You wouldn’t have to keep saying this if Substack called them “section labels” or something else, instead of using the word “tag” to mean something different from what tag means on every other platform.
When I realized this, I had so many tags because I thought they were for discoverability. I went back and started 'cleaning house' with tags. Thanks for saying it again!
🙌🏼 Thanks! Also I wanted to say that I really appreciate your generosity here, as I am not quite yet in a position to hire you as an advisor. I seemed to start my Substack the first month when everyone started losing subscribers. 😆
Nothing to agree or disagree with. That's just what they are.
One of the "how to do Substack" people wrote a whole post about how they're for discoverability and Substack Co-Founder actually took the time to tell her in the comments that she was wrong. She deleted his comment.
Want to clarify he stated that the training will be on this Saturday, April 4 and we are actually in March. Today is March 3, so is it March 4 or is it on Saturday in March thank you for clarification.
Yes, and thank you for saving me a lot of work a few years ago also by explaining this. I didn't even bother getting rid of the tags I had created, I just never assign them to a post (just went back and assigned each post to it's correct group)
BUT for the first time since then, I've considered creating a new Section. It would focus on effective ways to use AI programs for research (instead of being used by it) [People can decide for themselves if they want to use it in the first place]
Others have faced this "problem"—doing posts that you figure most subscribers won't be interested in and not wanting to annoy them—or inspiring them to unsubscribed. Or creating a post that might appeal to a whole different audience than my creative fiction (and having a separate list for them)
Anyone having experience creating a section that's totally outside your regular readers interest and either 1) regretting it. or 2) being glad you did?
Substack should clarify this in a more obvious way so people realize how it really works BEFORE they create hundreds of tags. In fact, they should just link to your post in their introductory email when new users join. :)
What is the point of organising the homepage into groups when it is only displayed in a web browser? This does not appear to be the case in the mobile app, where the homepage looks disorganised and chaotic.
You wouldn’t have to keep saying this if Substack called them “section labels” or something else, instead of using the word “tag” to mean something different from what tag means on every other platform.
Agreed! It's like they sit down and say, "How can we make this reeeeallly confusing?"
It’s not just “like” this. It actually IS this!
Very true.
Amen.
When I realized this, I had so many tags because I thought they were for discoverability. I went back and started 'cleaning house' with tags. Thanks for saying it again!
You are not alone. Not alone.
Thank you for saving me a ton of time! Now I won’t bother with them beyond my own page organization.
You just made my whole week. Saving someone from the nightmare of Substack-tags-confusion is my purpose in life.
🙌🏼 Thanks! Also I wanted to say that I really appreciate your generosity here, as I am not quite yet in a position to hire you as an advisor. I seemed to start my Substack the first month when everyone started losing subscribers. 😆
Thank you, Christina! That means so much to me. I love having you here. If it’s any help, I’ve been seeing a slow shift back toward gaining, especially if you spend time on Notes. But only do it this way: https://www.substackwritersatwork.com/p/the-new-substack-notes-algorithm-2026
Learned something new today!
I'm so glad, Julianne!
I need to spring clean. I've been doing it all wrong! Thx for clarifying!
And you can just go into Settings > type tags in the search bar > click the three dots, and delete away.
👏🙏🏻
Not fully agree, sorry.
Nothing to agree or disagree with. That's just what they are.
One of the "how to do Substack" people wrote a whole post about how they're for discoverability and Substack Co-Founder actually took the time to tell her in the comments that she was wrong. She deleted his comment.
Thanks, Sarah.
The problem with tags is we can not include a description (in wordpress is possible). And is not possible to pin one of the post to a tag.
So, we not use sections for other newsletters, but to organize our blog.
Hi, Roberto! The tag is the description that appears on your homepage.
Want to clarify he stated that the training will be on this Saturday, April 4 and we are actually in March. Today is March 3, so is it March 4 or is it on Saturday in March thank you for clarification.
March 7th is the workshop with Katie. This Saturday. Going to be great!
thank you for clarifying. I appreciate it Mary 🙏🏼
Sarah, the link to sign up for the Sat zoom doesn't work nor does the NBC--it goes to last week's challenge.
Wendy, the Notes Boost Challenge is always that same page now--just runs there consistently.
Got it. Thank you, Mary.
Also, Wendy, you can go here and scroll down to the bottom to find the Zoom link: https://www.substackwritersatwork.com/p/expert-substack-workshops. Hope this helps!
Yeah, I eventually found that. It’s not (or wasn’t) working on this post, however. Thank you!
Thank you, Sarah! I'm so grateful for the step-by-step instructions.
Love having you here!
The Zoom link for Katie Harbath doesn’t work.
Rockford Williams 3/3/26
Hi Rockford, you can go here and scroll down to the bottom to find the Zoom link: https://www.substackwritersatwork.com/p/expert-substack-workshops. Hope this helps!
I got rid of all of mine, except for a few to define the pieces of my site, then discovered I needed one just for “other stuff.”
I like that as a tag, and I love your new profile picture.
Thanks! Had to get one done for the book.
I've been using tags all wrong. Now I need to make the correct tags and fix my posts. It makes organizing so much easier. Thank you so much, Sarah. 😁
Sooo much easier. And you can just go into Settings > type tags in the search bar > click the three dots, and delete away.
Trust me, I’ll be doing some serious deleting.
You’re not alone!
Yes, and thank you for saving me a lot of work a few years ago also by explaining this. I didn't even bother getting rid of the tags I had created, I just never assign them to a post (just went back and assigned each post to it's correct group)
BUT for the first time since then, I've considered creating a new Section. It would focus on effective ways to use AI programs for research (instead of being used by it) [People can decide for themselves if they want to use it in the first place]
Others have faced this "problem"—doing posts that you figure most subscribers won't be interested in and not wanting to annoy them—or inspiring them to unsubscribed. Or creating a post that might appeal to a whole different audience than my creative fiction (and having a separate list for them)
Anyone having experience creating a section that's totally outside your regular readers interest and either 1) regretting it. or 2) being glad you did?
That's a great use of sections. Exactly what they're for. And I love the idea of you doing that.
And if you do want to get rid of the extra tags, you can just go into Settings > type tags in the search bar > click the three dots, and delete away.
Substack should clarify this in a more obvious way so people realize how it really works BEFORE they create hundreds of tags. In fact, they should just link to your post in their introductory email when new users join. :)
Agree!
Agreed! I was just saying that it's as if they sit down and say, "How can we make this reeeally confusing?
Oh my god I needed this.
Yay!
What is the point of organising the homepage into groups when it is only displayed in a web browser? This does not appear to be the case in the mobile app, where the homepage looks disorganised and chaotic.
You can pin posts on the app. https://www.substackwritersatwork.com/p/substack-hero-post-new-app
I can do that, but it won't be the same. I won't be able to achieve the same effect.