This Hidden Substack Feature is Missed By Most People

And it might be holding back your Substack’s growth.

Most people hop on Substack and just start writing, only to realize much later on that there’s an incredibly powerful feature hidden in their Substack account.

But don’t worry—it’s not the end of the world if you’ve been on Substack for months and haven’t paid attention to your settings yet.

That’s what Substack was created for—a space for people who create things. And that’s what you did… you got right to creating.

But here’s the thing:

At some point, you start wondering…

• Who’s actually reading this?

• Where are they coming from?

• What content is really working… and why?

That’s when you realize: Substack gives you a free way to answer all of those questions.

It’s called Google Analytics. And it’s quietly waiting for you inside your Substack settings.

Allow me to explain.

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Why You (Probably) Need This More Than You Think

Let’s say you published an essay that randomly blew up.
What actually caused the spike?

• Was it your Twitter thread?

• Was it your SEO-optimized headline?

• Was it someone influential linking to you?

• Was it Substack itself?

Without analytics, it’s a black box. You have no idea who came from where and why.

With Substack + Google Analytics, it’s a window into your readers’ behavior.

You’ll be able to see:

✅ Where your readers are coming from (Twitter, Google, LinkedIn, other Substacks)
✅ Which posts get the most attention
✅ What your bounce rate is (aka, are people sticking around?)
✅ Which cities/countries your readers are based in
✅ What devices people are reading on (yes, this can change how you write based on what devices your audience is primarily using)

In short: you stop guessing, you dial in your frequency, strengthen your signal, and start growing with intention.

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Wait—Substack Works with Google Analytics?

Yes, it does. And yes, you can set it up in less than five minutes.

It’s hidden under Settings → Analytics. All you need is a Measurement ID from a free Google Analytics account, and you’ll instantly unlock a whole new layer of insight into how your newsletter and site are performing.

And it’s a lot more than just the traffic numbers.

Google Analytics helps you understand your audience on a pretty deep level, which is incredibly important information, especially when operating on the SIGNAL(S) Framework.

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How to Set It Up in 3 Easy Steps

• Step 1: Create a Google Analytics Account (Free)
  Head to analytics.google.com and create an account.

• Step 2: Create a Property for Your Substack Site

• Step 3: Add the Measurement ID to your Substack settings

In just a few minutes you’ll have activated a full-blown website analytics on your Substack publication.

Don’t worry, even if you’re not super tech-savvy, it’s super easy to set up. I’ve created step-by-step instructions, as well as a step-by-step instructional video so you can get it set up in no time.

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What to Look For (Once It’s Running)

After a few days, your dashboard will start populating. Here’s what you should check:

• Acquisition → Traffic Sources
  See what platforms are actually sending people to your site.

• Pages & Bounce Rates
  What posts are keeping people on page the longest? What articles have the highest bounce rates (people leaving quickly without reading)?

• Engagement Time
  Are people skimming, or are they sticking around?

• Recirculation
  Are people clicking internal links and circulating around your site viewing more than just the article they landed on?

• Locations
  Are your readers clustered in one city or a certain part of the country? That might shape future offers or content angles.

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Going Deeper: The Smart Creator’s Edge

Once you’ve got a handle on the basics, you can also:

• Set up Event Tracking for email signups or click-throughs

• Add UTM tags to your social links so you know exactly which post drove the traffic

• Compare how different content formats perform over time

• Use insights to pitch partnerships or sponsorships (aka, make $$$) with actual traffic data

If you want to grow on Substack (or anywhere online), you want to become a smarter creator. Google Analytics puts you a giant step closer towards that goal.

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What This Really Unlocks for Substack Writers

When you understand why something worked, you can do it again—on purpose.

No more shooting in the dark hoping for a miracle.

You’ll write better headlines.

Promote smarter.

Test ideas with actual data.

You’ll know where to double down and where to cut bait.

You’ll understand where your signal is being received, and why it’s having an impact.

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Final Thought: This Isn’t About “More Work” or Even ‘Mastering SEO’

It’s about more clarity for creators like you.

If you're already publishing, why not peak behind the curtains and identify exactly what’s actually working for you? Substack + Google Analytics gives you a control panel for your creative efforts to do just that.

And once it’s set up? You barely have to touch it.

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P.S. Got questions about blogging growth, analytics, or audience-building? Hit reply or comment below—I’ll tackle the top ones in a future post or video.

Learn the SIGNAL(S) Framework and create content that gets ranked, and discovered, opening doors and making money that wouldn’t be possible otherwise: