How often should I post on Substack?
It’s an age-old question that’s sent many a Substacker into spirals of doubt.
Doubt as in Did they unsubscribe because I’m sending too many posts? Am I bothering them? Am I not growing/has my growth slowed because they need more? less?
The problem is that the answer to how often you should post on Substack is wholly individual.
Below I show you why. I also guide you through the 6-part framework I use to help hundreds of my private clients answer the question How often should I post on Substack?
I take you through the four dimensions of part 1 of the framework: There’s no right answer but there are 4 wrong answers—these are gold.
Premium members, we go through the framework’s other five points and how to put all this into practice on your own Substack:
Why you should respect your subscribers’ crowded inboxes
How to be your own publisher
Why your stats matter
Lessons from The New Yorker
My n of 1
How to put all this into practice to create better relationships with your subscribers and produce your best work
NOTE: The headline of this post is a bit of a misnomer. (It’s a play on “Write Less, Please,” one of my more viral posts.) I never tell my clients how often to post, nor am I telling you. Use what’s below to move toward growth and an appreciation that your subscribers have given you two prized possessions: their email address and/or their hard-earned money.
How often should you post on Substack?
1. 4 wrong answers
Wrong answer #1: Substack’s algorithm likes it when I post a lot.
Correct answer: Substack’s algorithm doesn’t favor frequency. Engagement is what matters.1
Substack’s algorithm doesn’t reward frequency.
From Substack: “Substack doesn't prioritize frequency of posting in its algorithm like many other platforms. Substack’s algorithm favors content that engages readers through deep reads, considered arguments, and robust debate.”
Substack is all quality, not quantity.
Again, from Substack: “The focus is on quality and reader engagement. Engagement is a strong indicator that the content is valuable, which can drive more subscriptions.”
It’s about your relationship with your readers.
How often you post—which will differ for each person based on your content and audience—might keep your readers’ interest or it might cause them to unsubscribe. If your readers want to hear from you twenty times a day, blessings. If not, rethink your publishing cadence based on this post.
Visibility does increase with frequency.
By nature and due to the discoverability features on Substack, posting does increase your visibility.
Wrong answer #2: The big names post a lot, so I should too.
Correct answer: Just because x Substacker publishes y number of days a week doesn’t mean I should.
Top sellers post 3-7 times/week, but most are professional journalists, full-on magazines and newspapers, or writing timely columns.
Here are the top-grossing Substacks per Statista.
Translation: 5,000 on the graph means the Substack is grossing $5,000,000.
NOTE: In most categories, once a week used to be the sweet spot, but I’m seeing people go down to fortnightly.
Wrong answer #3: Posting a lot makes me grow faster.
Correct answer: I’m on Substack to transform as a writer, professional, and/or human being. “It feels good to get subscribers” isn’t a good reason to post more.
Hustling to get the high of the subscriber uptick rarely amounts to high-quality work.
Wrong answer #4: If I don’t post and email my list, they’ll forget about me and delete, unsubscribe, etc.
Correct answer: I should focus on making my content unforgettable, not bugging people so they know I’m there.
First, the idea that people will forget about us comes from marketers selling stuff to consumers; we have relationships with humans.
Second, do we really think they’ll forget about us? Really?
If they do, it’s because our content is forgettable and emailing a lot isn’t the solution.