You can publish excellent writing on Substack and still feel stuck. Open rates look fine, the list crawls, and paid conversions don’t move. Meanwhile, every new feature—Notes, Chat, video, podcasts—adds more knobs to turn and more ways to accidentally create confusion.
This is where a Substack growth editor becomes valuable: not by polishing sentences, but by designing a system that turns new subscribers into habitual readers and, when appropriate, paying members. The work is operational and specific: remove onboarding friction, upgrade trust and navigation, and activate Substack’s built-in discovery network so growth isn’t dependent on luck or external platforms.
A useful mindset shift: you’re not a copy editor. You’re a systems architect. Your output is not “help.” Your output is a machine: clear inputs, clear paths, tracked outcomes.
Lane lock (30 days, no mixing): pick one lane and stay there for your first month.
- Lane A: Paid Substack writers (free → paid + retention)
- Lane B: Cohort-course creators (free → lead + enrollment)
Mixing lanes creates sloppy CTAs, unclear segmentation, and weak reporting. Lane lock keeps your work measurable and your offer easy to buy.
Quick start: what you’ll ship in a 72-hour reset
- A friction audit doc (10 findings → impact → fixes)
- A “Start Here” path (homepage + archive navigation)
- A 5-email welcome sequence (automated, first week)
- Recommendations setup + partner list + outreach template
- A Notes/Chat prompt calendar (30 days)
- A one-page weekly report template + first “next test” plan
Your toolkit (build before you get clients)
- Friction Audit Doc template (Surface → Problem → Impact → Fix → Proof)
- Start Here Hub template (3 tracks + reading order + best-of links)
- 5-email Welcome Sequence skeleton (1 purpose + 1 action per email)
- Partner Selection Rubric + Partner Tracker (overlap, quality, trust, reciprocity)
- Notes/Chat 30-day Prompt Calendar (cadence + purpose)
- Weekly Report template (changes → insights → KPI deltas → next test)
Table of Contents
- The real problem: friction, not writing
- Step 1: run a friction audit before you touch anything
- Step 2: segment using the VIP reader cohort
- Step 3: replace the default welcome email with a 5-part sequence
- Step 4: build the recommendation flywheel
- Step 5: use Notes and Chat as between-issues infrastructure
- Step 6: lock in authority with domain and SEO meta-optimization
- Step 7: align monetization with the platforms fee reality
- Metrics and reporting that prove you’re not doing random marketing
- Delivery SOP: the 72-hour reset clients actually buy
- Packaging and pricing that match the leverage
- Risk, compliance, and ethics
- FAQ
- Conclusion
The real problem: friction, not writing
In a crowded attention market, “pretty good” is not a strategy. Small technical barriers—messy homepages, default welcome messages, unbranded notifications, broken links, vague calls-to-action—turn into silent conversion losses.
Your goal is to make every first-week experience feel intentional:
- A new subscriber understands what they’ll get and why it matters.
- They know where to start and how to navigate the archive.
- They see proof that real people value this publication.
- They have a clear next action.
- They get pulled into Substack’s social graph through recommendations, Notes, and community touchpoints.
Onboarding fixes protect revenue and create momentum. They also make your work legible: you can point to the exact places where trust and clicks were leaking, and show what you changed.
Step 1: run a friction audit before you touch anything
Before changing anything, map the subscriber journey end-to-end: first encounter → subscribe → first email → first click → second session → upgrade/lead intent. That sequence is the backbone of your audit.
Start with a standardized audit that maps the journey from “first encounter” to “first week.” The point is not a long report; it’s a list of specific gaps you can fix quickly.
START (high-frequency leaks)
- Messy homepage: unclear who/what/why + no “Start Here”
- Default welcome email: no next step, no routing
LEVEL UP (plumbing + trust)
- Paywall logic: free vs. paid boundary + where intent peaks
- Monetization plumbing: plans, annual option, pricing clarity, Stripe visibility
- Recommendations: enabled but unmanaged/untracked
Friction audit checklist
- Homepage clarity: who it’s for + what they get + where to start
- “Start Here” path: pinned post, hub page, reading order
- Branding consistency: header, bio, logo, default templates
- Domain + trust: custom domain, favicon, redirects, footer links
- Welcome flow: default message vs. intentional sequence
- CTA clarity: subscribe, upgrade, annual, lead action (lane-dependent)
- Paywall logic: what’s free vs. paid, and where the boundary is
- Recommendations: outgoing + incoming, placements, copy
- Notes/Chat: between-issues touchpoints, cadence, purpose
- SEO basics: titles/descriptions for top posts, clean URLs
- Segmentation: engaged vs. new vs. paid, and what happens to each group
- Monetization plumbing: plans, annual option, Stripe visibility, pricing clarity
Audit output format (one page) For each finding:
- Surface: (homepage / welcome / recs / SEO / etc.)
- Problem: what the reader experiences
- Impact: what it breaks (trust, clicks, upgrades, retention)
- Fix: one action, one owner, one deadline
- Proof: the signal you’ll watch (metric or observable behavior)
Three filled examples
- Surface: Homepage
Problem: No “Start Here,” archive is a wall of posts.
Impact: New subscribers bounce or read randomly; retention suffers.
Fix: Add a “Start Here” hub + 3-track reading paths (Beginner / Practical / Deep).
Proof: Click-through to the hub increases; more second-session reads. - Surface: Welcome email
Problem: One default message with no next step.
Impact: First-week attention decays; upgrades or leads happen by chance.
Fix: 5-email sequence with one action per email.
Proof: Week-1 clicks/replies rise; actions cluster around Email #5. - Surface: Recommendations
Problem: Recommendations are enabled but unmanaged and untracked.
Impact: Incoming discovery is inconsistent; partners churn silently.
Fix: Partner list + outreach cadence + weekly tracker.
Proof: Net new recommenders per week becomes visible and improvable.
Priority rule: Start Here + Welcome + Recommendations beats “publish more content.” Content without routing is a leak.
Step 2: segment using the VIP reader cohort
Most creators treat the list as one blob. Treat it like a system with signal.
Define VIPs with explicit rules Pick a 30–90 day window and identify readers who show engagement signals:
- VIP-Engaged: consistent opens (relative to recent sends)
- VIP-Clicker: clicks to key pages (Start Here, best-of posts, upgrade/lead pages)
- VIP-Community: replies, comments, chat participation, shares
If Substack tagging is limited, use a simple spreadsheet: email → VIP tag(s) → notes. The point isn’t perfect segmentation; it’s removing guessing.
How VIPs are used
- Extract language: which topics and phrases correlate with clicks and replies
- Test onboarding: share Start Here and sequence drafts with VIPs first
- Choose the cleanest next-step CTA for the lane (paid upgrade vs. lead action)
VIPs are your calibration set. You build onboarding for the people who actually engage, then expand.
Step 3: replace the default welcome email with a 5-part sequence
A single welcome message rarely builds a habit. A sequence does, because it structures the first week and reduces decision fatigue.
5-email welcome sequence skeleton
- Email 1 — “Start Here”
Goal: one click to a hub.
Measure: clicks to Start Here. - Email 2 — “The promise”
Goal: set expectations (what, why, cadence).
Measure: opens + replies. - Email 3 — “Proof & belonging”
Goal: credibility + community signal.
Measure: clicks to proof post / community thread. - Email 4 — “Archive guide”
Goal: route into 3–5 best posts by goal.
Measure: multi-click sessions (2+ clicks). - Email 5 — “Next step”
Goal: one CTA (lane-dependent).
Measure: upgrade clicks or lead actions.
One fully written example (Email 1) Subject: Start here: what to read first (and why)
Welcome—glad you’re here.
If you only read one thing this week, start with this: [Start Here link]. It’s a short map that shows (1) what this publication covers, (2) the best posts to begin with, and (3) how to use the archive without getting lost.
Pick one track:
- Quick wins: 3 posts you can apply today
- Deep dive: the frameworks behind the ideas
- Start-to-finish: a guided sequence from basics to advanced
Action for today: click the map, choose a track, and read the first post.
Reply with your track choice and I’ll point you to the best next step.
—[Name]
Keep each email tight: one purpose, one action. Avoid “while you’re here, also…” sprawl.
Step 4: build the recommendation flywheel
Substack’s unique advantage is the creator-to-creator network effect. Recommendations can behave like warm introductions, but only if you run them like operations.
Partner selection rubric (score each 0–2)
- Audience overlap: similar reader problems, adjacent outcomes
- Content adjacency: connects without being identical
- Quality signal: consistent publishing cadence, clear positioning
- Trust fit: compatible tone and ethics
- Reciprocity potential: you can recommend them honestly
Start with 10–15 high-fit partners.
Core metric (make it explicit)
Recommendation Velocity = (new recommenders gained) − (recommenders lost) per week.
Outreach template (short and specific) Subject: Recommendation swap? Clear fit + simple plan
Hi [Name] — I read [specific post] and noticed we’re serving a similar reader goal: [goal].
I run a Substack that helps [who] achieve [outcome]. I think our audiences overlap without competing directly.
Simple proposal:
- I’ll recommend you in my Recommendations section + one Note this week.
- If it feels aligned, you do the same.
- We’ll review in 14 days and keep it only if it’s additive for both audiences.
If you’re open, I’ll send a 2–3 sentence recommended blurb you can edit.
Thanks,
[Name]
Cadence rules
- Outreach: 5 partners/week
- One follow-up after 5–7 days, then stop
- Monthly prune/replace: remove inactive or low-trust fits, add 2 new high-fit
Tracker table (columns)
- Partner / URL
- Overlap score (0–10)
- Date contacted / Status (Yes / No / No response)
- Added us? (Y/N) / We added them? (Y/N)
- Notes mention date
- Incoming subs trend from recs (rough trend is fine)
- Keep / Replace decision date
Do-not-do list
- Don’t send generic praise to dozens of creators.
- Don’t recommend publications you wouldn’t stand behind.
- Don’t treat recommendations as a hack; it’s a relationship layer.
Step 5: use Notes and Chat as between-issues infrastructure
A newsletter that only publishes long-form issues relies on spikes of attention. Notes and Chat convert spikes into habit.
Minimum cadence (starting point)
- 3 Notes/week
- 1 Chat thread/week
Consistency beats intensity. This cadence is enough to create a steady presence without turning the newsletter into noise.
One job rule (non-negotiable)
Every Note or Chat post must do exactly one job:
- remove confusion (clarity)
- show proof (credibility)
- trigger participation (community)
- route to Start Here (onboarding)
30-day prompt calendar (10 examples)
- Note: “One mistake I see in [topic] and the fix in 3 steps.” (clarity)
- Note: “The checklist I use before publishing.” (proof)
- Chat: “Ask me anything about [topic]—I’ll answer today.” (participation)
- Note: “A surprising data point from this week + what I changed.” (proof)
- Chat: “Vote: what do you want next—A, B, or C?” (participation)
- Note: “Mini case study: a small change and what it improved.” (proof)
- Chat: “Share your current obstacle in one sentence.” (participation)
- Note: “Three publications I recommend and why.” (routing + trust)
- Chat (paid lane): “Behind the scenes: what I’m testing next week.” (retention)
- Note: “Start Here reminder + who this is for (in 2 lines).” (routing)
How the machine changes by lane
- Paid writers: Chat is retention. Notes feed discovery, but paid value becomes real through member threads, behind-the-scenes context, and consistent interaction.
- Course creators: Notes are the magnet. Onboarding emails and segmentation carry nurture toward enrollment.
Step 6: lock in authority with domain and SEO meta-optimization
Authority is a conversion tool. A branded environment reduces trust friction and makes the publication feel intentional.
Domain + brand checklist
- Custom domain: DNS configured, redirects clean, no broken links
- Visual consistency: header image, favicon, default templates
- Navigation: Start Here visible, archive paths obvious
- Footer hygiene: working links, clear contact, clear policies when relevant
SEO meta optimization (top posts only) Pick 5–10 posts that already get traffic or should become entry points.
- Title: aligned to a specific reader problem and outcome
- Description: 1–2 sentences that communicate value fast
- URL: clean and readable, not vague
One example (before → after)
- Before title: “Thoughts on Onboarding”
- After title: “Substack Onboarding Checklist: A 7-Step Setup That Converts New Subscribers”
- Before description: “Some notes on onboarding and growth.”
- After description: “A practical setup for Start Here, welcome emails, recommendations, and retention—so new subscribers know what to do next.”
The goal is intent match and clarity, not promises about rankings.
Step 7: align monetization with the platform’s fee reality
If money is involved, make net revenue visible. Your job is to remove ambiguity and ensure the upgrade or lead path matches the publication’s actual offer.
Make net revenue explicit Calculate:
- Gross revenue (price × paid subs)
- Platform fees (if applicable)
- Payment processing (varies by method and region)
- Net revenue = gross − fees
Then optimize where it matters: pricing clarity, annual plans, retention, conversion points, or lead quality (for the course lane).
Paid writers
- Paywall clarity: what paid unlocks, in concrete terms
- Annual option: visible and understandable
- Upgrade prompts: placed where intent is highest (after proof posts and in Email #5)
Course creators
- Treat onboarding as a funnel: segment readers by intent early
- Include one “surprise resource” email that routes by a simple choice
- Bridge trust → interest → enrollment with one clear next action
Metrics and reporting that prove you’re not doing random marketing
Use reporting that ties actions to outcomes without drowning the client in dashboards. Don’t chase universal benchmarks; protect your baseline and watch deltas.
Six KPIs (baseline-first)
- Leading: welcome sequence engagement (opens/clicks/replies in week 1)
- Leading: recommendation velocity (net recommenders per week)
- Lagging: paid trend (paid lane) or lead actions trend (course lane)
- Lagging: net revenue trend (not only gross)
- Quality control: open-rate stability (watch drops vs. baseline)
- Quality control: trust signals (unsub spikes/complaints)
Weekly report template (one page)
- What changed (3 bullets)
- What we learned (2 bullets)
- KPI deltas vs. last week (short lines)
- Risk check: anything that reduced trust or clarity?
Next test (mandatory): every report ends with exactly one experiment formatted as hypothesis → change → success signal.
Delivery SOP: the 72-hour reset clients actually buy
This is a real timebox with shipped outputs.
Day 1 — Diagnose + signal
- Get Editor/Admin access (no password sharing).
- Run the friction audit and ship a Top 10 Fixes doc.
- Identify the VIP cohort and extract language signals (phrases tied to clicks/replies).
- Draft the Start Here hub structure (3 tracks + reading order).
Day 2 — Core onboarding 5. Implement Start Here (homepage + navigation).
6. Build and enable the 5-email welcome sequence (automations + one CTA per email).
7. Set basic segmentation (VIP tags or spreadsheet routing).
Day 3 — Discovery + habit + reporting 8. Configure Recommendations (outgoing copy + placements).
9. Build the partner list (10–15) using the rubric + prep outreach messages.
10. Ship the Notes/Chat 30-day prompt calendar (cadence + one-job rule).
11. Ship the weekly report template + first next-test plan.
Optional next 7 days
- Run outreach cadence and review the tracker weekly
- Optimize titles/descriptions for top posts
- Launch one pilot:
- Paid lane: one upgrade moment tied to proof + Email #5
- Course lane: one lead magnet + intent segmentation email
Packaging and pricing that match the leverage
If you price this like miscellaneous tasks, you’ll get treated like miscellaneous labor. Package outcomes and repeatability.
- Infrastructure Reset (fixed fee): domain/brand + Start Here + welcome sequence + recommendations setup
- Growth Catalyst (monthly): partner ops, Notes/Chat cadence, SEO meta, weekly reporting
- Media Brand Retainer (high-touch): full lifecycle management—retention, distribution, structured testing
Exclude general proofreading and creative writing from the core offer. Those can be separate services, but they dilute systems work.
Make yourself the obvious choice (domination strategy)
- Build a Fix Library: the top 30 recurring problems + your standard fixes.
- Maintain a Partner Pipeline: keep 30 scored partners ready so you never start from zero.
- Run a Test Log: every change has a hypothesis and a result. That’s how you learn faster than competitors.
Risk, compliance, and ethics
Onboarding and growth touches email and data, so keep safe defaults.
- Ensure unsubscribes work and compliance basics are intact.
- Avoid guarantees; you control systems, not audience behavior.
- Use permissioned access (Editor/Admin). Keep financial controls separate.
- Document scope boundaries and what “done” means.
Professional hygiene is part of conversion. New readers feel trust or chaos quickly.
FAQ
How many recommendations should a newsletter have?
Enough to be useful and trustworthy. Start with 5–10 high-fit publications you can honestly stand behind, then refine based on overlap and the quality of incoming readers over 30 days.
Do Notes matter if I’m focused on email?
Yes, if you want Substack-native discovery. Notes increase your surface area inside the platform and create repeated touchpoints that make a new reader more likely to subscribe and return.
Should Chat be for everyone or paid only?
Use Chat based on your lane. For paid writers, paid-only threads can make membership feel real. For course creators, public threads can build trust and route people toward the next step.
What’s the best first email in a welcome sequence?
A Start Here map with one clear action. The first email should reduce choice overload and route the reader into a track that matches their goal.
How do I avoid recommendation outreach feeling spammy?
Be specific, propose a simple reversible swap, and follow up once max. Only reach out when you can genuinely recommend them.
Do I need a custom domain to grow?
Not strictly, but it often improves perceived authority and reduces trust friction. If the newsletter is meant to be a serious asset, branding and domain hygiene are usually worth it.
Conclusion
Substack growth is not only content quality. It’s infrastructure quality—how smoothly a new reader becomes a habitual reader, how clearly the next step is communicated, and how effectively the publication plugs into the creator network effect.
Your edge as a Substack growth editor is focus and repeatability. Run the friction audit using the full journey map, calibrate with VIP readers, install the 5-email welcome engine, operate recommendations with a rubric and tracker, and keep Notes/Chat on a simple cadence with a single job per post. Then prove it weekly with delta reporting and a mandatory next test.
