714 New Subscribers Without Posting Notes

How I Used High-Leverage Strategies to Add 714 Subscribers—Without Posting More Notes.

My growth stalled posting 70 Notes a week.

It began to consume me. Spending 4-6 hours a week. Posting 10+ times a day.

I thought posting more meant more growth. But no matter how much I posted, I couldn’t break through. It was like chopping wood with a dull axe—more effort only brought less results.

Instead of working harder, I took a step back and re-evaluated. What if there were smarter ways to grow—without constantly posting Notes?

What if 20% of your subscribers came from a strategy that didn’t involve posting Notes? That’s exactly what happened to me.

Here are my favorite ‘no-note’ growth strategies for Substack.

6 Ways To Grow Without Posting Notes.

Strategy #1: Recommendations.

I’ve received 714 subscribers from recommendations.

And with 110 Substacks recommending me, this number grows every time I refresh the page. When I started writing this article it was 644, the next day it was 655, as I wrote this section it’s 667. Tomorrow, it will be more.

Landon’s Letters Substack Recommendations

Recommendations are subscriber growth on autopilot.

A single recommendation can generate new subscribers indefinitely. And it doesn’t require me to spend 1-2 hours a day writing Notes.

Here Are The 3 Simple Steps I Use To Get Recommendations:

Some of my recommendations were gained organically through people reading my work. Some came from friends and relationships I built. But you’d be surprised to learn that some were swaps and some were simple ‘Asks.’

1. Produce recommendation-worthy content.

2. Network and build relationships with other creators.

3. Ask—the worst they can say is no.

Generally speaking, that’s the order the order I follow.

Why? Asking without a pre-existing relationship or connection is (a lot) more difficult. And asking if they are not a fan of or have a similar audience doubly so.

Here’s An Example.

Last week I fired off a message.

“Yo [X]- Curious if you'd be open to a recommendation swap?”

I have been following this writer for over a year. I’ve engaged with their content and we’ve had a few conversations in the DMs. They replied saying they enjoyed my content and were open to it.

It’s not always that easy—but it can be.

So far, that 10-word DM has generated 8 new subscribers.

---

Strategy #2: Guest Posts & Collaborations.

What if you could borrow an audience instead of building one from scratch? That’s the power of guest posting.

Writing 3 guest posts exposed me to 8,154 new readers on Substack where I received 5,890 views. They placed me in front of a new audience—that someone else had built. Subsequently, building my credibility all while generating new subscribers.

I can’t say how many subscribers I gained from these guest posts because I haven’t found an accurate way to track them. Observationally, I know that in the days that followed these posts, I grew.

Here Are The 5 Simple Steps I Use To Write Guest Posts:

1. Identify collaboration partners.

2. Develop a relationship with these partners.

3. Research potential article ideas.

4. Prepare the article.

5. Pitch the article.

Identify Collaboration Partners.

It starts with identifying potential collaboration partners.

Ideally, publications with a similar-sized following, a similar niche, and where my experience and expertise can be valuable.

Develop A Relationship With These Partners.

Then, I begin building a relationship with them.

I start by commenting and engaging with their posts and notes. Maybe even recommending their publication. This way when I reach out to them I’m on their radar.

Research Potential Article Ideas.

The next step is to research potential article ideas.

It’s important to find an overlap between the content they post and my unique experience. I browse their posts, read their top posts, and see what questions are being asked in their comment feeds and community chat. This allows me to see if there is a gap that I can fill.

Prepare The Article.

Next, I write the entire article before pitching them the idea.

I make it as easy as possible for them. I never want them to have to exert effort to help me. I do my research instead of asking “What should I write for you” because those messages never get a reply. I make sure my articles are well-researched, valuable, fully edited, and ready for them to publish before I approach them.

(This way if they say no, I can post the piece on my publication)

Pitch The Article.

Lastly, I reach out through the DMs and present the article.

I do not overthink this. Ideally, I’m on their radar so the conversation can naturally flow. Then I let them know I’ve written an article I feel will be valuable to their audience (and why) and ask if they’d be interested. If so, I pass the article along.

Once they post the article, I share it 1-3 times in my Notes. Then schedule it to be cross-posted to my subscribers 1-2 weeks later—adding value by increasing exposure to them through my audience.

Tip: Target publications that already feature guest posts—it’s an easier ‘yes’ from them.

---

Strategy #3: Substack Lives.

I woke up to 3 sales and 7 new recommendations after going live.

This is the newest edition to my repertoire. Substack (at the time of writing) appears to be ‘pushing’ the Livestream feature. Email notifications land in people’s inboxes when you go live. And they make it easy to go live with someone giving you instant exposure to their audience.

While I don’t have a solidified ‘Live’ strategy,

Philip Hofmacher

has created an excellent guide you can read here.

I’ve gone live teaching. I’ve gone live with open-format Q&A sessions. They have been well received. I have ‘Collab’ lives scheduled over the coming weeks.

Live video provides a deeper level of communication that cannot be done through the written word. The ability to see and interact, make eye contact, and see the real-time knowledge, and expertise. The experience of live video turns readers into fans, and fans into ambassadors.

My Substack Lives have generated 10,000 views. I’ve generated sales while live, and they generated new recommendations—and will be something I continue to do, test, and experiment with.

---

Strategy #4: Building Community & Connection.

I have a little Note on my desk: “Restacks are everything.”

A little reminder that people sharing my work expands my reach and exposes me to new readers. The fastest way to get people to share my work? Make them feel like they’re a part of something.

People don’t just subscribe for content. They subscribe for connection. They want to feel like they belong, be around like-minded people, and feel like they’re part of a conversation—not just passive readers on the outside looking in.

This is where many go wrong.

They focus so much on posting that they forget about the people already there. They think growth comes from reaching new audiences, but this growth can be driven by the audience you already have.

When people feel heard, they engage more. When they engage more, they share more. When they share more, you grow.

Start here:

1. Respond to every every comment.

2. Use the Chat feature.

3. Position yourself as a guide.

Respond to Every Comment.

Want more comments? Start by responding to the ones you already get.

Substack is built for conversations. Every comment is an opportunity to strengthen a relationship. Every reply makes a reader feel valued. And when people feel valued, they stick around.

I see people that never respond to comments. But I realized people who leave comments are my most engaged subscribers. If they’re willing to start a conversation, I should be willing to continue it.

Use The Chat Feature.

Substack’s Chat feature is underrated.

It lets you talk directly to your subscribers. Chat goes straight to your readers—giving you a direct line to your community. The best part? It doesn’t require the pressure or time of a full post.

You can use it to:

• Ask quick questions.

• Share behind-the-scenes updates.

• Build anticipation for an upcoming piece.

• Check-in and make your audience feel seen.

• Run polls and invisible surveys to inspire content.

I used to Chat feature to poll my audience and validate my first product idea. Which has generated nearly $1,000 in passive income.

Position Yourself As A Guide.

The biggest unlock in my growth?

Realizing that people don’t just want information—they want guidance.

When you position yourself as someone who helps, who listens, who cares, people start recommending you. Not because you asked them to, but because they trust you.

Guides don’t just broadcast messages. They create space for conversation. They don’t just post and ghost. They engage. They don’t just write—they build relationships.

And relationships are what fuel real, sustainable growth.

16 Months after starting on Substack I find other authors and publications recommending me, linking to my work, or referencing me every single week.

---

Strategy #5: Strategic Commenting.

Thoughtful comments grow your publication.

When I invest a little time into commenting on posts in my feed I watch my subscriber count grow. I don’t spend 30 minutes per day commenting, I don’t always have time for that. Instead, I implement a few simple strategies.

Here Are My 3 Strategies For Strategic Commenting:

1. Comment in the margins of life.

2. Replace ‘social media’ with Substack.

3. Bookmark 5-10 creators you wish to connect with.

Every comment is an opportunity—not just to engage, but to be seen by new readers. Thoughtful contributions add value, making others more likely to check out your work and engage in return.

I abide by a simple philosophy. Comment in the margins of life.

Waiting for my coffee at Starbucks, in between sets at the gym, waiting at the barbershop, riding the bus—it only takes a minute to post a comment.

The simplest “hack” I found was to stop scrolling and uninstall my other social media apps. Instead of thumbing TikTok for 5 minutes, I open Substack and comment.

You can casually comment and engage with other accounts. But if you’re jonesing for a strategy, bookmark 5-10 people you want to connect with in your niche and comment on their posts.

While commenting increases visibility and new subscribers the benefits go beyond these simple stats—they build and nurture relationships.

I’ve built genuine friendships on Substack starting with comments. Comments have put me on people’s radar—and I later asked to recommend my publication or collaborate on a guest post.

Start with what suits you best—but start commenting.

---

Strategy #6: Repurposing Substack Content.

Traffic and distribution matter.

Ever written a great post that didn’t get the attention it deserved? You’re not alone. Creating valuable content is only half the battle—getting it in front of the right audience is what truly fuels growth.

Repurposing content can help fill this void.

If you're short on time, this may not be your top priority—but if you have existing content, it’s an easy win.

I’ve reached severe levels of burnout with hardcore repurposing, turning every article into YouTube videos, podcasts, and 3-5 short-form videos across 5-6 platforms per day.

However, my ‘lazy’ repurposing has generated over 1,500 views, 100 subscribers, and $632.06 in revenue (from Medium).

Substack stats by author.

Here’s My Lazy Repurposing Strategy:

• Share long-form posts to other platforms.

• Re-post long-form posts to Medium publications.

• Link all social media bios and websites back to my Substack.

There’s one caveat, I focus on places where I have an existing audience. Since I have 2,000 followers on LinkedIn and a small network on Facebook, it made sense to share my articles there.

To be perfectly honest, my posts get almost little engagement on these platforms but as you can see they have still gained me Subscribers with minimal effort.

Repurposing takes time—time we don’t all have. All other strategies listed in this guide have gained me substantially more subscribers than this. Which is why I mark it as ‘Optional.’

If you have an existing audience somewhere else? This might make a long of sense.
If you don’t? It might make more sense to skip this and invest the time elsewhere.

The Truth About Growth (That Took Me Too Long to Learn)

For months, I thought the only way to grow was by posting more.

More Notes. More content. More effort.

But all it did was burn me out.

When I stepped back and analyzed what actually moved the needle, I realized that growth isn’t about working harder—it’s about leveraging smarter strategies.

Every approach in this article—recommendations, guest posts, Substack Lives, community, commenting, and repurposing—works because it amplifies reach without requiring endless output.

So before you spend another week grinding out Notes, take a step back.

Yes, Notes work. But once you’ve hit your baseline, is posting more really the best use of your time? Or could these higher-leverage strategies provide better, more sustainable growth?

The difference between struggling and scaling is sometimes sharpening the blade instead of just swinging harder.

The best way to grow isn’t by shouting into the void.

It’s by deepening connections, building leverage, and making it easier for new subscribers to find you.

Now it’s your turn.

Which of these strategies will you try first? Drop a comment below—I’d love to hear how you’re thinking about growth.

Landon

Enjoyed this post? Share your thoughts in the comments or spread the word by hitting the Restack/Share button.