Audit Your Substack Data Like a Strategist

Discover what's resonating with readers to create intentional, intuitive publishing strategies

One of the first things that drew me to Substack was the simplicity. 

➡️ I liked that it was a place to hyper focus on just my writing. 

➡️ I liked that I could send my essays and not have to wrangle emails or get caught up in metrics.

The simplicity helped me practice how to really hear myself and identify what I wanted to say to my readers. But after a certain point, something changed.

What I did when the simplicity of Substack didn’t serve me anymore

I needed to know more about what was happening inside my newsletter. I wanted to be able to look more intentionally at the metrics (while preserving the “magical simplicity” that helps me keep showing up on Substack with my voice). 

That’s when I began digging into what Substack’s dashboard and data could actually tell me. Thanks to my marketing and strategy background, I knew the high-level (and even granular) metrics I was looking for. But as I began digging, I realized most of the data that helps me understand my readers and their motivations isn’t organized or summarized very well on Substack. 

📊 So I designed a data-gathering process that I call the 5×5 editorial data audit. I pulled from old strategy tests and metrics and tested it on my newsletter and then began testing it a bit with clients. 

What we discovered is that the audit creates a powerful container to see what you’ve written — in the context of what’s also moving readers to action. 

Then I went a step further: I wanted to see if, with the right data set, we could understand how long it takes for readers to upgrade and at which price points.

→ Over time, I narrowed this down into some specific queries that I run in ChatGPT to help my clients and I discover their pricing sweet spot.

Data analysis that doesn’t compromise intuition

If you prioritize the writer-reader connection, looking at the data in a 5x5 editorial audit or a pricing gut check is a positive way to look at what’s happening inside your newsletter. I think data can be quite powerful when we know that we’re not shutting down our creative intuition and instead taking readers into consideration, too.

→ This audit is not about using data to dictate or silence your intuition.

→ It’s about exploring how you can understand your readers better and consider them in the bigger picture of what you’re building in your newsletter.

That's why I'm excited to share that I'll be hosting a workshop called Audit Your Substack Data Like a Strategist. In this hands-on session, I'll walk you through how to perform your own 5×5 editorial data audit — a straightforward yet powerful approach to understanding what’s resonating with readers.

You'll learn how to combine your intuition as a writer with clear, actionable data insights to help you refine your publishing strategy. Whether you're looking to grow your readership, boost engagement or simply gain clarity on what’s resonating inside your newsletter, this workshop will give you the tools to audit your work with confidence and intention, without losing the simplicity that makes Substack so magical.

The sign-up period is now open, and I’d love for you to join me!

What other clients have said about our data audits

“Amanda’s data analysis showed a deep understanding of my readers’ expectations, which helped me reconnect with my newsletter and approach subscriber engagement in a more authentic way.” -

Antonia Malchik

, writes On the Commons

"Using reader data analysis, Amanda helped me switch to paid subscriptions on my newsletter. She guided me through each step, keeping both the details and the big picture in focus, which brought a new level of reader engagement." -

Jeffrey Streeter

, writes English Republic of Letters

“She can effectively look with these magical eyes at the data… She could literally pull all the data … and say this is the price your audience are happy to pay.” -

Lucy Werner

, writes Hype Yourself

The price for the workshop doubles on Oct. 27

Time, Date, Place Info

• 1 p.m. CST (recording available within 24 hours)

• Wednesday, Nov. 13

• Register here and we’ll meet online

You’ll learn how to conduct your own 5x5 editorial audit and the pricing gut check. I’ll provide templates and reference sheets and a recording to everyone.

Price: $50 until Oct. 27, and then the price goes up to $100

I hope to see you there! And if you have any questions about whether the workshop is right for you, drop them below!