Find your categories, explore other Substacks, discover the leaderboards, and connect
This session will help you see that Substack is a network. Connecting to that network is how you will grow.
On Substack, we have categories. You’ll choose two to define your Substack.
Part 1: Watch the video.
Part 2: Do the following—
Go to your profile picture in the upper right-hand corner.
On the dropdown menu, click Explore. You’ll land on Substack’s homepage (in a way). On the top of the page you’ll see all of Substack’s categories.
Scroll through them. Find the main one you think you fit into best. Most likely, it won’t be a perfect fit.
On the right of the page, you’ll see a list of Substacks on the leaderboard. Click See all. These are the Substacks with the most paid and free subscribers in each category.
Scroll through and explore, making sure that it feels like the right category for you.
Do the same thing to find your second category.
Once you've decided (or re-decided on two), go to your Dashboard > Settings > Categories. Choose a primary category (whichever feels right—it won't be perfect) and a secondary category.
00:06 Navigating the Home Page
00:34 Understanding Inbox and Notes
00:59 Activity and Mentions
01:31 Using the Substack Search Tool
02:14 Curating Your Substack Experience
02:57 Exploring Categories for Discoverability
03:37 Setting Up Your Categories
03:53 Conclusion and Next Steps
Next: Tech Tour: Substack Dashboard Settings
_
The Growth Cohort (founding plan) is currently closed.
Get the Essential Substack Blueprint course here:
The Blueprint is for those who are tired of DIY-ing their Substack. It’s a guided, comprehensive course with short videos to give you the foundational Substack features you need to be set up to grow.
