5 Reasons Your Substack Notes Aren’t Working (and How to Fix Them)
A practical guide to growing your audience and subscribers with Substack Notes
If you’re struggling to write Notes on Substack, you’re definitely not alone.
I don’t think there’s a single writer who hasn’t faced this challenge.
However, what we all already know is that Notes are the way to reach the largest audience when it comes to growing our Substack blog.
Over the past month and a half on Substack, I’ve learned that not every Note will be successful. Sometimes, the simplest-looking Notes are actually the ones that drive the most engagement.
I’ve written Notes packed with valuable information that barely reached anyone.
At the same time, I’ve seen something seemingly ordinary gain double the engagement of posts I spent hours writing and editing. Sound familiar?
Because I believe knowledge should be shared, today I want to show you how in less than 50 days, I not only grew my audience but successfully increased my subscribers, some of whom later became paid.
Every day I receive messages from people asking, “How did it happen so quickly?”
That’s why I started the “Substack Newbies” series, where I share my personal experience with monetization and growing my blog.
In the first post, I shared five useful tools you can use at the start of your Substack journey - if you haven’t seen it yet, you can click here.
Today, my goal is to show you clearly why your Notes might not be performing as they should, and how to fix that so they reach more people.
1. Why “Drop Your Work” doesn’t always work
I assume there’s no blogger who hasn’t used this phrase in a Note. I did it too, and it did bring some subscribers.
The problem arises when these are mostly “hollow subscribers” who unsubscribe after 2–3 days if you don’t follow up. You end up in a loop that eventually stops working.
If you’re a newbie, it’s fine to use this type of Note once or twice a month to boost the algorithm.
But if your goal is to build a quality audience, focus on Notes that deliver long-term value.
2. Why the Sarah Jessica Parker photos are everywhere
Seriously - have you noticed that literally every second Note features Carrie Bradshaw? I tried one myself, and mine only reached 11 people.
The takeaway: what works for someone else might not work for you, and that’s okay.
But don’t make it a habit.
I experimented with a Samantha Jones Note, and surprise - it performed much better.
The lesson: don’t aim to copy Notes word-for-word from others.
Add authenticity, include a bit of yourself.
Don’t try to make photos perfect - let them feel real.
That said, if it’s food, you can play with saturation and color - I know that catches the eye.
3. It’s okay to remix a successful Note
In my third week on Substack, I got stuck.
No matter how many Notes I wrote, I wasn’t reaching enough people.
Then I experimented: I took one of my early successful Notes and reworked it slightly.
In less than 24 hours, the impressions surpassed any of the other Notes I had painstakingly written.
Structure and formatting matter just as much as the content itself.
4. Dry theory isn’t always bad - if you know how to present it
Remember those charts and percentages from school that made no sense? I often see similar Notes in the feed. The content is useful, but presented clumsily.
How a Note is formatted is just as important as the content. That explains why many Notes that seem absurd at first attract a lot of engagement.
📌In my New Notes Guide, I provide 10 templates and 20 ready-to-use examples to turn boring charts into audience-building tools.
5. Don’t limit yourself to a single niche
You know I love sharing personal stories and writing about mental health. But one thing I wish I’d realized earlier: your Notes don’t have to focus only on that.
Think of Notes like Twitter - you don’t only post political opinions there, right?
Sometimes I share a dessert I baked, other times a civic opinion about public transport in my hometown, or even a seaside sunset. By diversifying your content, you reach more people who resonate with different aspects of your life.
Substack is more than just writing platform
Substack is a hybrid platform: yes, you can share photos like Instagram, express opinions like Twitter, and connect globally with people you never imagined.
Substack is a revolutionary tool for writing blog posts and for starting your first business project.
So why debate if Substack is “like Instagram” when it gives you both quality content and global reach depending on your niche?
📌The most important thing: create and experiment. Never feel it’s too late to try a new niche if your current one doesn’t suit you.
Don’t limit yourself while you’re still a newbie - that’s actually an advantage.
📌Now, I want to ask you: how often do you post Notes?
I’ve compiled my 10 most successful Substack Notes into ready-to-use templates, plus over 20 examples for when you’re out of inspiration but still want to post.
Every template and example has been tested and brought results.
Quantities are limited - grab yours before they run out.
Thank you! That was really informative!
Thanks foe the piece