Arriving on Substack as a reader/ encouraging NEW readers over here...

How to manage notifications + Substack canva template for your IG grid ✨

I’m Claire. I’m an Engagement Consultant and Mentor with a 20 year career in arts and culture. I’ve been using Substack for two years and teaching others how to grow joyfully and sustainably on the platform for over a year now. It’s a delight to be connected to you and your work here. ✨

Hi all,

How are you?

This post touches on how to cross promote your Substack publication and how to manage your notifications so you don’t drown inside your own email inbox!

These are top in the most frequently asked questions I’m asked here so I’ve made a post you can refer to and share with your readers/ Substack/ social media friends.

✍️ Top tip - Don’t call it your Substack. Call it;

• your newsletter

• your blog

• your publication

• a community

• a hub

• your online magazine

• your personal media empire

• your online home

• your membership

• a place for community online

Or something else?

Using the word Substack on other places online can still put people off if you talk about your publication because they don’t know or understand the platform.

The word Substack is also blocked/ muted on some socials so if you use it, it will effect your reach…

Reading

Smart Notifications - Tell a friend?

1. Smart notifications and what they say and do?

There’s so much joy in the Substack app and reading here.

There isn’t a whole tonne of joy in starting a new part time job managing Substack notifications. 😵‍💫

To protect your peace I HIGHLY recommend switching to smart notifications.

You do this in your ‘writer settings’. Not your dashboard settings.

See ⤵️

The language is confusing but you want to check the top box to STOP emails.

Then continue down the page and toggle want you want to receive updates about…

Keep going and carry on - I only accept message requests from paid subs…

You can also turn off auto-play video in here!

✨

2. Promoting

Encourage readers from your socials to Substack.

If you want to encourage more readers here, there are lots of ways with that.

We can’t use the word

Substack

on instagram as it hides our content.

I am NOT an IG expert but I use words in links in stories like…

• free read

• head over

• see you there?

• more here…

• I wrote something for you…

• read it here!

When I share articles or Substack content inviting folks to click in…

As far as I know when we record video or use tiles we can ‘say’ what we like - does it scan it I don’t know? I wonder if

Beth Spencer

,

Adam Ming

or

Seth Werkheiser

know?

Screen shot of an instagram story with invite text in the link…

How about a visual explainer…

You can use/ add to/ change my canva template for your audience. Use your brand colours and screen shot your home page on the app to sit it in the frame?

A tag on IG would be lovely if you do, but you don’t have to - it’s my gift. 💝

Click to copy canva template link and add your own colours, text or keep as is if you prefer.

3. One more…

If you are still using twitter (X) then a tip from

Farrah @Substack

is that you can make a video to talk about your Substack publication/ newsletter there and link to the video. I haven’t tried it as I don’t use X or any other Elon Musk related products. You cannot say ‘substack’ over there - it blocks your content.

Finally, you might like this podcast episode with

Kat River

on ‘soulful social media’ and the conscious game we play… Kat has a following of nearly 50k on socials. She’s on a Substack break but her take on the approach to our ‘social media’ self and shares is very reassuring.

The Conscious Game we Play with Kat River

✨

4. Have you learnt any new ways with promoting your Substack and managing your notifications?

🐝 ✨ If you have cross pollination reader attraction stories to share, do let us know in the comments? A HUGE recommend to head over to

Lucy Werner

’s

Hype Yourself

community if you want to know more about positioning for print, media and press.

Remember - if social media is frustrating or not working for you, I teach JOYFUL growth on Substack. With chat threads, live video classes and replay tutorials it’s a whole load of whole hearted fun here at

Sparkle on Substack

Claire

✨

PS - It’s your very last chance to get on the waitlist for my live course starting in July.

‘Your beautiful (Substack) Magazine’ is a space for you to create a Substack you are proud of. We cover copy writing, design, content buckets, positioning, categories and so much more.

We go on early bird sale next week!!! Grab your waitlist spot as there are limited spaces for the live round and I don’t want you to miss out.