Thank you for this. I am fairly new to Substack and didn’t even know what goes out as people have surprised me by subscribing! Will definitely change the default thank you. More tips would be greatly appreciated thank you 😊🙏
There's just so much of that click-bait stuff. I confess I've read too much of it and then can't do it because it doesn't feel right to me. So I figure I'll share what's working for me, and maybe it will help. Glad you enjoyed, Terry
I didn't for a long time either Kristina. And then when I did, what I wrote was awful. lol. It's in your settings, just keep scrolling down until you get to welcome letter. :)
What a relief to learn I did the right thing without even knowing it! Here's my welcome letter. Memorable...I hope.
"You’re here! I’m so glad you’ve found your way here. I won’t interrupt your busy life too often, perhaps once a week. But I will try and bring interesting tidbits of the fantasy realm to you that I hope will allow us to build upon the fantastical and give us a bit of a respite from everyday life.
If you like what you see, please tell your friends about this newsletter.
After all, we hobbits, fae, witches, dryads, and other fantastical folk have to stick together!"
Perfect timing! I didn’t use the default welcome but I still wasn’t happy with it so - and I swear this is true - first thing on my weekend to-do (after participating in the NKD!) is to redo the letter. I am inspired!
How about asking us to each send you the top 5? I'm thinking I'm not the only one who has a top 10 list. Whenever I see an About page or website that connects with high impact and memorability, I put it on the list. That forces me to keep the list current because you can get bumped off the list if something even better shows up. Oh, one more thing, do this privately by email. Not behind a Substack paywall, but in your own private circle. Specifically, you don't get to see the whole list, compiled by Linda, unless you contribute your 5. Call it Covered Dish Caroll. You get nothing back unless you bring enough for yourself and 4 others.
Curiosity beckons. I see so substacks written about the United States. I’m interested to know the various countries people on substack are actually from. I’m an Aussie 🦘
I live currently in the USA but I am from Suriname 🇸🇷 South-America. Have been on the look out for Dutch writers on Substack but many write in English for the global universal reach 😌
I'm trying to figure out how to change my welcome letter but I'm an old person and new apps anger me. Still, I'll take your advice and try a little harder.
New apps are frustrating, I hear you on that. I use Substack on my desktop and I go to settings and scroll down until I read "welcome letter" -- it should be similar in the app. Hope that helps!
This annoys me. You know the little descriptor paragraph underneath the person’s name on their profile? They exceed the character limit and it trails off and I can’t read the rest of it. So annoying and it’s almost ubiquitous. lol
That sounds more like a Substack UI problem than a people bio writing problem. There IS a cap and we can’t even save a bio that exceeds it. Substack should display all of it. Or reduce the cap so that people know how short they have to make their bio for all of it to be displayed. There’s no easy way for people to tell, right now.
I have been on Substack since January 2024. I started down one road, then in January 25, fine-tuned it, and now on July 1 I am introducing my "new" Substack, which will focus on my passion and purpose, not what I thought would "sell." I know that I will lose subscribers who won't be interested in my new focus, but that's ok because chances are they weren't reading or engaging.
This evolution is partly because, as I gained more subscribers, my engagement & open rates declined dramatically. I reviewed my most-read and engaged content and realized that it CONNECTED me to my readers
I am a new subscriber to your content, and I read your writing immediately because it evokes emotions in me. And offers ideas or tips.
I was a blogger with a small business for a decade, and it was marketing 90% of the time. Now I just want to write.
I hear you Sue. I have been finding my way, too. If you're doing something new, here's a little tip. You can go into your stats and sort your list by stars. The stars are engagement so people who have 4 and 5 stars are your most loyal readers. You can send them a private email that doesn't get posted to let them know about the changes. Just a nice little touch to make them feel seen, you know?
I've re-worked it so it correctly matches the barely-contained-chaos that is the theme of my life.
---------------------------------------------
Strap in and prepare for some chop!
This wild ride is piloted by Maggie O’Connell; security services are provided by Nicholas Reed, and there’s a whole scattering of random aliens, superheroes, quirky friends, and more than a few references to daggers.
I have been meaning to do this for some time, so thank you for the reminder.
Same! 😂
You are so welcome David :)
Thank you for this. I am fairly new to Substack and didn’t even know what goes out as people have surprised me by subscribing! Will definitely change the default thank you. More tips would be greatly appreciated thank you 😊🙏
You are so welcome Anya. I am working on a series of tips and a publishing calendar to keep me on track. Glad you enjoyed :)
On my to do list!
But I’m so glad to read your thoughts on why we write- the connection!
Thanks for that.
I needed that thought this morning- I’ve just been reading too many click-bait type articles and needed to change my thinking a bit.
There's just so much of that click-bait stuff. I confess I've read too much of it and then can't do it because it doesn't feel right to me. So I figure I'll share what's working for me, and maybe it will help. Glad you enjoyed, Terry
Just now getting my Substack up and running and this is really helpful. Thanks for the advice!
You are so welcome, Kat. It's a ride, that's for sure!
Oh my God, thank you. I’m not even sure if I realize there was a welcome letter. 🤦♀️😂
I’m new here 🤓
I didn't for a long time either Kristina. And then when I did, what I wrote was awful. lol. It's in your settings, just keep scrolling down until you get to welcome letter. :)
Many thanks. I will work on it this weekend!
Thanks, needed that direction!
Yikes! Gotta go fix my welcome letter.
lol Flora. We've all been there. Took a while before I realized, too.
What a relief to learn I did the right thing without even knowing it! Here's my welcome letter. Memorable...I hope.
"You’re here! I’m so glad you’ve found your way here. I won’t interrupt your busy life too often, perhaps once a week. But I will try and bring interesting tidbits of the fantasy realm to you that I hope will allow us to build upon the fantastical and give us a bit of a respite from everyday life.
If you like what you see, please tell your friends about this newsletter.
After all, we hobbits, fae, witches, dryads, and other fantastical folk have to stick together!"
Would you mind terribly if I suggest a way to rearrange those very words to make them stronger? :)
I'm always open to suggestions!
Will you share on here?
I will. I think it would be terrific if I could help others learn.
Perfect timing! I didn’t use the default welcome but I still wasn’t happy with it so - and I swear this is true - first thing on my weekend to-do (after participating in the NKD!) is to redo the letter. I am inspired!
You pitch on the fantastical was enough to have me blindly subscribe, looking forward to reading!
Awww, thank you! I hope you enjoy what you read. I have a blast writing it.
So well said, and you’ve I inspired me to go revise ALL THE THINGS this morning so thank you. I probably needed to hear that.
You are so welcome Elizabeth!
Can you share a few examples of people who you think do it right? I’d love to see some good examples!
That's a great suggestion Michelle. I wish I'd been saving them along the way, but I will start watching and see if I can build a nice collection
How about asking us to each send you the top 5? I'm thinking I'm not the only one who has a top 10 list. Whenever I see an About page or website that connects with high impact and memorability, I put it on the list. That forces me to keep the list current because you can get bumped off the list if something even better shows up. Oh, one more thing, do this privately by email. Not behind a Substack paywall, but in your own private circle. Specifically, you don't get to see the whole list, compiled by Linda, unless you contribute your 5. Call it Covered Dish Caroll. You get nothing back unless you bring enough for yourself and 4 others.
please do. that’s what i came here to read
Anyone know how to remove the 'take survey' button in that welcome missive?
@Jason Chatfield has pretty much the best I've seen! Go sign up and marvel at it.
Thanks Mike!
Curiosity beckons. I see so substacks written about the United States. I’m interested to know the various countries people on substack are actually from. I’m an Aussie 🦘
Hello fellow Aussie! It does seem very America-centric here 99% of the time, doesn’t it?
Hellooooo Aussie who splits time between Bali & Oz. 👋
Hello from Gosford on the sunny Central Coast.
Brasilian here ^^
One more country: Germany. I'm from Germany and have lived here most of my life, but I've also lived and worked for 12 years in five other countries .
I live currently in the USA but I am from Suriname 🇸🇷 South-America. Have been on the look out for Dutch writers on Substack but many write in English for the global universal reach 😌
Hello neighbor I’m from Guyana and I’ve never interacted with someone from your country that I know of
Let’s interact with eachother 🤗
Just subscribed ☺️
I live in Mauritius :) I liked this read, thanks.
Thank you! As someone who is still very much a Substack novice, I really appreciate your tips and tricks so much!
You are so welcome, Audra. I'm glad you enjoy them :)
They are so helpful! And your writing is beautiful!
This was nice!!
Thank you! :)
I'm trying to figure out how to change my welcome letter but I'm an old person and new apps anger me. Still, I'll take your advice and try a little harder.
New apps are frustrating, I hear you on that. I use Substack on my desktop and I go to settings and scroll down until I read "welcome letter" -- it should be similar in the app. Hope that helps!
I found the button in the settings! Thanks for the help. Now I just gotta think of what to say.
This annoys me. You know the little descriptor paragraph underneath the person’s name on their profile? They exceed the character limit and it trails off and I can’t read the rest of it. So annoying and it’s almost ubiquitous. lol
Oh my god, Leo. I am with you on that one lol
That sounds more like a Substack UI problem than a people bio writing problem. There IS a cap and we can’t even save a bio that exceeds it. Substack should display all of it. Or reduce the cap so that people know how short they have to make their bio for all of it to be displayed. There’s no easy way for people to tell, right now.
I have been on Substack since January 2024. I started down one road, then in January 25, fine-tuned it, and now on July 1 I am introducing my "new" Substack, which will focus on my passion and purpose, not what I thought would "sell." I know that I will lose subscribers who won't be interested in my new focus, but that's ok because chances are they weren't reading or engaging.
This evolution is partly because, as I gained more subscribers, my engagement & open rates declined dramatically. I reviewed my most-read and engaged content and realized that it CONNECTED me to my readers
I am a new subscriber to your content, and I read your writing immediately because it evokes emotions in me. And offers ideas or tips.
I was a blogger with a small business for a decade, and it was marketing 90% of the time. Now I just want to write.
I hear you Sue. I have been finding my way, too. If you're doing something new, here's a little tip. You can go into your stats and sort your list by stars. The stars are engagement so people who have 4 and 5 stars are your most loyal readers. You can send them a private email that doesn't get posted to let them know about the changes. Just a nice little touch to make them feel seen, you know?
That's a great tip! Thank you.
That’s a great tip! Thanks so much.
I didn't know that! Thank you, Linda!
Thank you for the kick in the pants to fix mine!
I've re-worked it so it correctly matches the barely-contained-chaos that is the theme of my life.
---------------------------------------------
Strap in and prepare for some chop!
This wild ride is piloted by Maggie O’Connell; security services are provided by Nicholas Reed, and there’s a whole scattering of random aliens, superheroes, quirky friends, and more than a few references to daggers.
Super valuable as I just started! Thank you Linda :)