ENTER: Winning the Substack Attention Trifecta
Inviting readers to open your Substack post is a craft ... a learnable craft
I have long considered myself a pretty good headline writer. A self-imposed learning task just jolted me out of that conceit.
After writing about the importance of our post titles, subtitles and opening lines for the upcoming release of the Substack Workbook, I was delighted to see that
was offering a workshop on this topic. (If you haven’t discovered her, she’s building a gold mine of advice for paid subscribers with her periodic workshops.)After the workshop, I decided to do two things: create a list of criteria for self-review and then test that criteria with 10 of my own posts. Because I’ve been sensitive to the importance of titles for many years, I consider myself a B+ headline writer. Let’s see how this turns out, I thought.
First: the don’ts:
1. No clickbait … no “7 ways to …” no “What you should …”
2. No “free” “money back” “guaranteed” “save” “last chance”
3. No Overpromises
4. No Acronyms or technical terms
5. Avoid puns, or attempted humor
6. No apologies or playing safe
Now the criteria:
1. Hope is the universal value … include in every post
2. Be personal and vulnerable
3. Introduce the theme/the story with flare
4. Use active, strong verbs
5. Spark curiosity and wonder
6. Early SEO noun and no punctuation
Here are the results for five posts with the most dramatic changes … bottomline: I reduced my grade from a B+ to a B- and made a pledge to figure out how to put on my reader’s hat more effectively. (The reader’s hat metaphor came from
in a Notes conversation … thanks Russell!)*** OLD #1:
In Gratitude for Flowers: … Our genius ancestors: inventors of a new life
Opening: Warning: Although the science behind this is well-documented, I speak mainly from metaphor.
How could this be better: Stronger entrance of flowers as the radical inventors of a new way of life. Move warning down and lead with compelling fact.
New trifecta: Better?
Gratitude for the Genius of Flowers … And why Darwin called them “an abominable mystery”
100 million or so years ago, a newcomer changed the world and invited us into the game. It was a small game with a new rule: FLY!
*** OLD #2:
ENTER: First a Mission then a Strategy … What's Coming: A guide to help you reach your objectives as an entrepreneurial writer
Opening: Greetings, Substack Authors! What a journey we’re on … creating newsletters from individual writers connecting with individual readers.
How could this be better: Clarify theme and value. Opening lines serve no purpose.
New trifecta: Better?
ENTER: Your Purpose Is the Foundation of Your Strategy … The normal set-up process for a Substack newsletter is often a case of cart before the horse
Coming Soon: a Substack Workbook to help you identify your purpose and strategy and then effectively use the myriad of Substack features and elements to create a robust Substack that will sustainably achieve your objectives.
*** OLD #3:
Change your perspective with these Visual Prompts … Yay, Sun! You did it again. Equinox celebration inside.
9/24/2023 UPDATE!! For the 72nd time, I’ve changed my paywall strategy!
How could this be better: Value for reader, payment stuff up front, what’s the theme, in my head I-talk, talking about weather … this one was so bad, I wound up rewriting the whole piece.
New trifecta: Better?
Visual Insights to Shift Your Perspective … An Equinox celebration gift for you
Throughout my travels, my photographer’s eye has always been caught by the odd, the colorful, the metaphorical images that shift my perspective and makes me wonder about the world and my place in it.
*** OLD #4:
ENTER: Creating Your Substack Road Map … Knowing where you intend to go helps readers know if they want to go with you
Recently our multi-talented (and generous) M. E. Rothwell of Cosmographia and The Books that Made Us drew a fantastical map of the Isle of Substack where the major feature is Mt. Hope.
How could this be better: more concise, punchier, the words confidence and hope. This is another one that demanded major changes.
New trifecta: Better?
ENTER: Readers Hope You Will Lead Them Somewhere … A clear road map builds confidence for both you and your readers
"Write what you want; then, put on your reader hat and see if it’s ready for prime time.”
*** OLD #5:
ENTER: Substack authors who engage in Office Hours are 38.7% more likely to achieve their objectives … Made up statistic, of course, but Office Hours is an amazing resource
This morning’s Office Hours was a mother load … here are some highlights and I know I’ve missed many of the amazing insights, ideas and conversations on this thread of 1,059 comments:
How could this be better: more confident tone, no period, punchier,
New trifecta: Better?
ENTER: Attending Office Hours raises success by 38.7% … Made up statistic, of course, but Office Hours is a motherhood of Substack wisdom
From the debate on Welcome Emails (YES, they’re critically important) to how to do a virtual book tour to an ebook-long post with 60+ pages of tips and hacks, Office Hours overflows with generosity and wisdom.
Recommendations:
Think of the Title, Subtitle and Opening lines as a single element and craft them in a way that they work together to make your reader want to leap into your post.
Use the criteria above (or create your own) to help you self-edit your critically important trifecta of Title/Subtitle/Opening lines.
You don’t have to be an expert on what you’re writing about, but your trifecta should give your readers confidence that they will find hope and value in your post.
Note: A lot of the posts written for the Substack Workbook are “web-only” posts and not sent out as email. To help you find them in the Substack Workbook section of the home page, the first word in the title indicates the Reader Engagement phase the post relates to. For example, this post relates to ENTER, so all titles have that as the first word.
While all posts are free, the Substack Workbook, which is a reorganization and enlargement of the posts, is reserved for paid subscribers. To make sure you receive your copy of the Workbook, please upgrade your subscription.
This is incredible example of headlines, subs and entry point for Substack Joyce. I LOVE the before and after examples and your criteria. Way to put the workshop into immediate practice.
You can see the difference immediately. Thanks for sharing the learning in real time.
Finally able to go back and read through all of these posts. Incredibly helpful advice. Thanks Joyce! 💜