People follow you on Substack primarily because they are discovering your work and want to get to know you better before committing to a full subscription or becoming a paid member. It's an initial step for readers to explore your content and writing style.
The Purpose of Following on Substack
Following on Substack serves as a crucial early engagement point for potential readers. It allows them to:
- Discover and Evaluate: As readers explore Substack and come across writers who pique their interest, following offers a low-commitment way to observe your publication. They can see what kind of content you produce, how frequently you publish, and the general themes you cover.
- Build Familiarity: Before inviting your newsletter into their inbox, or certainly before committing financially, readers use the follow feature to build familiarity with your work. It's a way for them to sample your writing and decide if it aligns with their interests and expectations.
- Assess Fit: It allows them to determine if your writing resonates with them and if your publication is something they would genuinely welcome into their regular reading routine. This assessment phase is vital for converting casual visitors into loyal readers.
How Following Contributes to Your Growth
For writers, the "follow" feature is an essential tool for expanding your audience at the earliest stages. It helps you:
- Grow Your Top of Funnel: In marketing terms, "top of funnel" refers to the widest part of your audience pipeline—people who are just becoming aware of you. Followers represent this group. By accumulating followers, you are effectively broadening the base of potential subscribers.
- Identify Interested Readers: A follow signals a clear level of interest from a reader, even if they're not ready to subscribe immediately. This indicates that your content has captured their attention, making them warm leads for future conversions.
- Enable Future Conversions: Many followers will eventually transition into email subscribers and, for some, paid subscribers, once they've had sufficient time to engage with your free content and feel confident in the value you provide. It's a stepping stone in the reader's journey towards deeper engagement.
In essence, when someone follows you on Substack, they're signaling an initial interest and taking the first step in what could become a long-term relationship with your publication.
