The Complete Guide to Launching or Relaunching Your Substack
And how to use Notes to do it
ICYMI:
Still puzzled by Notes? Here’s everything you need to know in just 34 minutes. Here’s a list of forty Notes templates to learn from and make your own.
7 Steps to Launching/Relaunching on Substack
Below I take you through how to
launch your Substack or
relaunch your Substack (yup, that’s a thing)
The only thing that stays the same on Substack is that it’s always changing.
Six months ago, no one “launched” their Substack. People padded their archives to make it look like they’d been on for a while.
But people who launch and use Notes get 50 percent more new subscribers. (This stat is from Substack.)
And with the onslaught of big names coming to the platform, launching, i.e., “Hey, look who just started a Substack” has become 1) the norm and 2) one of the best things you can do to give your Substack a boost.
But what if you’ve been on here and never got to launch?
You can relaunch!
Below is my step-by-step guide for launching or relaunching on Substack.
If you’re relaunching, scroll down or use the table of contents on the left! Yes, click that little bar over there.
Is this the only way to launch/relaunch? Of course not. Use what’s below insofar as it’s useful.
Go to it!
All my best,
Sarah
Launch for the first time
7 Steps to Launching Your Substack
Step 1: Make sure you’re ready.
You should
know the DNA/core of your Substack,
have revised your About page,
have revised your short description,
are sure about your title (at least for now).
Have a goal for the relaunch. It will focus you and everything you write:
paid subscribers, free subscribers, shares, book sales, etc.
Pick a date for your relaunch email (more below) and first post after your relaunch (more below).
Step 2: Notify your current list before you import them
One sentence: I have exciting news… (or something)
One sentence:
On [date of the first post], [Name of newsletter] will look a little different…
You’ll receive emails from this return address, so please add it to your contact: [your Substack email address]
More soon… [or some other sign-off]
Step 3: Customize your imported subscribers automatic email
You’ll find this in Dashboard Settings under Emails.
A brief welcome telling them that they’re now a free subscriber to your Substack.
Add something like: To stay, you don’t have to do anything. If you’d rather not, you can unsubscribe below. But stay!
Your Substack’s short description and why what you’ll be doing on your Substack is exciting and how it will benefit them.
Include this:
Add [your Substack’s email address] to your contacts and respond to this email to avoid emails ending up in your junk/spam folder.
Sign-off.
Add a P.S. If you feel comfortable, ask them to do what you want: upgrade to paid, share, buy your book, etc. Include a button.
Step 4: Easter Egg
In a post, before you launch, tease with an Easter egg (coming soon) in a P.S. or in the header/footer of a post to build excitement:
I have exciting news coming on [date of your launch email]. More soon…
On [date of the lauch post], [Name of your Substack] will look a little different. More soon…
Step 5: Ready your other welcome emails
Customize your free/paid/founding welcome emails to be sure they reflect your new vision/Substack:
Your welcome emails are customizable. You
Update these to reflect any changes.
Include this in all welcome emails (Gmail has made deliverability an issue and this is one way to get around it):
Add [your Substack’s email address] to your contacts to avoid emails ending up in your junk/spam folder.
Add a P.S. If you feel comfortable, ask them to do what you want for this relaunch (you can change it later if you want): upgrade to paid, share, buy your book, etc. Include a button.
Step 6: Write your launch email.
You want to send an email rather than a post so it reaches everyone.
Remember your goal: share, convert to paid, outside sales, etc.
Most likely it’s growth (asking them to share) or income (asking them to upgrade).
This email needs to be short and the call to action (to share or upgrade) very clear.
Here’s how your email should look for each.
These are the bare bones. Make the language your own.
**If you want them to share—basically you’re writing a chain letter/email.
Subscribe and share buttons
Dear [reader],
You’re receiving this because you’re a [topic of your Substack, e.g. car lover, sailor, or interested in things you didn’t know fascinate you].
Define your Substack in one sentence—and why someone would want to subscribe. You can elaborate but only in a short sentence or two.
My goal right is to grow my readership and get it to as many people as possible.
If you’re on Substack, please share about [name of your Substack]:
[Share Publication button (not Share this post)]
Or forward this email to someone you think would be interested.
Sign off.
Testimonials if you have them.
**If you want them to upgrade:
Subscribe button
Dear [reader],
You’re receiving this because you’re a [topic of your Substack, e.g. car lover, sailor, or interested in things you didn’t know fascinate you].
Define your Substack in one sentence—and why someone would want to subscribe. You can elaborate but only in a short sentence or two.
Paid subscribers make my work possible. [or any short call to action asking them to upgrade]
[Subscribe button—this converts to an upgrade for paid subscribers]
Sign off.
Testimonials if you have them.
Step 7: Write your first post after you send the relaunch email
It’s just good to have this ready. This way, you’ll write it from the excitement of all the possibilities your relaunch offers, not judgment as to how you think the relaunch went (which we rarely ever think is “good”).
This can be a version on your new About page or a longer version of the changes you’ve made. This is your chance to really explain your Substack because very few of them will ever read your About page. If you aren’t writing a version of your About page, use this as an opportunity to connect with them and share all the exciting things that are coming.
Be sure it’s about them and what they get or the philosophy behind your Substack or why you’ve come to Substack.
At the bottom of the post or in a footer, include a thank you to those who did whatever you asked in your relaunch email (shared, upgraded, etc.—whatever your goal is for the relaunch) and ask those who didn’t to do it.
Step 8: Use Notes to get the word out
Easter Egg your relaunch on Notes over four separate Notes over the course of a week to 10 days:
Note 1: Re-introduce yourself. Don’t link to or promote your Substack.
This can be a longish Note (think Facebook).
One thing that gets traction is a Note that gives your ‘Substack timeline’:
Post a timeline of your life leading up to joining Substack.
In 2022, I posted my first Substack post. It went out to 20 people.
In 2023, my Substack had 300 subscribers.
In 2024, I finally figured out what my Substack is really about…
(something like this)
Note 2:
Share what you love about the platform or why you’re excited to be here. Be honest. Be real. Use this as a time to reflect and be grateful for all that you’ve done and achieved by getting on Substack because not everyone would do this.
Note 3: Two options—
Ask for advice about Substack or your Substack.
Post a Note looking for people who also publish on your topic or area.
Note 4 (around the date you send your relaunch email): Share that you’ve just relaunched on Notes. Don’t plug your Substack. Have it be about something else—something that’s changed, your hopes for your Substack, etc. Do include your Substack’s homepage URL, just don’t have it be promotional. (Email me so I can restack.)
*You don’t have to post these Notes 4 days in a row. Pace it according to what’s right for you.
Step 9: Celebrate!
You’re amazing. You’ve found the core of your Substack and how your talents, expertise, and gifts can work on the platform!
Relaunch Your Substack
7 Steps to Relaunching Your Substack
Why would you relaunch?
If you’ve been on Substack and have made significant changes and
You’ve taken the time to explore who you are, what you want to do on here, what works on the platform, and learned how to communicate it to others
Please don’t just relaunch in the hope of getting subscribers. It won’t work. Bookmark this page. Wait until you’ve gone through our Substack DNA sessions in November. Then relaunch.
Step 1: Make sure you’re ready.
You should
know the DNA/core of your Substack,
have revised your About page,
have revised your short description,
are sure about your title (at least for now).
Have a goal for the relaunch. It will focus you and everything you write:
paid subscribers, free subscribers, shares, book sales, etc.
Pick a date for your relaunch email (more below) and first post after your relaunch (more below).
Step 2: Easter Egg
In a post, before you launch, tease with an Easter egg (coming soon) in a P.S. or in the header/footer of a post to build excitement:
I have exciting news coming on [date of your launch email]. More soon…
On [date of the lauch post], [Name of your Substack] will look a little different. More soon…
Step 3: Ready your welcome emails
Customize your free/paid/founding welcome emails to be sure they reflect your new vision/Substack:
Your welcome emails are customizable. You
Update these to reflect any changes.
Include this in all welcome emails (Gmail has made deliverability an issue and this is one way to get around it):
Add [your Substack’s email address] to your contacts to avoid emails ending up in your junk/spam folder.
Add a P.S. If you feel comfortable, ask them to do what you want for this relaunch (you can change it later if you want): upgrade to paid, share, buy your book, etc. Include a button.
Step 4: Relaunch email
You want to send an email rather than a post so it reaches everyone.
Remember your goal: share, convert to paid, outside sales, etc.
Most likely it’s growth (asking them to share) or income (asking them to upgrade).
This email needs to be short and the call to action (to share or upgrade) very clear.
Here’s how your email should look for each.
These are the bare bones. Make the language your own.
**If you want them to share—basically you’re writing a chain letter/email.
Subscribe and share buttons
Dear [reader],
You’re receiving this because you’re a [topic of your Substack, e.g. car lover, sailor, or interested in things you didn’t know fascinate you].
Define your Substack in one sentence—and why someone would want to subscribe. You can elaborate but only in a short sentence or two.
My goal right is to grow my readership and get it to as many people as possible.
If you’re on Substack, please share about [name of your Substack]:
[Share Publication button (not Share this post)]
Or forward this email to someone you think would be interested.
Sign off.
Testimonials if you have them.
**If you want them to upgrade:
Subscribe button
Dear [reader],
You’re receiving this because you’re a [topic of your Substack, e.g. car lover, sailor, or interested in things you didn’t know fascinate you].
Define your Substack in one sentence—and why someone would want to subscribe. You can elaborate but only in a short sentence or two.
Paid subscribers make my work possible. [or any short call to action asking them to upgrade]
[Subscribe button—this converts to an upgrade for paid subscribers]
Sign off.
Testimonials if you have them.
Step 5: Write your first post after the relaunch email
It’s just good to have this ready. This way, you’ll write it from the excitement of all the possibilities your relaunch offers, not judgment as to how you think the relaunch went (which we rarely ever think is “good”).
This can be a version on your new About page or a longer version of the changes you’ve made. This is your chance to really explain your Substack because very few of them will ever read your About page. If you aren’t writing a version of your About page, use this as an opportunity to connect with them and share all the exciting things that are coming.
Be sure it’s about them and what they get or the philosophy behind your Substack or why you’ve come to Substack.
At the bottom of the post or in a footer, include a thank you to those who did whatever you asked in your relaunch email (shared, upgraded, etc.—your goal is for the relaunch) and ask those who didn’t to do it.
Step 6: Use Notes
Easter Egg your relaunch on Notes over four separate Notes over the course of a week to 10 days:
Note 1: Re-introduce yourself. Don’t link to or promote your Substack.
This can be a longish Note (think Facebook).
One thing that gets traction is a Note that gives your ‘Substack timeline’:
Post a timeline of your life leading up to joining Substack.
In 2022, I posted my first Substack post. It went out to 20 people.
In 2023, my Substack had 300 subscribers.
In 2024, I finally figured out what my Substack is really about…
(something like this)
Note 2:
Share what you love about the platform or why you’re excited to be here. Be honest. Be real. Use this as a time to reflect and be grateful for all that you’ve done and achieved by getting on Substack because not everyone would do this.
Note 3: Two options—
Ask for advice about Substack or your Substack.
Post a Note looking for people who also publish on your topic or area.
Note 4 (around the date you send your relaunch email): Share that you’ve just relaunched on Notes. Don’t plug your Substack. Have it be about something else—something that’s changed, your hopes for your Substack, etc. Do include your Substack’s homepage URL, just don’t have it be promotional. (Email me so I can restack.)
*You don’t have to post these Notes 4 days in a row. Pace it according to what’s right for you.
Step 7: Celebrate!
You’re amazing. You’ve found the core of your Substack and how your talents, expertise, and gifts can work on the platform!
Please don’t do either until you feel confident that you know what your Substack is and what it gives people.
Paid members, we’ll be doing this in November! Become a paid subscriber to join us:
Discover the core or what I call the DNA of your Substack.
Communicate it to subscribers on your About page.
Perfect timing! I've been on a seven month hiatus and just opened Substack for the first time. I can't wait to get back to writing!
Such an insightful post with lots of great advice. I’ve been on Substack just over a year and love that you don’t have to get everything right first time. I’m continuously navigating this platform and adjusting based on my own learnings and also as the platform continues to develop.