Why Most Substack Newsletters Struggle to Grow
3 things holding you back from gaining new subscribers.
I started writing on Substack one year ago. Most of the writers I started with are long gone.
They gave up after a few months of slow results, discouraged by stagnant subscriber counts and a lack of growth.
Here’s a sobering truth: 90% of newsletters never reach 1000 subscribers.
I know this because I’ve watched it happen again and again.
Talented writers launch with excitement, publish consistently for a few months, then quietly fade away when the growth doesn’t come.
They assume the problem is their writing quality, or that they just need to “be more consistent.”
But after studying hundreds of newsletters—both successful and struggling—I’ve discovered that growth problems are rarely about writing ability. They’re usually specific, fixable issues that most writers never identify.
Let me show you the three mistakes holding Substack newsletters back, and how to fix them.
Mistake #1: Sleeping on Notes
Substack operates differently from most content platforms, and understanding this difference is crucial to your growth.
On LinkedIn or X, if you create a new account, it takes 3-6 months of regular posting before you gain traction. The algorithm needs time to understand your account and determine where to place your content in people’s feeds.
Substack works similarly, but with one critical difference: the algorithm primarily operates through Notes, not your long-form posts.
This creates a unique opportunity. Substack Notes functions as the platform’s discovery channel. When you launch your newsletter, people don’t know you exist yet—unless you brought an existing audience with you.
But unlike other newsletter platforms like Beehiiv, Substack allows you to gain subscribers directly on the platform without relying heavily on external social media traffic or paid advertising.
I’ve experimented with growing newsletters on both platforms, and the difference is stark. On Beehiiv, you need to have a traffic strategy: paid ads, social media, SEO, or a combination of all three.
On Substack, you can grow organically by posting daily Notes and engaging with others.
I’ve gained 2500 subscribers on my newsletters, and 90% came from Substack Notes.
If you’re not actively using Substack Notes, you’re leaving significant growth on the table.
But there’s something you need to know. Posting random thoughts on Notes is not how you gain new subscribers. You must have a strategy to make it work faster.
I created a short guide to help you write better Notes that will boost your growth faster than you ever thought.
It is free for paid subscribers. Upgrade your subscription today to access it.
Mistake #2: No Clear Audience or Value Proposition
This week alone, I subscribed to five new newsletters. I found their content insightful and interesting when I stumbled across a single post.
But here’s what made me click the subscribe button: when I explored their archive, I found consistent content addressing the same core problems I cared about.
In other words, they served a specific niche by creating multiple pieces of content around themes that mattered to me.
This is how most subscribers make their decision.
People subscribe because they’ve read one post, enjoyed it, and want more of the same. They’re looking for a reliable source of insights on topics they care about.
Now, look at most struggling newsletters. You’ll see descriptions like: “I write about business, psychology, life, and occasional book reviews.”
This approach feels safe. It feels inclusive. It seems like casting a wider net should attract more subscribers.
But it’s also the primary reason these newsletters struggle.
When a potential reader lands on your page, they need to understand three things instantly:
Who is this for? (Am I the target audience?)
What benefit will I get? (How will this improve my life?)
Why should I subscribe? (What makes this different from the thousand other newsletters competing for my attention?)
If you can’t answer these questions in one clear sentence, your positioning is broken.
Here’s how to fix it:
Write one sentence that completes this formula: “This newsletter helps [specific audience] achieve [specific outcome].”
For example:
“This newsletter helps freelance designers land higher-paying clients.”
“This newsletter helps busy parents cook healthy meals in under 30 minutes.”
“This newsletter helps aspiring writers build sustainable creator businesses.”
Notice how each example immediately clarifies who it’s for and what value they’ll receive.
Clear positioning is one of the keys to newsletter success, regardless of the platform you build on.
It’s also what I help my clients establish when conducting Substack audits—we identify exactly who you serve and build a content strategy that positions you as a trusted voice in your niche.
When your positioning is sharp, the right people subscribe quickly. When it’s vague, even interested readers hesitate.
Mistake #3: Quitting Before Compounding Takes Effect
Here’s the uncomfortable truth about newsletter growth: it’s not linear. It’s exponential.
But most writers quit after five issues, ten issues, or a few slow months. They don’t stick around long enough to witness compounding work its magic.
The top newsletters don’t grow because they’re better than everyone else.
They grow because they keep showing up, week after week, month after month.
Consistent publishing is itself a growth engine. Here’s why:
Each issue builds on the last, creating a body of work that demonstrates your expertise
Readers start recommending you to others, turning your subscribers into a distribution network
Your archive becomes a trust-building asset, showing potential subscribers that you deliver consistent value
I’ve seen this pattern repeatedly: newsletters that struggle for the first six months suddenly experience growth spurts.
Not because the writing improved, but because they finally accumulated enough content, proof, and social validation to trigger the compounding effect.
The writers who win aren’t the most talented. They’re simply the ones who refuse to quit during the slow months.
If you’re currently in the frustrating phase where growth feels impossibly slow, remember this: every successful newsletter you admire went through this same period. The only difference is that they kept publishing.
Here are two ways I can help you:
👉 The Substack Notes Formula
Learn exactly how to gain your first 1,000 subscribers by using Substack Notes—step by step, no guesswork.
👉 Done-for-You Substack Audit & Content Strategy
Get a detailed audit of your newsletter plus a clear content strategy to help you grow faster and position it for monetization.
What’s been your biggest challenge growing your newsletter? Reply to this post and share with others.
This was insightful and helpful. Thank you! Keep growing 😊
i'm in the compounding stage right now! It took me 14 months to get there, but now that I am there, I am definitely seeing the magic!