REPLAY - How we go Beyond the 'Substack Bio' with our ideal browser/ reader.
+ Incorporating Substack's changes. Are you being clear enough for your ideal reader? Do they feel invited to subscribe and once they do, are there MORE surprises and delights for them?
I’m live with Kristi Keller 🇨🇦 - Substack organisation whiz on Friday to talk about the NEW changes Substack rolled out for home page and bio design - add to your calender here - https://open.substack.com/live-stream/197162?utm_source=live-stream-scheduled-upsell
Hi Sparklers,
Here’s your class replay from this morning.
I’ve also bumped up another workshop with copywriter for heritage brands Aimée Francis. We called it soulful micro copy class (she delivered it in 2024 but copywriting is timeless).
We all adored it incase you haven’t seen it yet - maybe now is the time? ✨💫
Your Substack Bio Key
One - Your main publication wordmark
Two - Your name
Three - Your clear profile pic - blend the personal with the professional here.
Four - Your handle - people will use this to tag you in posts and notes and in chat threads and don’t remember brand names - use your name!
Five - Your beautiful bio that invites your ideal reader to stay a while and subscribe - (160 characters - don’t write your name again)
Six - Publications - clickable - your primary publication is first, if you only have one it should be here but a glitch wasn’t showing them recently… if it’s not there check your settings for ‘publish website’ or similar as you are limiting discoverability.
Seven - Your links - your main social place, books, website live here
Eight - Subscriber number - you can turn this off - I leave on for ‘social proof’
Nine - edit/ share profile buttons here.
In this ‘Beyond the Substack bio’, class we cover…
You are not a celebrity - make it about them - Your brand is all the parts that make a whole - how people feel when they SEE and feel your words and invite.
Try not to confuse people - The new profile changes inside of Substack and why they are here to stay.
The whole space - Reading a profile in a snap shot (top to bottom) and feeling invited or repelled
Branding isn’t just colour and logos - Branding, brand essence and brand hierarchy in bios on Substack
The attention economy - Writing a writer bio people want to read and then how to encourage the subscribe.
Beyond the Bio, what your known for and what readers and paid subscribers come to expect - The surprise elements beyond the bio (a.k.a inside your publication and posts) - what you end up being ‘known for’. Be it, beautiful long articles, community, blog style pieces or something else.
