Our Community Notes Boost Challenge begins soon...
Tremendous subscriber growth + connecting with other Substack writers and creators + support from our amazing community
The 7-day Notes Boost Challenge
7/13-7/19
9 AM CT - 1 PM CT each day
You’ll receive an email each day of the challenge—scroll down for directions to be sure you get each day’s email
You can also access the Boosts every day here.
Fully included in the paid subscription
Why this works
This is the original Notes Boost.
It’s not about empty growth or algorithm tricks.
It’s about building genuine connections with other Substack writers and creators, gaining visibility and engagement on Notes, getting subscribers—leaving you more time to focus on doing what you love on Substack.
FAQs, step-by-step guidance, and a video tutorial are below
How it works:
🔲 STEP 1: Post your Note on Notes
Create a new Note or select an existing one.
🔲 STEP 2: Share your Note in the comments below
Paste your Note text in the comments below.
Add the topic of your Note in all caps at the beginning (e.g., CREATIVITY, MORNING ROUTINE).
Add your Note’s URL. (Return to the Note and click the three dots to copy.)
🔲 STEP 3: Support others in the Boost
Go through the comments, click the URLs of at least 5 people’s Notes, and comment, like, or restack.
Only engage with NOTES you genuinely connect with. (This isn’t a follow-for-follow thing.)
Return throughout the day to support members who post later.
How to be sure you receive each day’s email:
You can access the Boosts every day here.
Check that you have email notifications, not push notifications turned on.
Check your spam folder.
Add sarah@substackwritersatwork.com to your contacts.
Make sure you’ve opted into the Notes Boost Challenge section. You can manage your subscription here.
Use these templates/prompts to write or revise your Notes.
🔲 Your video guide:
FAQs
Wait, when do the Boosts happen?
The Notes Boost Challenges happen each month for 21 days.
An email will arrive in your inbox at 9 AM CT each day.
Wait, how much does it cost?
It’s fully included in the paid subscriptions.
Wait, what happens in the Boost?
You will share one of your Notes.
Other participants will like, restack, and comment on your Note so it has momentum and gets in front of more people.
You will do the same for others—but be genuine. (This isn’t some lame follow-for-follow thing.)
Why would participating help me grow on Substack?
The Notes algorithm privileges engagement, not frequency. The Notes Boost is how you get engagement and give your Note a fighting chance instead of feeling like you’re screaming into the void.
What if I don’t understand Notes?
Who is in the Boost?
The coolest, kindest, most generous, most talented people, i.e., paid subscribers to SW@W and Mastermind members—and those who’ve committed to being in our private Notes Challenge Substack.
How will I know the Boost has started?
You’ll receive the email in your inbox.
What people are saying about the challenge:
“My subscribers grew by 42% in the last 90 days, from 2620 to 3729, and that is much higher than the previous 90 days, which had crawled along with a 5% a month growth rate. I got 700 new subscribers in March which is a record for me. I had two notes go viral (thousands of likes) and quite a few get into mid-high hundreds. An amazing lift.” —Ros Barber
“I nearly doubled my subscribers in the last 70 days. But more than the numbers, it’s the connections that matter—writers who’ve become real friends. That’s the part I never expected. And the part I’ll never take for granted. Thank you Notes Boost Challenge.” —Heather Hausenblas
I'm so glad I joined and stayed. Sarah you are an amazing wealth of information, I don't feel so overwhelmed by notes.
Curious about something: a new ‘trend’ is appearing within the challenge…
some folks are restacking and then commenting in many posts within this Boost challenge, saying “here’s a link to what I posted today” within many others posts. It’s left me kinda scratching my head….
While I get that some folks want to share like minded connections with others in SW@W, this type of “I restacked yours, so here’s mine” comment comes across to me as too much of I rubbed your back now rub mine attitude.
Is this just me?