4 Proven Strategies to Become a Substack Bestseller

Insights from Claire Venus and Russell Nohelty.

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By Claire Venus and Russell Nohelty

Ok so you know we celebrate joyful, sustainable growth but if you really want to get the check mark for social proof here is the tea.

We’re not into ‘hacks’ but we are into knowledge sharing so here you go…

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Grab a copy of Claire and Russell’s book now!

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You could…

1. Leverage Discounts for Quick Paid Subscriber Growth

Okay, this might be seen as a cheap trick, but one effective way to rapidly grow your paid subscriber base is to offer discounts. Even if a subscriber only pays a minimal amount, like $1, it still counts toward your overall growth metrics. Whether 101 people pay $1000 or $1, it still counts toward your overall stats.

While this tactic might seem cynical, it’s a straightforward approach to get that checkmark. Discounts create a lower barrier to entry, attracting more people to subscribe, and potentially leading to long-term subscribers who may eventually pay full price. Here on Substack you can make coupons for a limited amount of time which also count towards your ‘paid sub’ number even if they are a trial.  You want to think about zooming out on this – you could offer a big discount as part of your launch or even your first 6 months or a year.   

Also, did you know that if you become a contributor to somebody else’s publication who is already a Substack bestseller, they can give you a checkmark by making you a public contributor? So, technically, you can have zero paid subscribers if you write for the right people.  Collaboration is something we’ll cover in class.  

2. Expand with Multiple Publications

You can publish multiple newsletters or create various publications under your Substack umbrella. Each publication you release counts toward your overall subscriber tally, and earnings are cumulative across all your offerings. So, if you have nine publications each with the same 10 paid subscribers, and one with 11, you still get that little checkmark. Again, this is wildly cynical, and maybe it should make you question those checkmarks a bit, but it’s also good practice if you want to expand your offerings.

Russell likes to start a new publication whenever he partners with a new person on a project, or when he has something interesting that can drive organic subscriptions. This approach not only diversifies your content but also increases the likelihood of converting casual readers into paying subscribers across different topics or niches. The key is to find a balance between quality and quantity, ensuring that each publication offers unique value and people are clear.

3. Paywall Strategically to Maximize Engagement

Paywalls are a powerful tool when used strategically. We recommend giving content "maximizers"—valuable insights or exclusive content—during your regular posts to encourage free subscribers to upgrade to a paid membership.

For instance, Anna Cordeo-Rado does a quarterly income report. Everyone can see how her income is divided, but only paid subscribers can see the actual income she made from every channel. By offering a taste of what’s behind the paywall, you can entice readers to subscribe for the full experience. It’s all about creating a sense of exclusivity and added value that justifies the cost of the membership.  If you’re creating a ‘fandom’ that’s slightly different and we cover that in our book ‘How to Build a World Class Substack’.

4. Create Tangible Value that Justifies Membership/ Paid Content Costs

Finally, to sustain and grow your paid subscriber base, it’s crucial to create tangible value that readers can easily tie back to the cost of their membership. Whether it’s exclusive content, access to a community, or personalized insights, subscribers need to feel that they’re getting more than they pay for.

When people can clearly see the value of your membership, they’re more likely to subscribe and remain loyal over time. If, for instance, you charge $10/mo for 30 quick and easy 30 minute recipes, then you are basically saving people hours and hours of research trying to figure out what to make when they are busy. If you provide a grocery list, or a link to Instacart where you built the grocery list, you save them even more time. How much is that time worth? Well, for a busy mom it might be worth $100/week, and if you can tie that back to your membership, then people will be more likely to buy in and then stick around.

This strategy might require more effort, but the long-term benefits are well worth it especially if you have a lot of folks on a monthly paid subscriber basis.

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15 Absolutely Vital Lessons I've Learned as a Working Writer

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It’s all about finding the right balance between attracting new subscribers and providing value to keep them engaged.  We’d love to hear from you in the comments.

Come along to our masterclass if you want to join us as we explore many many more ways to become a Substack bestseller with 101 paid subscribers. 

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Claire and Russell

Claire Venus is a Substack expert with years of experience helping creators build and grow their newsletters. She specializes in strategic content creation and audience engagement.  Claire’s Substack portfolio brings over $45k into her business.

Russell Nohelty is a best-selling author and entrepreneur who has successfully grown multiple online platforms. He is passionate about helping creators monetize their work and build sustainable careers.  Russell writes weekly to over 70k readers at The Author Stack.

Together they wrote a book: How to Build a World Class Substack – it’s well worth grabbing your copy.

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