills, or even particularly polished writing. Just share a thought, ask a question, or offer a quick tip.
This low barrier to entry means you can create more touchpoints with potential subscribers with minimal time investment.
Put simply, Notes turns Substack from a publishing platform into a discovery platform. You can grow entirely within the ecosystem without ever having to "sell your soul on social media."
Common Mistakes People Make with Notes
After watching thousands of Notes perform (or fail) during my experiment, patterns emerged about what most writers get wrong when using this powerful tool.
Here are the biggest mistakes I see writers making with Notes:
Treating Notes like Twitter/X
Substack Notes is not Twitter. It's not LinkedIn. It's not Instagram. It has its own unique culture and expectations.
The biggest mistake is posting random thoughts, hot takes, or controversial opinions and wondering why nobody engages. Notes is a space for thoughtful conversation, not viral moments or outrage.
The writers who thrive here are the ones who add genuine value and foster real connections, not those seeking quick attention.
Posting inconsistently
Many writers try Notes a few times, don't see immediate results, and give up. This is like going to the gym once and wondering why you're not in shape.
I noticed a clear pattern during my experiment: my Note performance improved across the board when I maintained consistent posting. The algorithm seems to reward accounts that reliably contribute quality content.
This doesn't mean posting 10 times a day. It means establishing a reasonable rhythm and sticking to it.
Focusing on self-promotion
The fastest way to fail on Notes is making everything about your newsletter. Constantly promoting your posts or asking people to subscribe creates resistance rather than attraction.
I rarely mentioned my newsletter directly in my Notes. Instead, I focused on providing value and building connection. The subscriptions followed naturally when people connected with my voice and perspective.
Ignoring the formatting game
Formatting isn't just about making things pretty—it's about making your ideas instantly digestible. Many writers post dense paragraphs that are difficult to read on mobile devices.
The Notes that consistently performed best were those with:
Generous white space
Strategic bold and italics for emphasis
Bullet points for easy scanning
Clear visual hierarchy
Your Note should be understood at a glance. The core concept should jump off the screen.
Not engaging with comments
Some of my highest-performing Notes were ones where I actively participated in the comment section. This isn't just about being polite—it signals to the algorithm that you're fostering genuine conversation.
I spent at least as much time responding to comments as I did creating the original Notes. This investment paid massive dividends in engagement and growth.
Avoiding these common mistakes won't guarantee viral success, but it will dramatically improve your results over time. Remember: Notes isn't a lottery ticket—it's a system that rewards consistency and genuine contribution.
The Simple Strategy Anyone Can Implement
Now that you know what works (and what doesn't), let's break down the exact strategy I used to gain 300+ subscribers in 30 days.
This isn't complicated. It doesn't require special skills. And it takes just 20 minutes a day.
Here's my simple system:
Step 1: Schedule your Notes routine
I found that batching my Notes creation was more efficient than trying to remember throughout the day. I'd write all three during my morning treadmill session, then schedule them for optimal posting times:
Community Note: Posted around 9am
Educational Note: Posted around 1pm
Motivational Note: Posted around 7pm
This took the guesswork out of when to post and ensured I never missed a day.
Step 2: Use the Hook-Body-CTA formula
Every Note I wrote followed this simple structure:
Hook: One attention-grabbing sentence that stops the scroll
Body: The core insight, formatted for easy scanning
CTA: A question or invitation that encourages engagement
This structure works regardless of what type of Note you're writing. It's designed to capture attention, deliver value, and drive engagement in the most efficient way possible.
Step 3: Create a swipe file of winning Notes
I kept a folder on my phone where I saved screenshots of my best-performing Notes. This became an invaluable resource when I needed inspiration or wanted to recreate a similar format.
Over time, I built a library of proven Note templates that I could adapt for different topics.
Step 4: Track what works
Every Sunday, I'd spend 15 minutes reviewing my Notes performance from the past week. I tracked:
Views-to-likes ratio
Likes-to-comments ratio
Comments-to-followers conversion
Followers-to-subscribers conversion
This simple tracking system revealed which Note types, formats, and topics were most effective for my specific audience.
Step 5: Rotate through proven winners
Once I identified which Notes performed best, I didn't reinvent the wheel every day. Instead, I'd create variations of my winning Note types, changing the:
Hook (different opening line)
Formatting (bullets vs. paragraphs)
Call to action (different question or invitation)
This approach allowed me to build on what was already working rather than starting from scratch each time.
The beauty of this system is its simplicity and low time commitment. You don't need to be a brilliant writer. You don't need fancy tools. You just need to show up consistently with the right type of content.
This isn't just about Notes—it's about being smarter with your time and energy. By focusing on the 20% of activities that generate 80% of your results, you can transform your growth trajectory without adding a single minute to your workweek.
Amp Up Your Newsletter Growth
Let's be real for a moment.
Growing a Substack doesn't need to be complicated. We make it harder than it actually is.
Throughout this post, I've shared my journey from writing Substack posts that few people read to discovering the power of strategic Notes. I've shown you how I gained 300+ subscribers in 30 days with just 20 minutes of focused effort daily.
The heart of this approach is simple: three strategic Notes posted throughout the day.
A morning Community Note that creates connection.
A midday Educational Note that delivers value.
An evening Motivational Note that builds personal relationships.
Each one takes less than 10 minutes to write. Each one consistently brings new subscribers into your world.
No complex systems. No elaborate promotion strategies. Just showing up daily with value and creating space for others to connect.
What I've found most surprising isn't how effective this approach is—it's how few writers are actually using it. Most are still grinding away at long-form content that nobody sees while overlooking the simplest path to growth.
The truth is your success on Substack won't come from doing more. It will come from doing the right things consistently.
📌 Ready to Master Substack Notes? Join the Notes Growth Workshop
If you're tired of publishing content that disappears 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've created the “10+ Subscribers a Day” Notes Growth Workshop to help you implement everything you've learned in this post, step by step.
Inside the workshop, you'll discover:
My complete system for growing by 10-30+ new subscribers per day
The exact templates I use for all three high-performing Note types
My proven approach for converting engagement into subscribers
A detailed breakdown of what makes Notes go viral on Substack
The simple tracking system that helps you optimize for your specific audience
This isn't theoretical advice. It's the exact system I've used to grow my Substack to over 7,000 subscribers in just 7 months, and now I'm sharing it with you.
I’ve reopened the Workshop this week only. It's designed for writers who are ready to stop overthinking and start seeing real growth. Join the Workshop below:
Remember: Whether you join the Workshop or not, you don’t have to “sell your soul” on social media to grow your newsletter. You can tap into Substack’s own platform and grow with 20-30 minutes a day.
This was eye-opening and deeply insightful—thank you!
If you go to his profile you will notice he doesn’t publish notes much.
This is just probably some AI generated crap.