Substack Changed Their Algorithm in Late 2025. Here’s What I Noticed (And How I Adapted)
My views increased 30% and I gained 900+ subscribers in 30 days once I understood what changed. Here's what Substack is prioritizing now and how to use it to your advantage.
Something shifted in late 2025.
I started noticing patterns. Some posts were performing way better than expected…Others that should’ve crushed were barely getting seen…
And here’s the truth: Substack changed how their algorithm works.
Once I figured out what changed and adapted my approach, everything accelerated.
Views went up 30%, and I gained over 900 subscribers from Notes alone in 30 days.
After months of testing, I finally understood what the algorithm actually rewards. And it’s simpler than you think.
An Algorithm That Actually Wants You to Grow
Before I explain what changed, you need to understand why this matters.
Most platforms fight your growth.
They don’t want you building an audience you own. They want you dependent on their platform. One algorithm change and your reach tanks overnight.
Substack is fundamentally different.
They’ve told us directly: the algorithm is designed to help you find subscribers.
It looks for overlapping audiences. It connects readers with writers they’ll genuinely care about.
The platform wants you to win. But you have to understand how it actually works.
And in late 2025, they made a clear shift. They started heavily prioritizing restacks.
What Actually Changed (And Why Most Writers Missed It)
The algorithm started using restacks as a primary signal for content distribution.
Restacking is Substack’s sharing feature. You can restack your own Notes and posts. You can restack other writers’ content.
Most writers either ignore this feature completely or use it once randomly and forget about it.
But Substack now treats restacks as one of the most important signals in the algorithm.
If you’re not restacking strategically, you’re invisible.
The Two Ways Restacking Amplifies Your Reach
After testing this “restacking theory” for months, I figured out how restacking actually works.
There are two methods. Both matter.
Method #1: Restack your own content
When you restack your own Note or post, the algorithm treats it as fresh content. It shows up in feeds again. Reaches people who missed it the first time.
Your content gets a second life.
Method #2: Restack other writers’ content
When you restack someone else’s content in your niche, the algorithm sees a signal. It recognizes overlapping audiences.
Then Substack starts showing YOUR content to THEIR subscribers. And their content to your subscribers.
This is how you tap into completely new audiences.
The Email Problem You Didn’t Know You Had
Here’s something most writers don’t realize.
There are two types of people consuming your content:
Your email subscribers who get posts in their inbox
And people who discover you through the app, scrolling Notes
These are different audiences with different behaviors.
And here’s the bad news: Substack probably isn’t sending your emails to all your subscribers. Especially as you grow.
I’ve had subscribers message me: “Hey, did you turn off emails? I get notifications but no email.”
The algorithm decides who gets what.
Restacking solves this. It puts your content in the Notes feed where app users actually are. Where they’re scrolling. Where they discover new writers.
You’re not just relying on email delivery anymore.
Why Random Restacking is Just Noise (And Wasting Your Time)
I know what you’re thinking. “But I already restack sometimes.”
That’s the problem. “Sometimes” and randomly doesn’t work.
There’s a huge difference between thoughtless restacking and strategic restacking.
You can restack once as an afterthought and get nothing. Meanwhile, strategic daily restacking brings real growth.
I’m not saying never randomly share something you love. But prioritize the strategic approach. That’s your growth engine.
This 10-Minute Daily System Brought 900+ Subscribers
Here’s my actual restacking routine now:
Morning: Restack yesterday’s post.
Afternoon: Restack one popular Note from the past week.
Evening: Restack 1-2 other writers’ content in my niche.
Total time investment? 10 minutes max.
(side note: to be clear, this is in addition to write my regular 2 notes per day)
This works because the algorithm sees consistent signals.
Regular restacking keeps you visible in different feeds. Multiple restacks mean multiple chances for new readers to discover you.
And it compounds over time.
The first few weeks felt slow. That’s normal. The algorithm needs time to recognize the pattern.
But after a month of doing this consistently, views went up 30%. Over 900 subscribers from Notes alone.
The key is not quitting before the compound effect kicks in. Stay strategic. Engage authentically. Trust the process.
You’re Sitting On a Gold Mine (And Most Writers Don’t See It Yet)
I spent months testing this, so you don’t have to waste time guessing.
Strategic restacking works. Period.
The algorithm changed, and the writers who adapted are growing.
Your audience is already here on Substack. They’re scrolling Notes, they’re in the app.
You don’t need to hustle on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram anymore trying to drag people over.
You just need to understand how the algorithm works. Use the tools Substack gives you.
Let me show you how to grow your newsletter with Notes & strategic restacks
Understanding that restacking matters is one thing.
Knowing which types of Notes get restacked most? When to restack your own content for maximum reach? How to identify the right writers in your niche?
That’s what most writers never figure out.
That’s exactly what I teach in my “10+ Subscribers a Day” Notes Growth Workshop.
Inside, I break down:
The 3 types of Notes that consistently bring subscribers (and get restacked most often)
My strategic restacking approach that works with Substack’s 2026 algorithm
How to write Notes in 5 minutes or less that people actually want to share
The formatting tricks that stop the scroll and make people read
How to identify and build relationships with writers in your niche for maximum reach
The daily system that brought me 900+ subscribers in 30 days
Special bonus: When you join, you get my 7-Day Notes Growth Challenge with templates you can use immediately to start growing this week.
I’ve proven it works. 900+ subscribers in 30 days after adapting to algorithm changes. 15,000+ total subscribers. $5K+ monthly revenue.
You can join below and learn the complete system:
Keep writing, Wes
P.S. - The algorithm changed. The writers who adapted are growing. The ones who didn’t are stuck. Which one will you be?
All of this is helpful, and I appreciate you sharing updated information.
Thanks, will try it (and good reminder to recommend restacking with intention, not randomly. Terrified this platform will become as Medium became)