These 11 Substack Notes Brought Me 200+ Subscribers. Here's How & Why
The Simple 30-Minute Daily System That Transformed My Substack (and Made it More Fun, Too)
Less than a year ago, I relaunched my Substack with high hopes and a strategic plan.
I had everything mapped out: a consistent publishing schedule, valuable content, cross-promotion on social media. I was doing all the "right" things.
And yet, growth was painfully slow.
Each week, I'd pour hours into crafting what I thought were brilliant newsletters. Deep dives, actionable frameworks, personal stories – the works. And when I hit publish? Crickets.
Maybe 3-5 new subscribers on a good week. Sometimes none at all.
Meanwhile, other Substacks seemed to be exploding overnight. Every time I opened Twitter, someone was celebrating their "first 1,000 subscribers" milestone while I was fighting for every single signup.
It wasn't until my third month that I noticed something interesting in my stats. On days when I posted Substack Notes, I'd see small but noticeable spikes in subscribers. At first, I dismissed it as coincidence.
But the pattern kept repeating.
Post a Note, gain subscribers. Skip Notes for a few days, flatline.
So I decided to experiment. What would happen if I posted Notes consistently, every single day, with strategic intent?
The results changed my Substack. Within 30 days of implementing my Notes strategy, I gained over 200 new subscribers from Notes alone – all from within the Substack ecosystem. Not from Twitter threads, not from LinkedIn posts, no guest appearances on podcasts.
Just Notes.
Now I'm gaining 300+ new subscribers every month from Notes alone.
This shouldn't have surprised me. According to Substack's own data, approximately 30% of new subscribers come from within the platform itself – through recommendations, Notes, and other internal discovery features.
Yet most writers (including my former self) are spending 95% of their time creating content that only reaches their existing audience, while neglecting the very tools designed to help them reach new readers.
In this post, I'm going to share 11 specific Notes that transformed my Substack growth. These aren't random thoughts thrown onto the internet. They're strategic touchpoints designed to attract the right readers to your work.
Question: Do you think it’s worth it to write on Notes daily? Why or Why Not?
Why Do Notes Work So Well?
The power of Notes lies in their unique position within Substack.
When you publish a newsletter, only your existing subscribers see it. Your growth is limited to how well they share it with others. But when you publish a Note, you're speaking directly to potential subscribers who are already on the platform.
Think of it like selling on Amazon versus your own website. On your website, you need to drive traffic, build trust, and convince visitors to enter their payment information. On Amazon, customers are already there with their credit cards stored and ready to buy with one click.
Notes work the same way. Substack already has the subscriber's email. They're already logged in. They're already in the mindset of discovering writers they connect with. All they need to do is hit "subscribe."
This frictionless conversion process is why even a simple, thoughtfully crafted Note can bring in more subscribers than an elaborate newsletter that took hours to create.
Notes also benefit from Substack's internal distribution system. Your Note can appear in various places:
The Notes feed for people who follow you
The "Discover" tab for people who don't
As restacks from other writers
In comment sections where you engage
Each of these touchpoints exposes your voice to potential subscribers who otherwise would never discover your work.
But not all Notes perform equally well. Through trial and error, I've identified patterns in the Notes that consistently convert readers into subscribers. And I've distilled those patterns into a simple daily routine that takes less than 30 minutes.
My Daily Notes Routine
The key to my success with Notes isn't just posting randomly whenever inspiration strikes. It's following a consistent, strategic routine that maximizes visibility and engagement.
Here's exactly what I do:
Every morning, I spend about 20-30 minutes creating three Notes - one for each of the day's prime engagement windows. I batch create them all at once while drinking my morning coffee, then schedule them to post throughout the day:
Morning Note: These are typically community-focused Notes that invite participation. They perform best when posted early when people are checking Substack before starting their day.
Afternoon Note: My midday Notes usually share quick insights or tips. This timing catches people during lunch breaks when they're briefly checking in.
Evening Note: Evening Notes tend to be more reflective or inspirational. They catch people when they're winding down and more likely to engage deeply.
I don't stress about creating perfect Notes. Each takes me less than 10 minutes to write. The key is consistency and strategic timing.
This routine has several massive benefits:
It ensures I'm consistently visible in the Notes ecosystem
It catches different audience segments at different times
It protects my creative energy for long-form newsletter writing
It creates multiple daily opportunities for new reader discovery
What's most surprising is how little time this actually takes. In total, I spend about 30 minutes per day on Notes - and that 30 minutes drives more subscriber growth than all my other marketing efforts combined.
But the routine alone isn't enough. The content of the Notes matters tremendously. Through testing hundreds of Notes, I've identified patterns in what consistently performs well.
Let me show you the 11 specific Notes that brought me over 200 subscribers and explain why each one worked so well.
The 11 Substack Notes That Brought 200+ Subscribers
Here’s a look at some of my recent, most popular Notes. While several of these Notes seem niche, you could adapt them for any topic.
Get creative and use them as inspiration and a jumping off point for your own.
Note #1
Substack is at 5M paid newsletters, and we haven’t even hit the tipping point yet.
If you’ve already started writing here, you’re in the top 2% and ahead of the trend.
Introduce yourself below and drop a link to your Substack 👇🏼
I’d love to check it out and recommend some new writers.
Let’s keep growing together.
Note #2
Yesterday, I almost deleted a post. It wasn’t my best writing, and I knew it when I hit “publish.”
Just before I went to delete, I got a DM saying, “Thank you for writing this post yesterday. It really made me think. I needed this.”
We never know who is actually reading what we write. Even if it makes an impact on one subscriber, it’s worth it. Right?
Note #3
Substack is buzzing. Can you feel it?
Each month 1000’s are taking a bet on themselves and starting a newsletter.
If you’re one of the new(er) writers here, tell us what you write about ✍️
Share a link to your best post and find someone new to subscribe & follow.
It’s reported 30% of new subscribers come from within Substack platform itself.
The more we support each other’s newsletter, the more this community grows.
Note #4
There’s a trend of tiny Substacks with mighty impact right now.
The Moms writing with kids at school.
Dad’s editing posts on a lunch break.
Weekends setting up homepages.
Brainstorming post ideas after hours.
It’s OK to use a day job to pay the bills while we build our dreams.
Watch out. These new writers with tiny Substacks are about to blow up.
Note #5
We’re currently riding the Substack wave. Think Facebook circa 2007 or Bitcoin in 2012.
If you’re already here writing, you’re ahead of the curve…
Tell us what you write about and share a link to your best post ✍️
Only 7 months ago, I was at Zero subscribers. Things can happen quickly.
Let’s grow connections and community so we build a solid foundation.
Note #6
I almost quit Substack. Because I felt like nobody was reading.
Then, I got a DM that said, “Your advice helped me get started. I read everything you write.”
That message meant everything to me. Now, when I write I think about that one person.
I decided I’m not writing to go viral. I’m writing for impact.
Note #7
Best way to write better? Read.
Best way to get inspiration? Read.
Best way to find direction? Read.
Best way to get motivated? Read.
Best way to find clarity? Read.
It’s amazing what reading other writers’ good writing can do for our own.
Note #8
Substack is more than a newsletter.
1 paid subscribers = a cup of Joe
10 paid subscribers = a utility bill
100 paid subscribers = a mortgage
1000 paid subscribers = freedom
For many, Substack is the catalyst that unlocks the freedom we’ve been looking for.
…and that’s priceless.
Note #9
I’m looking to connect with people who are:
✍️ Talented Substack Writers
👨🏻💻 Remote Work Enthusiasts
🤖 Tech-Savvy Solopreneurs
💰 Digital Product Advocates
🧠 Strategic Thinkers
If you’re passionate about designing your own future & income by building on Substack, LinkedIn, and via Digital Products in 2025, I’d love to connect!
Note #10
Your first 10 posts will get ignored.
The next 10 might get a few likes.
And, the next 10 a “restack” or two.
Then someone will message and say, “Thank you writing this. It’s exactly what I needed to hear.”
That moment changes everything.
Your most loyal readers are out there. You just have to keep writing to find them.
Note #11
Substack growth isn't always linear.
Some writers explode to 10K subscribers in a few months.
…And others build steadily for years, earning every reader.
The fastest-growing newsletters aren't always the most valuable.
Some writers with 50K subscribers struggle to convert 1% to paid.
…While others with 1,000 loyal readers build a sustainable newsletter.
Focus on your own journey. Stay consistent. Keep writing. ✍️
The Results and What I Learned
After implementing this Notes strategy for just 30 days, I gained over 200 new subscribers. But the benefits went far beyond just numbers.
What surprised me most was how these Notes subscribers became some of my most engaged readers. They weren't just random followers – they were people who genuinely connected with my voice and perspective.
They opened my newsletters at higher rates, left more comments, and shared my content more frequently than subscribers who came through other channels.
This makes perfect sense when you think about it. Someone who discovers you through Notes has already seen your thinking style, your personality, and your value before they ever subscribe. They're pre-qualified in a way that cold traffic from external platforms simply isn't.
Here are the key insights I gathered from this experiment:
Consistency matters more than perfection
Posting Notes daily – even if they're not perfect – created momentum that the Substack algorithm seemed to reward. After about two weeks of consistent posting, I noticed my Notes were being shown to a wider audience.
Engagement breeds engagement
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. I started engaging actively in the comments section of my own Notes, which further boosted their visibility.
Notes performance compounds over time
Unlike social media posts that disappear after 24 hours, Notes have staying power. Some of my best-performing Notes were still bringing in subscribers 2-3 weeks after posting as people discovered them through comments, restacks, or profile visits.
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 similar. Making your ideas instantly scannable is crucial in the Notes ecosystem.
Community breeds growth
The most unexpected outcome was how Notes fostered genuine connections with other writers, which in turn led to more organic mentions, recommendations, and growth. This created a beautiful flywheel effect that continued driving subscriber growth even on days when my Notes didn't perform exceptionally well.
📌 What’s Next? Join the Six-Figure Substack Growth Masterclass
If you're currently struggling to grow your Substack, I encourage you to try this approach. Start with just 2 strategic Notes per day and see what happens. Pay attention to what resonates with your audience and do more of that.
The beauty of Notes is that there's virtually no downside to experimenting. If a Note doesn't perform well, it simply fades away – no harm done. But when you hit on something that resonates, the upside can be tremendous.
For those of you who want to dive deeper into maximizing your Substack growth, I've reopened my updated masterclass to help.
My Six Figure Substack Growth Masterclass takes everything I've learned about growing and monetizing a newsletter – including advanced Notes strategies, premium content creation, and multiple revenue streams – and breaks it down into a step-by-step system you can implement immediately.
Inside, you'll discover:
My complete system for gaining 10-30+ new subscribers daily through strategic Notes
Templates for all three high-performing Note types I post throughout the day
Advanced tactics to help you refine your niche and grow consistently
The simple tracking system that helps you optimize for your specific audience
Plus complete frameworks for monetizing your Substack (even if you have fewer than 1,000 subscribers)
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.
If you're ready to stop publishing into the void and start seeing real, consistent growth, click below to join us:
Remember: The most successful newsletters aren't necessarily the ones with the best content.
They're the ones with the best content that people can actually find. Notes is your ticket to making sure your brilliant ideas don't just sit on the shelf, but find their way to readers who need them.
I don’t feel like my notes are being seen. Impression rate appears very small.
Good morning! Thank you for this. I am still trying to figure out this platform. And I’m excited I just broke the 25 subscriber milestone on Easter! 🐣 Now I’m looking to see how I can do this more consistently with the notes. Is there a way to determine which are the best times for your readers or do you just assume the times? And I am assuming you manually post these and I have not missed a way for them to pop up at certain times, right?