We brought Techsistence to life last November. 30 editions later — here we are. We put 10 hours in each edition, sometimes more. This equals 300+ hours of work. What now? You tell us.
First of all, thank you for all your publications. You are doing tremendous work and deserve every bit of praise! It’s not an easy job to break through with long written formats. I think people who like to read long forms are in the minority nowadays, but I don’t have any studies to back it up. 😉
I really admire your transparency and selfless knowledge sharing. If I could suggest one improvement, it would be to write more concise posts. In my honest opinion, you could carve out smaller pieces of content and work on extracting the pure essence from it. Sometimes, I feel that the topics are broad, but the depth of content is only scratching the surface. I, personally, would love to pick your brains (especially Alice’s 😉) in more detail.
I wish you all the best and hope you'll keep this Substack alive and running!
First of all I’m not an expert but I will tell you what I feel.
I would feel frustrated in your position because your content is really great. If I would create such content and the results would be as you mentioned I would be really pissed off. So I think it’s really nice that you created that post and you want to get some external opinions.
So regarding your content every time I get the newsletter I scan the article and I think it’s really awesome but the problem is that I don’t read it carefully. Probably the problem is that it is too technical (even if I am tech person) and too long and I would read it if I would really work on the same things as you. So… I know what you’re trying to do and I think you’re going in too much scientific way. As you said probably you’re too nerdy ;))
So… what I would do… first, I would try to be more influcencer than professor. I understand it’s not your way of working but it is what it is (TT, ig times).
So… I would promote the content in substack wall first - getting some engagement, commenting other people posts etc.
However I would really think if Twitter/X wouldn’t be better way to get followers and even redirect them to substack. Most of the businesses like you are promoted mainly through Twitter. Again it needs to change the way of working but maybe it’s the key.
Please let me know what you think about my observations :)
Thank so much! 🫶 So many great observations here and I totally agree! We got a lot of similar feedback and it really helped us structure the way we want to think about Techsistence from now on. This is so nice and generous of you to share this advice and kind words. Thank you!
I am one of those who read all the articles that interest me, and those that are less interesting - I simply scan them. I don't write comments, but I'm here all the time. :D
There is an audience for your content on Substack.
The articles are great, keep them coming. I loved the one about the PH launch event.
From my experience, recommending big newsletters will not make them recommend you. However, interacting with smaller but valuable ones makes the difference.
What works here on Substack to grow your newsletter is to read and interact with others, readers of other newsletters are usually just one click away from subscribing to your content.
General approach to use Substack Notes as leverage: If you like their content —comment, if you love what they publish, restack these posts with your notes. Authors of big publications often then restack again your notes and these reach out to their followers.
If you would like to learn more about growing Substack's newsletter — let me know, I can share what I have learned so far (and am still learning).
This is a goldmine of advice, thank you so much! This actually makes perfect sense, too, yet we were completely unaware of most of those tips. If you have more, keep them coming! 🙏
We got a lot of great feedback from others, too, and I will put it in the post so that we can potentially learn together 😃
Honestly, I didn't know your newsletter, but I decided to sign up because I found it really interesting. On the subject of Subsatck's results, the disappointment at the 'failure' to meet expectations is naturally understandable. However, apart from reiterating that it is important to mark a clear path and nourish bonds with readers - which I have seen are practices that you always implement, reading other issues - I think that sometimes interacting and addressing readers directly as in this case leads large fruits. For example, when I find myself in a similar situation, the first thing I do is interact not only with readers, but also with other writers of the platform and newsletters, to obtain insights, ideas, advice and start a relationship with people who perhaps can also be interested in what I write and vice versa. Thanks for this reflection, I think it is of value for many authors (including me!).
Dear Riccardo, firstly, so happy to have you on board, thank you!
Secondly, this is a great advice. We did not think about it enough before. This makes perfect sense 🙏 Will try to execute on this advice and engage more with others on the platform.
Thanks for laying it on the line. I've had a similar experience over the last 18 months. The overwhelming majority of everything I write on every topic just lays there gathering dust.
I don't have a solution to all of this, and I think a lot of the problem is beyond Substack. The whole net is just hopelessly flooded with content, so we just don't value any of it all that much.
I am however working on one new avenue that may hold some promise.
My current theory is that, as groundbreaking as Substack is in many ways, the overall vision for the platform is still too small. After 30 years, "make money on the internet" just isn't a fresh idea anymore. And readers have no reason to care about it.
To get to the point, it's interesting to observe that almost all of the world's most successful corporations integrate charitable giving in to their business model. For a quick summary of about 90 such companies, see this:
It's just not that inspiring for readers to see a big bunch of people online all hustling for themselves. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's just too ordinary to be interesting.
I'm shooting for a bigger vision, and if I can't find it here, sooner or later I'll probably be gone.
You certainly have a point there! I concur - blogging and newsletters may indeed be relics of the past, given that the average attention span is now shorter than a few seconds. However, we're a bit different - my reading list primarily comprises long-form articles, research papers, AI documentation, and more. I guess we're just a little too nerdy! 🙃
I appreciate your advice and will definitely mull over your suggestions 💚
Wishing you all the best and keeping my fingers crossed for you!
Who is your target audience and how do you stand out from your competitors? Are you just sharing your content on LinkedIn or are you creating actual lead magnets and value in your linkedin posts that overlaps with the interests of your audience?
It's definitely frustrating my first year was like this.
Thank you, Michael. Also, for recommending us, this means a lot! 🙏
Our audience are individuals with a technical inclination - this includes both seasoned developers and enthusiasts of no-code or low-code. They share a common interest in experimentation and the construction of productivity frameworks, with a particular focus on AI and automation.
We haven't really looked into our competition much - something we should probably work on! Our main goal is just to share the best of what we've learned from our own experiences. As far as I know, our way of approaching productivity is pretty unique. It does take focus and there's a learning curve, which seems to be a hurdle for many.
We're not really big on social media, and we haven't tried using things like lead magnets on LinkedIn or any strategy to get users from there. Even so, my profile gets thousands of views and the main thing people can click on is to subscribe to our newsletter. We'll try to get a bit more organized with this.
Maybe on your About page you can talk about your origin story and what the name of your Newsletter means. What to expect and what a paid subscriber gets on top of it all.
Every time a new article of yours appears in my feed, I feel a flicker of excitement. Not the kind that makes me jump out of my chair, but enough to bring a smile to my face 😉 I save the reading for the end of the day when the dust settles and the calm sets in. I like that moment. I like longer forms. I like tech readings. I like reading someone sharing personal experiences, explaining choices, and providing food for thought. So keep it that way👍
Great email, and your newsletter in general is one that I don't filter out of my main inbox so I think you're doing something right!
I try to read every edition but typically find that I don't have time to sit down and implement in full. I often find that you're showing me a solution that is the culmination of all of your learnings - whilst this is a huge amount of value, it can be overwhelming.
One idea might be to create channels within the newsletter. One of these could be on quick to implement solutions, or a series of these split into impact areas.
I also love to read about your future forecasting, perhaps also more succinctly.
These sections within the newsletter would train your readers on what to expect over time.
Pairing this newletter with a community might also help, an give you UGC for the newsletter. I've just been invited into an automation focused Skool community and, whilst their classroom content is good, you guys are next level in terms of capability.
Hi Adam, Greg, and Alice!
First of all, thank you for all your publications. You are doing tremendous work and deserve every bit of praise! It’s not an easy job to break through with long written formats. I think people who like to read long forms are in the minority nowadays, but I don’t have any studies to back it up. 😉
I really admire your transparency and selfless knowledge sharing. If I could suggest one improvement, it would be to write more concise posts. In my honest opinion, you could carve out smaller pieces of content and work on extracting the pure essence from it. Sometimes, I feel that the topics are broad, but the depth of content is only scratching the surface. I, personally, would love to pick your brains (especially Alice’s 😉) in more detail.
I wish you all the best and hope you'll keep this Substack alive and running!
Thanks so much, Tomasz - this is really important to us. You've definitely got the point here! We'll work on this 💪
Hi Greg and Adam,
First of all I’m not an expert but I will tell you what I feel.
I would feel frustrated in your position because your content is really great. If I would create such content and the results would be as you mentioned I would be really pissed off. So I think it’s really nice that you created that post and you want to get some external opinions.
So regarding your content every time I get the newsletter I scan the article and I think it’s really awesome but the problem is that I don’t read it carefully. Probably the problem is that it is too technical (even if I am tech person) and too long and I would read it if I would really work on the same things as you. So… I know what you’re trying to do and I think you’re going in too much scientific way. As you said probably you’re too nerdy ;))
So… what I would do… first, I would try to be more influcencer than professor. I understand it’s not your way of working but it is what it is (TT, ig times).
So… I would promote the content in substack wall first - getting some engagement, commenting other people posts etc.
However I would really think if Twitter/X wouldn’t be better way to get followers and even redirect them to substack. Most of the businesses like you are promoted mainly through Twitter. Again it needs to change the way of working but maybe it’s the key.
Please let me know what you think about my observations :)
Thank so much! 🫶 So many great observations here and I totally agree! We got a lot of similar feedback and it really helped us structure the way we want to think about Techsistence from now on. This is so nice and generous of you to share this advice and kind words. Thank you!
The pleasure is mine! 👏
Thank you, Matty! 🫶 Your perspective is super important to us and we'll definitely take it into account for the future 🙂
> As you said probably you’re too nerdy ;))
😎
I am one of those who read all the articles that interest me, and those that are less interesting - I simply scan them. I don't write comments, but I'm here all the time. :D
Thank you Michał. This means a lot for us! 🙏
There is an audience for your content on Substack.
The articles are great, keep them coming. I loved the one about the PH launch event.
From my experience, recommending big newsletters will not make them recommend you. However, interacting with smaller but valuable ones makes the difference.
What works here on Substack to grow your newsletter is to read and interact with others, readers of other newsletters are usually just one click away from subscribing to your content.
General approach to use Substack Notes as leverage: If you like their content —comment, if you love what they publish, restack these posts with your notes. Authors of big publications often then restack again your notes and these reach out to their followers.
If you would like to learn more about growing Substack's newsletter — let me know, I can share what I have learned so far (and am still learning).
Michał, thank you so much 🙌
This is a goldmine of advice, thank you so much! This actually makes perfect sense, too, yet we were completely unaware of most of those tips. If you have more, keep them coming! 🙏
We got a lot of great feedback from others, too, and I will put it in the post so that we can potentially learn together 😃
Thanks!
Great source of tips: https://inboxcollective.com/25-rules-for-running-a-great-newsletter/ (not specifically for Substack, but newsletters in general)
Honestly, I didn't know your newsletter, but I decided to sign up because I found it really interesting. On the subject of Subsatck's results, the disappointment at the 'failure' to meet expectations is naturally understandable. However, apart from reiterating that it is important to mark a clear path and nourish bonds with readers - which I have seen are practices that you always implement, reading other issues - I think that sometimes interacting and addressing readers directly as in this case leads large fruits. For example, when I find myself in a similar situation, the first thing I do is interact not only with readers, but also with other writers of the platform and newsletters, to obtain insights, ideas, advice and start a relationship with people who perhaps can also be interested in what I write and vice versa. Thanks for this reflection, I think it is of value for many authors (including me!).
Dear Riccardo, firstly, so happy to have you on board, thank you!
Secondly, this is a great advice. We did not think about it enough before. This makes perfect sense 🙏 Will try to execute on this advice and engage more with others on the platform.
Thanks for laying it on the line. I've had a similar experience over the last 18 months. The overwhelming majority of everything I write on every topic just lays there gathering dust.
I don't have a solution to all of this, and I think a lot of the problem is beyond Substack. The whole net is just hopelessly flooded with content, so we just don't value any of it all that much.
I am however working on one new avenue that may hold some promise.
My current theory is that, as groundbreaking as Substack is in many ways, the overall vision for the platform is still too small. After 30 years, "make money on the internet" just isn't a fresh idea anymore. And readers have no reason to care about it.
To get to the point, it's interesting to observe that almost all of the world's most successful corporations integrate charitable giving in to their business model. For a quick summary of about 90 such companies, see this:
https://writersasheroes.substack.com/p/the-charitable-works-of-well-known
It's just not that inspiring for readers to see a big bunch of people online all hustling for themselves. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's just too ordinary to be interesting.
I'm shooting for a bigger vision, and if I can't find it here, sooner or later I'll probably be gone.
Thank you so much, Phil! 🙌
You certainly have a point there! I concur - blogging and newsletters may indeed be relics of the past, given that the average attention span is now shorter than a few seconds. However, we're a bit different - my reading list primarily comprises long-form articles, research papers, AI documentation, and more. I guess we're just a little too nerdy! 🙃
I appreciate your advice and will definitely mull over your suggestions 💚
Wishing you all the best and keeping my fingers crossed for you!
Hi Greg,
A little cliche which may address the problem:
The more insightful an article, the smaller the audience.
I've done extensive writing about nuclear weapons and world peace on Substack. It goes exactly nowhere.
Luckily though, I have the perfect solution for you! :-)
Earlier this week I saw a post on Notes of a line drawing of a dog. It got over 13,000 likes. Kid you not. 13,000. So...
Got any dogs?
AI generated images of dogs?
Who is your target audience and how do you stand out from your competitors? Are you just sharing your content on LinkedIn or are you creating actual lead magnets and value in your linkedin posts that overlaps with the interests of your audience?
It's definitely frustrating my first year was like this.
Thank you, Michael. Also, for recommending us, this means a lot! 🙏
Our audience are individuals with a technical inclination - this includes both seasoned developers and enthusiasts of no-code or low-code. They share a common interest in experimentation and the construction of productivity frameworks, with a particular focus on AI and automation.
We haven't really looked into our competition much - something we should probably work on! Our main goal is just to share the best of what we've learned from our own experiences. As far as I know, our way of approaching productivity is pretty unique. It does take focus and there's a learning curve, which seems to be a hurdle for many.
We're not really big on social media, and we haven't tried using things like lead magnets on LinkedIn or any strategy to get users from there. Even so, my profile gets thousands of views and the main thing people can click on is to subscribe to our newsletter. We'll try to get a bit more organized with this.
Thanks so much for all the feedback! 🫶
Maybe on your About page you can talk about your origin story and what the name of your Newsletter means. What to expect and what a paid subscriber gets on top of it all.
Every time a new article of yours appears in my feed, I feel a flicker of excitement. Not the kind that makes me jump out of my chair, but enough to bring a smile to my face 😉 I save the reading for the end of the day when the dust settles and the calm sets in. I like that moment. I like longer forms. I like tech readings. I like reading someone sharing personal experiences, explaining choices, and providing food for thought. So keep it that way👍
Hey guys
Great email, and your newsletter in general is one that I don't filter out of my main inbox so I think you're doing something right!
I try to read every edition but typically find that I don't have time to sit down and implement in full. I often find that you're showing me a solution that is the culmination of all of your learnings - whilst this is a huge amount of value, it can be overwhelming.
One idea might be to create channels within the newsletter. One of these could be on quick to implement solutions, or a series of these split into impact areas.
I also love to read about your future forecasting, perhaps also more succinctly.
These sections within the newsletter would train your readers on what to expect over time.
Pairing this newletter with a community might also help, an give you UGC for the newsletter. I've just been invited into an automation focused Skool community and, whilst their classroom content is good, you guys are next level in terms of capability.
Hope that helps, Alex