Followers vs. Subscribers: Where Should Your Attention Actually Go?

Hi %%first_name%%,

I have 5,500 followers on Substack.

Nearly half of them have never received an email from me.

Half of you are thinking, “Duh!” And the other half of you are thinking, “What? Why?”

Understanding the nuances of Substack’s audiences can feel annoyingly confusing when you’re starting out. But even if you’ve been here for eons, you might not be thinking about non-followers, followers, and subscribers in a way that helps you see your newsletter’s larger Universe.

Substack is basically two platforms wearing one trench coat.

For the noobs: a follower follows you on Notes. A subscriber has given you their email address and they receive your newsletter in their email inbox.

These are different communities. Yes, they overlap. But if you’re trying to nurture your newsletter, it helps to know how to think about these groups before you spend three hours writing a Note.

5,500 followers ≠ 5,500 people on your email list.

People who follow you see the notes and links that you post in the Substack feed. People who subscribe to you receive your email newsletter in their email inboxes, and can ALSO see your content in the feed.

BUT that’s only if the algorithm is feeling generous (and puts your content in front of them). You can’t control that. 🙅‍♀️

In this video, I teach you:

* the difference between the two groups and ‘platforms’

* how followers and subscribers each play a role in your growth

* where to find both of your numbers (frustratingly, it’s not where your analytics are 👀)

* how to see whether a Note reached non-followers, followers, or subscribers (also, not where your analytics are 👀)

Substack is really two platforms in one: an email newsletter and a social feed where people post Notes.

The better you understand who you’re speaking to in each place, the easier it gets to plan your content and decide what to publish where.

With love & rebellion, 💛✨

Ashley

👉 P.S. I have something new coming for paid subscribers. I’ll announce it in the next newsletter!

If you upgrade before then, you’ll also get my How to Get Started on Substack (Without Losing Your Mind) guide, my hypnotherapy recordings ad-free (fall asleep without being sold car insurance), and resources that help you discover Your Why and How to Use AI to Audit Your Substack.

Plus the new thing. Mysterious! ✨✨

I’m not a Substack guru. I call myself a fake guru because I’m suspicious of anyone who appears to have solved the internet. I write about creativity, ambition, and the strange work of ‘becoming’ (on the page). I also help creators and businesses get started on Substack and get more comfortable being seen. 👀’

✨ Congrats Dr Sam Illingworth on being featured in Wired! 👏🔥

Perfect timing, because I’m going live with Sam on Friday, September 11th at 2pm Pacific (10pm UK) to talk about his bestselling book, Slow AI: Knowing When to Use AI and When to Leave It Alone. Link here. ✨

Meet Sam before our live conversation on Friday.

✨ Wannabe Wisdom Diaries on YouTube

If you liked today’s video, check out my YouTube channel, Wannabe Wisdom Diaries. This little channel is growing.

✨ Want to go a little deeper?

You can also find Drift & Deepen, my meditation and hypnotherapy YouTube channel, (yes, I have two YouTube channels! 😆), where I share guided visualizations for stress, anxiety, and working through your creative and personal blocks like imposter syndrome, procrastination and perfectionism.

If you want somewhere to start, check out this guided meditation for anxiety and stress relief.

💌 Work with me

I’m currently working with clients one-on-one. If that interests you, DM me to learn more. Paid subscribers receive special pricing.

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