Five key things I've learned about Substack since I started in January 2020

Regularity, the 'cool girl' feels and the paid content 'ick'

Are you anyone these days if you don’t have a Substack? It feels that way, doesn’t it?

This Substack actually began quite a few years ago. January 2020, to be precise. Ah, yes, that’s me, early adopter. It was called Freelance Feels, tying in with a platform I ran for freelancers.

Things are a-changing and have been for a while, and I wanted to expand it to look more at the world of careers and work not just freelancing. Over those years I’ve learned a lot so this week I’m sharing those learnings. Thanks and hello to all the new subscribers, and to those who’ve been with me since the very start!

1. Subscribers will come and go (and it hurts)

Since I changed the angle of my Substack from freelancing to careers, I’ve seen a decline in subscribers. At first I was really worried and my knee-jerk reaction was to say ‘this isn’t working! It’s failed!’. But it’s important to look at the bigger picture, and overall since starting this Substack the graph goes up, in general. I get new subscribers, too, which is reassuring! It reminds me - and this is another tip for you - that looking at stats and insights is really important. Just like on social media, you need to look at who is opening your Substack, and which topics are landing best with people. It’s still a learning curve and I hope that those of you who do subscribe find what you’re looking for here!

2. Regularity is key (and that can be a hard commitment)

This is something that I found easier when I wrote a monthly substack. Planning a monthly theme was something you could do all month long, and you had a set deadline each month to get the newsletter out there. I know that I have posted a bit more randomly in recent months, and I want to address that, because, the other BIG thing I’ve learned is that regularity is key. You want to know when you’ll get the newsletter, so it’s not ‘yet another thing’ in your inbox you weren’t expecting.

With that in mind, moving forward, this Substack will land in your inbox on a Wednesday. A mid-week missive all about careers and work and a bit of coaching thrown in there, too. There are plans, this year, to create some paid content, and the timing of that is TBC. There might be other notes - for example, on a key calendar date.

3. There is a ‘cool girl’ section just like on Instagram (the Substackers who everyone seems to follow, right? Who always seem popular)

Perhaps I need to chat to my therapist again about being in the cool gang at school, but it does feel like there are people on Substack who are the cool ones. The ones who everyone reads, everyone recommends, everyone follows. The voices that are THE ones to listen to. The leaders of the cool girl pack. As a coach I can do a bit of ‘self-coaching’ here, to focus in on what’s really bothering me. I am competitive, I want my own substack to succeed, and in a way this comparison is me wishing I was as successful as them. While this is a really supportive and friendly place to share and write, there is an element of competition - and that’s normal. Just like with any other platform, I think it’s about making sure the noise around you is the noise you want to hear. My top tip, if the noise of someone else’s Substack is clouding your own judgement, is to unsubscribe to theirs. That’s ok - it’s your choice!

4. Asking people to pay feels ICK but it is something you have to consider

Ok, so I’m still lurking in the free zone. I know. But it’s something that’s on my mind and is part of the Substack journey.

5. Substack is not the only platform! (sorry, I know, but it’s true) You shouldn’t put all your creative eggs in one basket.

Inspired by a chat with Angela Lyons, this final point can cover all different platforms.

It’s so easy to focus on one platform for your content. It’s often what people do on Instagram, just posting on there. I think it’s a risk to put all your creative content eggs in one basket, and it’s the same with Substack. While you might want to grow on here, as I do, only posting on here can be a tricky thing to navigate. Not everyone will want to subscribe and read, and some people might be more visual than words. Mix things up - Substack is not the only place to show off what you know and to be part of a community. BUT it is one that I really enjoy and am going to keep as part of my offering, for sure!

With all of the above in mind, I do love Substack and want to continue to grow on here, bringing you informative and insightful emails that not only entertain but help you with your own career journey.

Thanks for being part of this community I’ve created, I truly appreciate you all!