The Simple Shifts That Drove 1,123 Subscribers to My Substack in February
Breaking down exactly how I turned my Substack growth around and what's coming next
Just 6 months ago, I was stuck.
My Substack was growing at a snail's pace. I'd post content, watch it disappear into the void, and wonder what I was doing wrong.
Sound familiar?
I remember spending hours crafting what I thought were perfect newsletters, only to see minimal engagement and even fewer new subscribers.
It was frustrating, confusing, and honestly made me question if this whole Substack thing was even worth it.
Fast forward to February 2025: 1,123 new subscribers in a single month.
And the best part? I didn't kill myself doing it.
No 6-hour content creation sprints. No expensive promotion campaigns. No sacrificing my sanity for growth.
So, what changed? Let me break down the exact shifts that happened last month which transformed my Substack from stagnant to growing.
The 4 Shifts That Transformed My Substack
February was a good month for growth. I saw a few big boosts, which is always fun to see. However, I want to remind us that going “viral” isn’t a sustainable approach. I’d just rather see slow, steady daily growth than short bursts.
So, while I did see a few of those short bursts last month, it’s not the norm…nor should it be our objective.
1. I Completely Reimagined What a "Newsletter" Should Be
My first mistake was treating my newsletter like... well, a newsletter.
You know the type: roundup style, "here's what happened this week," scattered content without a clear purpose.
Instead, I now approach my content in two distinct ways:
Connection Posts: These are personal, authentic, and designed to deepen relationships with existing subscribers. I share stories, insights, and encouragement that resonates on a human level.
Hero Posts: These are my growth engines. Each one is crafted to be shareable, valuable, and compelling enough that readers can't help but send it to friends. They're comprehensive guides, unique insights, or frameworks that solve specific problems.
The shift was dramatic. Instead of seeing my posts as content for existing subscribers, I began viewing each one as a potential ambassador that could bring in dozens or even hundreds of new readers.
2. I Started Paying More Attention to My Titles
I used to spend hours crafting the perfect post, then slap on whatever title came to mind in the last five minutes.
Big mistake.
Your title is the most important part of your post. If your title tanks, nobody will click to open your post. It doesn't matter how brilliant your content is if nobody ever sees it.
I now spend almost as much time on my titles as I do on the content itself. I brainstorm 10-15 options for each post, often using AI to help generate variations and possibilities I wouldn't have considered.
What makes a great Substack title?
Specific numbers (like the 1,123 in this post's title)
A clear promise or benefit
A hint of the "how" without giving everything away
Emotion that resonates with your ideal reader
There’s a lot of science and psychology that goes into a good title, more than I could share in this post. However, don’t shy away from using AI (ChatGPT, Claude .ai, etc.) to help you brainstorm, edit, and tweak your titles.
Since I started treating titles as their own strategic element, my open rates have improved and I believe there’s more shares / restacks. More opens mean more engagement, more shares, and ultimately, more subscribers.
3. I Discovered the Power of Cross-Promotion
February marked my first experiment with cross-promotion—and it surprised me.
I connected with another writer whose audience overlapped with mine but wasn't identical. We each selected one of our best-performing posts and shared it with our respective audiences.
The result? Over 100 new subscribers in 24 hours.
This single tactic required maybe 10 minutes of my time (to select the post and write a brief introduction) but delivered incredible ROI.
What's interesting is how much more effective this was than traditional "marketing." These weren't just random sign-ups—they were pre-qualified readers already interested in my niche.
There’s a trust factor here…my subscribers trust me, so they also trust what I share. And the same goes for the other writer. This type of “marketing” beats something like Facebook ads any day.
4. I Embraced a Consistent, Strategic Posting Schedule
Consistency isn't sexy, but it works.
My current rhythm:
At least 2 Substack Notes daily
3 newsletter posts weekly
Now, I can hear you thinking: "Three posts a week? I barely have time for one!"
Here's the thing—the number isn't as important as the consistency. What matters is establishing a rhythm your audience can count on and maintaining it.
When I first started posting consistently, nothing happened immediately. But over time, I noticed:
Engagement steadily increased
My Notes started getting more traction
More readers began participating in the comments
Think of it like compound interest for your content. Each consistent post builds on the foundation of the previous ones. The more consistently you show up, the more consistently your audience shows up to engage.
5. I Started Building an Actual Community
This was perhaps the biggest shift.
I stopped thinking about subscribers as numbers and started treating them as community members.
How? By:
Asking thoughtful questions at the end of posts
Actively hosting and engaging in Notes Boosts
Creating dedicated Chat threads for introductions and discussions
Responding to every comment (yes, every single one)
I get some flak for the Notes Boosts at times. Why? People don’t see the value in them and they’re seeing them superciliously.
Sure the “boost” is great, but it’s actually about the community. Subscribers are connecting with subscribers inside my Chat. It’s gold. Nobody wants to grow in a silo, and when you offer people a space to share & connect, that’s community.
Community compounds in interesting ways. When readers feel genuinely connected, they become advocates who naturally share your work with others.
I've watched people who found my Substack in December become my most active promoters by February—simply because they felt valued and included.
So, What's Next? My Growth Experiments for March
While February's growth was great, I'm not stopping there. I’m not silly enough to believe every month will be this good. (Maybe it’ll be better, maybe it’ll be less…).
However, I think it’s important to keep trying new things, cutting what doesn’t work, and doubling down on what does. Here's what I'm experimenting with next:
Medium Expansion
I'm planning to repurpose my best-performing content on Medium, with clear links back to my Substack. I've seen several writers in my niche use this as an effective discovery channel.
(PS: I’m a Medium newbie. If you have Medium tips, I'd love to hear them in the comments.)
More Strategic Cross-Promotions
After February's success, I'm lining up additional cross-promotion opportunities with complementary writers. The key here is finding the right matches—audiences that overlap but aren't identical.
(PS: If we have overlapping audience interests, I’d be open to connecting and discuss a cross-promotion.)
Weekly Live Sessions
Don’t hold me to this quite yet, but I plan on launching weekly live sessions—sometimes solo, sometimes with guests. These create different types of connection points and give subscribers another way to engage with the content.
What's Coming Soon for Escape the Cubicle
Beyond my growth experiments, there are a few other exciting things happening this month. I’ll be opening up a new training and also my paid subscription (“community”).
Digital Product Bootcamp Opens Tomorrow!
I'm excited to announce that tomorrow I'm opening the doors to my Digital Product Bootcamp…
Inside, I'll reveal exactly how I generate $3K-$5K monthly from low-ticket digital products using just my newsletter, LinkedIn, and an email list.
If creating and monetizing digital products is on your 2025 roadmap, this bootcamp is for you. I'll show you my entire strategy, including how to "stack" products to create natural upsells to your higher-ticket coaching and consulting offers.
Space will be limited, so keep an eye on your inbox tomorrow for all the details.
If you’d like first access to this special training, comment “bootcamp” below and I’ll be sure you’re on the list.
Special “Community” Coming This Month
By the end of March, I'll be launching a paid subscription tier on Substack.
This won't just be "premium content"—it's a true community where you'll get:
Monthly workshop on growing your audience and business
Collaboration opportunities with fellow writers inside the community
Dedicated support threads AND special Notes Boosts
More direct access to me for feedback and guidance
I’m still a firm believer in offering most of your content free (unless you’re Substack famous). I think your paid tier should be extra community, training, and support beyond content only.
I've had countless requests for ongoing support beyond my courses, and this community is my answer to that need. It’s like having a “Mini Wes” in your pocket to help.
I’d like to focus on going deeper with my audience right now and not only wider.
A Personal Note from Wes
On a completely different note—I finally bought my dream Jeep Wrangler today!
I've wanted one since I was 16, and the additional income from my growing Substack and digital products finally made it possible. There's something powerful about building a business that not only helps others but also creates the freedom to fulfill personal dreams.
📌 Need more help NOW? My Substack Growth Class is Open
If you’re looking to grow and monetize your Substack this year, I’ve got you covered. I created a Six-Figure Substack Growth Masterclass where I share how I grew from Zero to 5,500+ subscribers and consistent $3K-$5K/mo within a 6-month timeframe.
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.”
I share my strategies, frameworks, and principles on how to grow and monetize your newsletter audience. If “grow on Substack” is part of your “to-do” like this year, I’d love for you to join 100’s of writers inside the masterclass. Click below:
Here's to reaching your goals in 2025, whatever they may be.
Gotta admit Wes, you are truly so good at bringing us quality articles! I appreciate how you break everything down and always want to help us succeed. Thanks for being here.
That was a solid breakdown, especially the way you started. Felt super natural and relatable.
Do you think AI helps more with brainstorming or just fine-tuning the final title?