Engage Every Type of Reader: A Guide to Mapping Your Substack Audience

And how to write Notes, headlines and email header/footers with each in mind

Note: This essay was commissioned by my 🌙 paid members and was available for 24 hours to the entire Substack community. To get access to this, along with the Newsletter Launch Pad, you can upgrade here.

One of the most impactful things we can do as newsletter creators is to put our readers into context. By understanding where they are in their journey and how they engage with our newsletters, we can craft messages that meet them more authentically and inspire them to come along for the ride.

But how do we know who’s reading what and in what context?

How do we know what motivates them?

In this essay, I’ll explore three key types of audiences on Substack—Strangers, Friends and Readers—and offer editorial strategies for writing Notes, headlines and email headers/footers that take each group into consideration.

Strangers are people who have no prior connection to you or your work. They might stumble upon you through the Notes you publish, how you engage with others in comments or how your work is shared by others. For these readers, first impressions matter—they’re formed by how you show up in public spaces and the reputation you’ve built through your interactions. Whether it's through the way you respond to tags, how you restack essays or how you’re recommended by others, every touchpoint is a chance to turn a stranger into a friend.

Friends know who you are but haven’t yet taken the step to subscribe to your newsletter. They may follow your work through shared communities, see your name in comment threads, or come across your guest essays or podcast appearances. They’re familiar with your presence but haven’t committed (signed up for your newsletter) yet. This group requires consistent value and trust-building—showing up authentically in shared spaces, offering insights and making it easy for them to see why subscribing to your newsletter is the next logical step.

Readers are folks who have signed up to receive your newsletter, but their level of engagement can vary widely. Some are “interested”—they read occasionally and might comment or share your work now and then. Others are “engaged”—they interact with your work regularly, comment frequently and may even be paid subscribers. These relationships take time to nurture, and understanding these nuances allows you to put shape to your newsletter in a way so that your writing plan and nudge cycles¹ keep these readers connected, invested and excited about what you have to say.

Take a moment to think about your own Substack audience. How do you see these categories playing out? Do you have more “strangers” or “engaged readers”?

Keeping audiences in mind on Notes

Based on anecdotal observations as well as data in the subscriber Stats section on Substack, it’s worth assuming that Strangers are your primary audience on Notes. (Fifty percent of my subscribers came through either a Note or the app directly! Click this footnote² for directions on how to check your stats.) Strategically speaking, this means that what you post on Notes should be focused on staying within the theme of what you offer in your newsletter experience. You could use Notes to:

• Publish substantive reflections not mentioned in your latest essay;

• Share anecdotal observations about the industry you live in or theme you write about;