The Complete Guide to Notes in 2026

The algorithm has changed, and this guidance will keep you ahead of the curve in terms of Notes growth.

This schedule is my proprietary information, which I’ve gleaned from learning about the algorithm from the folks at Substack and from what (really) works for clients.

HOW TO APPROACH NOTES

Substack describes Notes as having a “dinner party” dynamic, i.e., posting your Notes won’t get you as much traction as being in conversation with others.

Boosting other publishers and joining the wider conversation are the most effective behaviors for growth. I love this. This is what Notes was like for the first two years. Our whole MO was to promote other people, and when we did, we all grew.

How you restack other people’s posts and Notes, and your replies matters. High-signal interactions (replies that add value) now outrank “hearts” and “love this” comments. Growth is driven by intersecting audiences.

That doesn’t mean you won’t be posting your own Notes. See below for your new Notes schedule.

YOUR NOTES SCHEDULE

Part 1: Post on Notes once daily

Goal: Maintain a steady presence and showcase your Substack DNA.
- Restack your Posts:
  1. Immediately: Restack your new post.
  2. 1–2 Days Later: Restack the post with a note (excerpt or teaser).
- Fresh DNA Notes:
  - Repurpose your posts to Notes: Create fresh notes by copying text from any of your posts. Make sure your Note relates to your Substack DNA and what you do—not in an obvious way and you don’t need a link.
  - “Joy Notes”: Post entertaining content (e.g., photos, quotes) to mix up the feed.

Part 2: High-signal interactions

Goal: Leverage other audiences for discovery.
Choose one Substack with strong, but not identical, audience overlap. Make sure the Substack gets a lot of engagement in the comments of their posts and Notes.
- Finding Overlap: Use the “Audience Overlap” section in your Substack stats. Go to dashboard > Stats > Audience > scroll down. It doesn’t have to be these people. You could do it with people in SW@W and in the Notes Boost Challenge. Totally up to you. The point is just to widen how you think about “overlap.”
- Engagement: Engage with their posts and Notes and their commenters to enter new conversations.
- Restack Quotes: Share quotes from their long-form posts (>1,000 words) with your own added note.

POSSIBLE NOTES SCHEDULE:

Part 1: Post on Notes once daily (in this example, I post on Tuesdays)

Monday: Fresh DNA Note—excerpt/repurpose text/content from a post
Tuesday: Your post—restack only
Wednesday: Your post—restack post with a Note
Thursday: Fresh DNA Note—excerpt/repurpose text/content from a post
Friday: Fresh DNA Note—excerpt/repurpose text/content from a post
Saturday: Joy/entertainment Note—cat photos, sunsets (could be branding/signature)
Sunday: Joy/entertainment Note—cat photos, sunsets (could be branding/signature)

INTERACTING WITH OTHERS: as needed

Commenting on the people commenting on other people’s Notes and posts
Restacking quotes using Substack’s media on “long-form” posts (over 1000 words)

Strategic Engagement

Selection Criteria:
- High Engagement: Choose publications with active, threaded comment sections.
- Outside Your Niche: This avoids a crowded field and attracts a fresh audience.
- Personal Interest: Select publications you genuinely enjoy to make the activity sustainable.
Engagement Tactics:
- Leave thoughtful, multi-sentence comments that add to the conversation.
- Restack others’ notes with your own commentary.
- Become a paid subscriber and promote the publications.