Fantastic tips, I'd share the post only I just shared the one I read 2 minutes ago and I don't want to look like a mad fan girl ;-)
Just a query on the three calls to action at the end of the newsletter - I've heard from other successful creators that giving too many options to click puts people off - If they have to choose, they choose nothing. What are your thoughts on this?
Also, thanks for the tips on customizing the look and feel of the home page. I didn't know there were advanced templates.
I see you like writing informational posts - I'm in L&D so I notice these things!
I've never had a fan girl so I'd be pumped for you to be the 1st! Totally, you're right. You typically want a single CTA. The super signature is a little different. It is usually leveraged on emails that don't have a CTA and it's an easy conversational way to add one.
I love stories but when I look at my posts they all are information/tutorials lol. Hopefully people like them.
I see super signatures all the time. On my posts I say "more ways to reach me" and link two social profiles and a couple of articles they might have missed. I am thinking of A/B testing the super signature vs one quick CTA.
Always worth testing. If the post/content is relevant to a SINGLE CTA, I always focus on the single CTA. But if it has none, that's when I like to add the super sig.
No, I use Kajabi. Still need to finish setting up my Substack account but I'm loving it so far.
Just purchased your Subliminal Selling program and wow, already so many changes in persepctive. Sometimes it's right in front of you and you don't see it.
As someone new to this space, I have to say Thank you for this resource! Building a community can be very scary, but it does not have to be complicated.
When I started on YouTube, it was the same way - had to learn that, Canva Pro, Mailchimp, which was a disaster because even though it was authenticated and verified, it kept standing things to people's junk mail so after four months I gave up on Mailchimp.
I have had IT experts as roommates so I've learned quite a bit through that. However, the best way to learn is to fool around with it like you said. experiment explore and use it and to me that's the easiest way to remember it by doing it.
But I want to try that if it would help my publication. I need to really do my page correctly and I've been stuck on that. It's just a mental block. I'm a recovering perfectionist 😂🤣😂
That was supposed to say my "about page". when I voice text which I do almost all the time even my articles and everything I have to really go back and reread it multiple times because sometimes words are omitted or it adds words that I didn't say or the spelling is incorrect.
We're both recovering perfectionists! We should start a club :) I agree, the best way to learn is to tinker. We just need to work on keeping our perfectionism at bay throughout the process.
Excellent help here, Landon! Thanks for putting this together. It gives those of us getting started an extra jumpstart building our substack by adding appropriate links, promoting product, and organizing the home page.
I see your lead magnets are in ConvertKit. I'd love to know more about your strategy around what you email your Substack community versus what you email your CK subscribers--assuming there's some overlap? So many people use one or the other but I'm not ready to jump ship on CK yet and I'd love to emulate someone who is using both in a complimentary way.
This is on my list to write about as it's a common question I get.
I will try and give you the short version here (DM me to chat more if you'd like).
I maintain CK because I want the leverage the automations, segmentation, tagging, and features that I cannot leverage with Substack.
On substack, I leverage my "Posts" as more long form / education / newsletters. Where as I leverage my email as more personal, behind the scenes, and more offers within email. I still do not have it all figured out but that is what I am doing right now.
There is definitely overlap. I've turned some emails into posts. I link people to my SS in emails, and I promote my lead magnets on SS. The reality is that everyone interacts differently on different platforms and having both (in this moment) I believe supports my long term goals better.
That is a question I've gone back and forth with. The two email lists - SS and the main email list. I do like how you are doing it though - gives me some ideas! I use Flodesk and can't leave them - I got in at $19 a long time ago and can't beat that price!
Yeah this is super helpful thank you. It's comforting to know there are others using both in a way that makes sense. It was making me feel a little bit scatterbrained, but I think I'm honing in on a strategy now. I subscribed so that I'll be notified when you write more about this. Looking forward to it!
Thanks for subscribing! I started working on a Substack v ConvertKit article today. 1,000 words in. It's a question that comes up a long so I am looking forward to helping educate around it.
Tons of value in here.
Now I need to get to work.
Me too! HA!
You got this Melissa!
Let's do it Phil! You got this.
Fantastic tips, I'd share the post only I just shared the one I read 2 minutes ago and I don't want to look like a mad fan girl ;-)
Just a query on the three calls to action at the end of the newsletter - I've heard from other successful creators that giving too many options to click puts people off - If they have to choose, they choose nothing. What are your thoughts on this?
Also, thanks for the tips on customizing the look and feel of the home page. I didn't know there were advanced templates.
I see you like writing informational posts - I'm in L&D so I notice these things!
I've never had a fan girl so I'd be pumped for you to be the 1st! Totally, you're right. You typically want a single CTA. The super signature is a little different. It is usually leveraged on emails that don't have a CTA and it's an easy conversational way to add one.
I love stories but when I look at my posts they all are information/tutorials lol. Hopefully people like them.
OK I'm officially number one fan girl!
Oh, I see re the super signature. Makes sense.
I write informational posts too and have to stop myself lapsing into corporate speak.
I think I've officially made it now :)
I see super signatures all the time. On my posts I say "more ways to reach me" and link two social profiles and a couple of articles they might have missed. I am thinking of A/B testing the super signature vs one quick CTA.
Always worth testing. If the post/content is relevant to a SINGLE CTA, I always focus on the single CTA. But if it has none, that's when I like to add the super sig.
Thanks for this walkthrough. I’m still figuring out how to optimize Substack. Really appreciate it
No problem, Chris. This should help you get started.
Just getting started in Substack so this came at the perfect time. Thanks so much for sharing. Great content.
Amazing Caterina! Love this. I am incredibly grateful this showed up at the right time. Do you currently use Kit?
No, I use Kajabi. Still need to finish setting up my Substack account but I'm loving it so far.
Just purchased your Subliminal Selling program and wow, already so many changes in persepctive. Sometimes it's right in front of you and you don't see it.
Thank you so much Caterina :) That means the world. So happy you're finding it valuable.
As someone new to this space, I have to say Thank you for this resource! Building a community can be very scary, but it does not have to be complicated.
I agree :) Glad it was helpful.
Thanks for all the awesome tips!
You bet.
Great article, Landon! Learned a lot. Thank you.
Happy it helped!
Saw the email header/footer and since being fairly new here wasn't sure what to do with it but that's a great idea!
Also the links and CTAs.
thank you, Landon 🙏
Happy to help. I didn't touch my theme for approx 8 months. It was through little bits of experimenting and exploration I started to optimize it.
I know there's so much to learn!
When I started on YouTube, it was the same way - had to learn that, Canva Pro, Mailchimp, which was a disaster because even though it was authenticated and verified, it kept standing things to people's junk mail so after four months I gave up on Mailchimp.
I have had IT experts as roommates so I've learned quite a bit through that. However, the best way to learn is to fool around with it like you said. experiment explore and use it and to me that's the easiest way to remember it by doing it.
But I want to try that if it would help my publication. I need to really do my page correctly and I've been stuck on that. It's just a mental block. I'm a recovering perfectionist 😂🤣😂
That was supposed to say my "about page". when I voice text which I do almost all the time even my articles and everything I have to really go back and reread it multiple times because sometimes words are omitted or it adds words that I didn't say or the spelling is incorrect.
Again, a learning process 😉
We're both recovering perfectionists! We should start a club :) I agree, the best way to learn is to tinker. We just need to work on keeping our perfectionism at bay throughout the process.
agreed!
maybe we should start a club 🤔
Excellent help here, Landon! Thanks for putting this together. It gives those of us getting started an extra jumpstart building our substack by adding appropriate links, promoting product, and organizing the home page.
You bet Larry, glad you found it helpful.
Great value!
You are right. There is enough to get on with.
Much appreciated!
Thank you!
VERY helpful! I'm using some of these tools, but not all - thank you for spelling it all out so well!
Just when I think I know Substack, I learn something new! I had no idea the theme can be customized! Thanks!
I didn't touch mine for over 8 months! So you're not alone.
I see your lead magnets are in ConvertKit. I'd love to know more about your strategy around what you email your Substack community versus what you email your CK subscribers--assuming there's some overlap? So many people use one or the other but I'm not ready to jump ship on CK yet and I'd love to emulate someone who is using both in a complimentary way.
This is on my list to write about as it's a common question I get.
I will try and give you the short version here (DM me to chat more if you'd like).
I maintain CK because I want the leverage the automations, segmentation, tagging, and features that I cannot leverage with Substack.
On substack, I leverage my "Posts" as more long form / education / newsletters. Where as I leverage my email as more personal, behind the scenes, and more offers within email. I still do not have it all figured out but that is what I am doing right now.
There is definitely overlap. I've turned some emails into posts. I link people to my SS in emails, and I promote my lead magnets on SS. The reality is that everyone interacts differently on different platforms and having both (in this moment) I believe supports my long term goals better.
That is a question I've gone back and forth with. The two email lists - SS and the main email list. I do like how you are doing it though - gives me some ideas! I use Flodesk and can't leave them - I got in at $19 a long time ago and can't beat that price!
My deep dive on this is scheduled for Tuesday.
Yeah this is super helpful thank you. It's comforting to know there are others using both in a way that makes sense. It was making me feel a little bit scatterbrained, but I think I'm honing in on a strategy now. I subscribed so that I'll be notified when you write more about this. Looking forward to it!
Thanks for subscribing! I started working on a Substack v ConvertKit article today. 1,000 words in. It's a question that comes up a long so I am looking forward to helping educate around it.
Thanks for sharing, will try to employ these methods next time I post my long form writings!
Best of luck!
Thanks for this!
You bet!
And pinning by sections?
I am not sure if that's an option, actually.
Yes, you an pin post to its section, if you have sections, of course, in your newsletter.
Time for me to set it up!