To get subscribers on Substack, fix your page first, then post 2 Notes a day, comment on other writers' Notes, turn on Recommendations, and check which Note brought each reader. Do those five things in that order for 30 days. Notes and Recommendations put you in front of people who already read newsletters, so they work at 0 subscribers as well as at 1,000.
I started 9-To-Thrive in December 2024 with zero subscribers and passed 12,500+ in about 18 months. Notes drove about 60% of that growth. Below is the order I would follow if I were starting again this week.
How do you get your first subscribers on Substack?
You get them in five steps, each one building on the last.
- Days 1 to 3: make your page easy to say yes to.
- Days 4 to 30: post 2 Notes a day.
- Every day: leave 5 useful comments on other writers' Notes.
- Week 2: turn on Recommendations and recommend 5 newsletters you read.
- Week 4: check your Growth Sources dashboard and repeat what worked.
Posting your link on social media comes after these. Friends on Instagram or LinkedIn rarely read newsletters, so they rarely subscribe.
What should your Substack page say before you promote it?
It should say who the newsletter is for and what they get, in one sentence. A stranger lands on your page from a Note and decides in a few seconds.
Check four things before you post a single Note:
- Your publication description names a specific reader and a specific result.
- Your About page opens with the same sentence.
- Your welcome email tells new subscribers what to read first.
- You have at least 3 posts published, so the page does not look empty.
This takes one afternoon. It is the step most writers skip, and it decides whether the readers you earn later actually subscribe.
How many Notes should you post to get subscribers?
Start with 2 Notes a day for 30 days. I post more now, but 2 a day is enough to learn what your readers respond to without taking over your week.
Write them in one batch on Sunday. Use these formats:
- One specific tip a reader would screenshot.
- A short story from your work with a real number in it.
- A claim people in your niche would argue with.
- A recommendation of someone else's work, with no ask attached.
Likes feel good and tell you little. The number that matters is how many new subscribers each Note brings. The free Substack Notes Crash Course shows the structure I use.
Why should you comment on other writers' Notes?
Comments put your name in front of readers who already follow someone in your topic. Your Notes reach your followers. Your comments reach theirs.
Leave 5 a day. Add one specific thing from your own experience, in one or two sentences. Skip "great post" and skip links. Writers who reply to your comment are your first likely subscribers, and some of them will click through to your page without being asked.
How do Substack Recommendations get you subscribers?
Recommendations show your newsletter to a reader as they subscribe to another one. Substack reports that Recommendations drive about half of new subscriptions on the platform. 278 publications recommend 9-To-Thrive, and 1,637 of my subscribers came from them.
Turn it on in your settings once you have 5 to 10 posts and a clear topic. Recommend 5 newsletters you actually read first, then ask writers in neighboring topics to recommend you back. A career newsletter and a personal finance newsletter share readers without competing for them.
Does search bring Substack subscribers?
Yes, slowly. A post titled with the question a reader types can reach page one of Google in weeks, and the same structure helps AI tools quote it. Search works best after your Notes habit is running.
Put the answer in the first 100 words and use question headings. I explain the full method in how Substack posts rank on Google.
How do you know which Notes are getting you subscribers?
Open your Growth Sources dashboard once a week and write down which Notes and posts brought new subscribers. Then write 3 more like the best one.
After 30 days you will have a short list of what your readers want. That list is better than any growth advice, including mine.
Where does this fit with the rest of growing a newsletter?
This plan covers your first 30 days. Once it is running, the next levers are collaborations, Substack Live and off-platform posting. They are in how to grow a Substack newsletter in 2026 without going viral. If you have not set up your page yet, start with how to start a Substack newsletter in 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get your first 100 Substack subscribers?
It depends on how often you post Notes and how clear your topic is. Writers who post daily and comment on other writers' Notes tend to see their first subscribers within the first 2 weeks. Reaching 100 takes longer for most people, and nobody can promise you a date.
Do you need a big following to get subscribers on Substack?
No. I started with zero subscribers and no audience on the platform. Notes and Recommendations show your work to readers who have never heard of you.
Can you buy Substack subscribers?
You can, and I do not recommend it. Bought subscribers do not open your emails or read your posts, so they lower your open rate and never buy anything from you.
Should you turn on paid subscriptions right away?
Not before you have readers who open and reply. Build the free list first, and add paid once readers keep asking for more detail on the same topic.
How many posts do you need before you promote your Substack?
Three published posts is enough. A new visitor needs to see that you write regularly and what you write about.
If you want my order of steps in your inbox, subscribe free to 9-To-Thrive and get the free 12-Day Substack Jumpstart, a mini course with one lesson a day.
Carrie Loranger, Substack coach and founder of 9-To-Thrive, is an 18-year marketing director (Fortune 500 and B2B) known for helping writers turn one newsletter into a portfolio of paychecks. 9-To-Thrive is a Substack Bestseller and a Top 50 Substack Business publication with 12,500+ subscribers, and she has helped hundreds of writers set up, grow, and monetize on Substack. Start here.
