Why Substack Punishes Social Media Thinking (and Rewards Something Better)
It's the most misunderstood platform on the internet
Substack is quietly becoming the most misunderstood platform on the internet.
Not because it’s complicated.
But because too many creators are dragging broken strategies from Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram into a space built for trust—not traction.
That disconnect?
It’s why so many newsletters stall out before they ever start growing.
If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing “everything right” and still not seeing growth, this might be why.
Let’s fix that.
🧭 Substack Is a Trust Platform, Not a Social One
“Substack’s ethos is deeply rooted in the blogosphere and aims to foster a community of writers and readers who value direct relationships and quality content over algorithms and the attention economy.” — Substack
That’s not just branding.
It’s your blueprint.
Here’s how:
1. Direct Relationships > Algorithmic Reach
Social media cares about clicks.
Substack cares about connection.
It tracks:
Who opens your email
Who reads to the bottom
Who hits reply
Who shares it
Who pays to keep reading
Substack doesn’t profit from ads. It profits from alignment.
When your publication gains subscribers, Substack notices—and rewards it.
This is not a race for attention.
It’s a practice of earning trust.
2. Signal > Noise
There’s no algorithm to hack.
No “For You” page to game.
Just humans sharing work they believe in.
You grow by:
👉 Writing Notes that start conversations
👉 Genuinely engaging with other creators notes and posts
👉 Recommending writers you respect
👉 Restacking ideas with context
👉 Being consistent, helpful, human
Your signal doesn’t need to be loud.
Your signal just needs to be real.
3. I Almost Didn’t Get It… But When I Did…
When I first started, I hit “publish” and waited.
Nothing happened.
3 opens. 1 unsub. 0 replies.
But I kept going—one post, one reply, one reader at a time.
That’s when I realized:
Growth on Substack doesn’t feel like going viral.
It feels like growing roots.
And that’s the kind of growth that lasts.
✅ Want to Grow Here?
Then stop chasing hacks.
Start building habits.
Here’s how:
✅ Write What People Reread
Your best content isn't always what goes “viral.”
It’s what people save, forward, and come back to weeks later.
How to use this:
Look at the posts that get quoted, re-stacked, bookmarked, or replied to with “This hit.”
👉 Remix those.
👉 Go deeper.
👉 Make more.
This tells you that your best growth asset is already written.
You just haven’t optimized it yet.
✅ Publish When It’s Quiet
Some days will feel like shouting into the void.
No replies. No shares. Minimal opens.
Don’t flinch.
Quiet seasons build momentum that loud ones cash in on.
There’s often a lag between effort and return.
Keep publishing. Keep showing up.
That quiet post might be what earns someone’s trust forever.
✅ Engage Like a Neighbor, Not a Broadcaster
Substack isn’t built like social media.
It’s built like a local community bulletin board.
Don’t treat it like a stage.
Treat it like a porch conversation.
👉 Comment on other creators Notes thoughtfully: And respond to comments on your own.
👉 Reply to other creators newsletters: And reply to comments on your own.
👉 Recommend with context: Find other creators who are in your niche, or parallel niches, and reach out to do cross-recommendations with them.
👉 Collaborate with care: Find other creators who are in your niche, or parallel niches, and reach out to collaborate with them.
👉 Communicate in chats: Engage with other publications private chat groups, create your own; engage, and add value everywhere you go.
Create value like a neighbor, not noise like a brand craving for attention.
That’s how discovery happens here.
✅ Build for Trust, Not Trends
Creating scroll-stopping subject lines and notes is fine.
But if the content doesn’t deliver once clicked, you lose trust.
And on Substack, trust is currency.
So yes—craft bold hooks.
But pay them off with substance, clarity, and resonance.
Short-term clicks mean nothing without long-term credibility.
Write like you’re earning someone’s next 10 minutes—not just their next 10 seconds.
💡 Pro Tip: The best Substack writers aren’t chasing eyeballs.
They’re building libraries.
This is how growth happens here.
Not all at once.
But all in.
🎯 Final Thought
If you’re looking for a “Substack growth hack,” this is it:
Make something people care about—consistently.
No gimmicks.
No tricks.
Just signal.
Let’s build something that lasts.
💬 Also, hit the comment button and tell me one thing you’re building slowly, but with heart. I’d love to hear it.
