If you’ve been wondering how to grow your Substack, chances are you’ve spent at least a little time searching Google for answers.
You’ve probably read articles telling you to publish consistently, write better headlines, use Notes every day, collaborate with other writers, and be patient.
None of that advice is wrong.
However, after spending the last several months intentionally experimenting with my own Substack ecosystem, I have come to believe that it is also incomplete.
The biggest reason most Substack publications don’t grow isn’t because the writing isn’t good enough.
It isn’t because the algorithm is against them.
And it certainly isn’t because their voice doesn’t matter.
Instead, I think the real problem is much simpler.
Most people aren’t building a place that leads anywhere once they are discovered.
That realization completely changed the way I think about growing on Substack, and it might change the way you think about it too.
They have a setup problem. 👀
A few small shifts inside your Substack can completely change how subscribers move from reader → conversation → client.
That’s exactly what we’re fixing inside the Substack Setup Intensive. ✨
Imagine this.
You spend an hour writing a thoughtful article. You hit Publish, share it in Notes, maybe even post about it on another social platform, and then you wait.
A few hours later you check your stats.
Three readers.
One like.
No comments.
You tell yourself you’ll keep going, but a tiny voice starts whispering in the back of your mind.
“Maybe…
I’m just not interesting enough.”
everyone else already has an audience.”
there are too many coaches doing what I do.”
nobody is ever going to find me.”
I don’t think those thoughts mean you’re weak.
I think they’re completely normal.
Every creator has them.
The mistake is believing they are true.
Your voice isn’t the problem.
Your discoverability might be.
Even more importantly, your visitor experience might be.
One of the biggest mindset shifts I’ve experienced is realizing that people are not searching for me.
They’re searching for answers.
Nobody wakes up wondering what Jill Hart published today.
Instead, they’re typing things like:
Those questions become doorways.
Every article you write has the opportunity to answer one of those questions, and every answer gives someone a chance to discover you for the first time.
That means your goal isn’t to become famous.
Your goal is to become discoverable.
There is a very important difference.
Here’s where I think many creators accidentally sabotage themselves.
Let’s say someone finds your article through Google.
Or maybe they discover one of your Notes.
Perhaps another writer restacks something you wrote.
Success!
Someone finally arrives at your publication.
Now what?
This is the question that changed everything for me.
When I visit many Substack publications, I often see wonderful writing sitting inside an unfinished home.
The About page has never been completed.
The publication still shows the default “Recent Posts” layout.
And the welcome email hasn’t been customized.
Paid subscriptions have been enabled, but there is no explanation of why someone might upgrade.
There is no obvious next step.
No clear invitation.
No sense of where the relationship is supposed to go.
Imagine inviting someone over for coffee, opening the front door, and then walking away without saying another word.
That’s what many publications unintentionally feel like.
The content may be excellent.
The experience feels unfinished.
Over the last several months I’ve been running what feels like one long experiment.
I’ve been testing Notes.
SEO.
Pinterest.
Podcast interviews.
Website articles.
Community.
Google rankings.
Welcome emails.
Calls to action.
Different offers.
Different ways of inviting people into my world.
At first, I thought I was experimenting with traffic.
Now I realize I’ve really been experimenting with relationships.
Traffic is easy to celebrate because it shows up in charts.
Relationships are quieter.
Someone reads one article.
A week later they subscribe.
A month later they reply to an email.
Eventually they join your community.
Then they attend a workshop.
Months later they become a client.
That’s what sustainable business growth actually looks like.
Visibility isn’t the destination.
It’s simply the beginning of the relationship.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from studying great marketers is that every piece of content should create one belief shift.
It shouldn’t overwhelm people with twenty ideas.
It should help them see one thing differently.
Then it should naturally invite them to take one small step forward.
I’ve started asking myself a simple question every time I create something.
If someone discovers me through this article, where do I hope the relationship goes next?
Maybe I want them to…
read another article.
subscribe.
join my community.
attend a workshop.
The specific answer changes.
The important thing is having an answer.
Too many creators work incredibly hard getting discovered while giving very little thought to what happens afterward.
I often hear people describe Substack as an email platform.
Technically, that’s true.
However, I think it’s much more useful to think of it as your online home.
When someone walks through the front door, they should immediately understand four things.
Your ideal reader should recognize themselves almost immediately.
If you’re trying to help coaches build authority through podcasting and Substack, say so.
Don’t make people guess.
Visitors should quickly understand the transformation you offer.
Not your credentials.
Not your accomplishments.
The transformation.
People are looking for hope more than they are looking for information.
What will happen if they subscribe?
Will they receive practical strategies?
Weekly encouragement?
Exclusive workshops?
Behind-the-scenes experiments?
Give them a compelling reason to continue the journey.
Never leave people wondering.
Invite them somewhere meaningful.
Read another article.
Join your community.
Download a resource.
Attend a workshop.
Book a call.
The invitation doesn’t need to feel salesy.
It simply needs to exist.
This is probably the biggest shift in my thinking.
Most advice teaches content creation as though every article exists on its own.
I don’t think that’s how successful businesses grow.
Instead, I think every piece becomes another doorway into your ecosystem.
Someone discovers you through Google.
Another person finds you through Notes.
Someone else hears you on a podcast.
Another person saves one of your Pinterest pins.
Each doorway leads back to the same place, your…
publication.
ideas.
community.
offers.
Over time those individual moments begin reinforcing one another.
Someone who has seen your work in three different places already trusts you more than someone encountering you for the very first time.
That isn’t manipulation.
That’s familiarity.
Relationships have always been built through repeated conversations.
The internet simply gives us more opportunities to have them.
This may sound strange coming from someone who spends a lot of time thinking about visibility.
I don’t actually think most creators need dramatically more traffic.
I think they need a better destination.
When someone arrives, are they welcomed?
Do they understand what makes your publication different?
Do they know who you help?
Can they easily continue the journey?
If the answer is no, doubling your traffic won’t solve the problem.
It will simply send twice as many people into an experience that isn’t finished.
Fortunately, that’s also good news.
You don’t need to become an influencer before your business can grow.
You simply need to become intentional.
If you’ve been discouraged because your subscriber numbers aren’t growing as quickly as you’d hoped, I want to leave you with one thought.
Please don’t confuse being undiscovered with being unworthy.
Every successful publication started with someone writing for very few readers.
The difference wasn’t that their voice mattered more.
The difference was that they kept improving the experience they created for the people who found them.
That’s the experiment I’m continuing to run.
Not how to chase more attention.
How to create visibility that leads somewhere.
Because when someone finally discovers your work, they shouldn’t wonder what to do next.
They should feel like they’ve just walked into exactly the right place.
If you’ve been focusing on writing great content but haven’t fully set up your publication, your welcome emails, your subscriber journey, or your client pathway, you’re not alone. Most creators skip those foundational pieces because they aren’t as exciting as publishing another article.
Ironically, those are often the pieces that determine whether a reader becomes a subscriber and whether a subscriber eventually becomes a client.
That’s exactly why I created the Substack Setup Intensive.
Together, we’ll build the foundation that helps your visibility lead somewhere. We’ll optimize your publication, clarify your messaging, create a subscriber journey that feels natural, and make sure every new reader knows exactly how to continue the relationship with you.
Because growing your Substack isn’t just about getting found.
It’s about being ready when someone finally finds you.
Getting more visibility isn’t always the answer. Learn why coaches need a visibility ecosystem that…
Learn how to build a business without depending on algorithms by creating a visibility ecosystem…
Learn how to build authority online, become known for your expertise, and attract aligned clients…
Wondering how to attract clients online? Discover the first step to building a visibility system…
Building an audience is different than collecting followers. Learn why audience trust, connection, and a…
Before you start your podcast you need to consider this statement - every podcast needs…