The LinkedIn-Substack Flywheel: How I Got 400 Subscribers from a Single Post

One post.

400+ new Substack subscribers.

Over the course of 3 weeks.

I still remember staring at my analytics that day, watching the numbers climb. Not because this was normal (it wasn't), but because it proved something I'd been testing for months:

LinkedIn could be one of the most powerful growth engines for your newsletter... if you know how to use it.

Now don’t get me wrong. This isn’t the everyday norm for me (not by far). However, my LinkedIn-Substack Flywheel now consistently brings me anywhere from 10-20+ new subscribers every day.

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From Burnt Out Coach to Newsletter Writer

Several years I was managing a wine shop, dreaming of one day becoming a writer. Like everyone else, I did what seemed logical - I Googled "how to make money writing online."

That led me down the usual rabbit holes: Twitter threads. Instagram carousels. TikTok growth hacks.

But something interesting happened when I started posting on LinkedIn.

While other platforms gave me fleeting attention, LinkedIn consistently drove actual email subscribers. Not just followers or likes – but real people who wanted to hear more from me.

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The Numbers Don't Lie

Let me show you what this actually looks like:

• Average LinkedIn post: 5-10 new subscribers

• Solid post: 20-30 subscribers

• Best post ever: 400+ subscribers over 3 weeks

• Current total: 4,500+ engaged subscribers

• Monthly newsletter income: $5K+

But here's what's really interesting: this growth happened without spending a dollar on ads.

At current market rates ($2-3 per subscriber), building a list this size would cost thousands.

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The Secret Most Newsletter Writers Miss

While everyone fights for attention on X or chases TikTok trends, there's an untapped goldmine sitting right in front of us: LinkedIn's 900M+ users.

But here's the kicker:

• Less than 1% post content regularly

• Even fewer understand how the algorithm works

• Most writers completely ignore the platform

• Those who do use it treat it like a resume, not a growth engine

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Monetizing Your LinkedIn Like a Pro

Your newsletter is a perfect way to monetize your LinkedIn audience. However, it’s just one of many options.

• You can also link directly to your digital products

• You can offer 1on1 services to clients

• You can provide coaching on your area of expertise

• You can become a ghostwriter for others

…there’s really countless ideas for monetizing.

In fact, one of my income streams has nothing to do with my newsletter. I sell a recorded masterclass that teaches job seekers how to find their remote dream job.

I simply link directly to this from LinkedIn to my Stan Store and get daily sales. The less complicated we make this process, the better.

If you can find a common audience problem and solve it with a simple digital product (and make it very easy to buy), you’re in business.

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The LinkedIn Newsletter Advantage

Here's something most people overlook: LinkedIn newsletters are a secret weapon for driving Substack growth.

Literally, I see almost nobody using LinkedIn newsletters effectively. When you post on LinkedIn, you’re still dealing with an algorithm. However, when you write a LinkedIn newsletter, all your subscribers get an instant notification and an email.

It’s a direct line to your audience. Where else can you do that?

A recent LinkedIn newsletter I published hit:

• 50,000+ subscribers received notification

• 4,000+ people viewed the post

• 89 clicked through to Substack

• 20 became new subscribers

The real power? LinkedIn notifies EVERY new follower about your newsletter automatically. It's like having a perpetual lead magnet.

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Here’s Some Real-Life Examples

Let me show you three types of posts that consistently drive subscribers:

The Story Post

Shared about quitting my wine shop job. Instead of just telling the story, I broke down the exact moment I knew I had to leave. Raw authenticity always converts.

The Breakdown Post

Analyzed the cost of getting 2,000 email subscribers through paid ads ($3,000-5,000) versus organic LinkedIn growth. Numbers + perspective = engagement.

The Counterintuitive Post

Everyone says you need to post daily. I shared why I post 3x week instead and get better results. Going against common wisdom, with proof, always drives interest.

The most important part – I pair all of my posts with some type of media. Like a video or quote. Your piece of media is like the vessel that gets your post’s message out into the world.

…without your vessel, there’s much less of a chance that your message will be seen.

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Give Them a 30-Second Mental Vacation

I hate using the word “hack”, but this one really is.

Most people are already stressed in their day. They get onto an app like social media to scroll and zone out for a few minutes. The last thing someone wants to see if another “5 Ways to Do…” or “10 Steps to …” posts. We just don’t.

However, if you can give your audience a “30-second mental vacation” with an engaging video, that person will associate the positive feeling with you and your message.

Rather than preaching at your audience and giving them yet another task they need to do, just help them check out a bit. Give them a positive experience. You’ll have a subscriber for life.

I can’t tell you how many DM’s I’ve gotten telling me “I love your posts, they always make me feel good.” And that makes me feel good, too.

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The System Behind It All

I've turned this into a repeatable system I call the LinkedIn-Substack Flywheel:

• Optimize your profile for conversion

• Create strategic content that drives profile visits

• Use LinkedIn newsletters to accelerate growth

• Convert visitors to subscribers with a "hero post"

• Monetize through premium subscriptions or products

This Flywheel works like clockwork every single day. Once you set up your Flywheel once, it’ll keep working for you day after day.

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Common Mistakes That Kill Growth

After helping hundreds of writers build their newsletters, I see these mistakes constantly:

The Profile Trap - Linking to Substack homepage instead of your best performing post

The Content Gap - Posting the same content on both platforms instead of using LinkedIn strategically

The Newsletter Error - Writing long-form LinkedIn newsletters instead of strategic teasers

The Timing Mistake - Posting randomly instead of during peak engagement hours

Avoiding these mistakes can help boost your engagement 10X.

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Ready to Build Your Own Flywheel?

If you’ve been thinking about growing and monetizing on LinkedIn, or setting up your own LinkedIn-Substack Flywheel, I’ll be reopening my LinkedIn Growth Class soon.

In this class, I share the exact strategy I’ve used to grow my LinkedIn profile to 125K+ followers and turned it into a newsletter growth engine. If you’d like to get on the waitlist and first access to join, just comment “LinkedIn” in the comments below, and I’ll be sure you get the link.

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Need Help Growing on Substack NOW? I got you covered

If you’re looking to grow on Substack TODAY, I’ve reopened my Six-Figure Substack Growth Masterclass for new students. This is the class where I share how I grew from Zero to 4,500+ subscribers and $5K+ monthly in 6 months.

In this class, you’ll get:

• Strategy for growing your Substack (for any niche)

• How to monetize your Substack from day 1

• My Notes strategy to get daily subscribers

• The blueprint for how to create your own LinkedIn-Substack Flywheel

• Private community of 155+ writers to network and support

Look, I know growing on Substack can be a challenge…especially when you go it alone.

This is the strategy I wish I had when I started. Instead, I had to make a lot of mistakes and figure it out on my own. If you’d like to skip right to the front of the line, click the button below and join us inside the masterclass:

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Question - Do you use LinkedIn to grow your Substack? What’s working for you? Share your tips and ideas in the comments to help someone else.