Substack Posting Skill

Platform Overview

Substack is a newsletter/blog platform where writers build direct audience relationships through email subscriptions. Ideal for long-form content, recurring updates, and building a loyal readership that you OWN (email list is exportable). 35M+ active subscriptions across all Substack publications.

Platform Constraints

• Format: Rich text editor (supports markdown import)
• Length: No limit — but 500-1,500 words is the sweet spot for newsletters
• Media: Images, embedded tweets, YouTube videos, code blocks
• SEO: Substack posts are indexed by Google and rank well
• Monetization: Built-in paid subscription support
• Email delivery: Posts are sent to all email subscribers

Posting Steps (Browser Automation)

1. Navigate to

   https://substack.com/publish/post

2. Wait for editor to load (must be logged in)
3. Click on the title area and type the title/subject line
4. Click below the title and type the subtitle (optional but recommended)
5. Click on the body area and type the content (ASCII English only)
6. Click "Publish" and choose:
   • "Email + Web" (sends to subscribers AND publishes online)
   • "Web only" (publishes online without emailing)
7. Confirm publication
8. Verify post appears on your Substack page

Content Format

# {Compelling Title -- treat like email subject line}

## {Optional Subtitle -- appears as preview text}

{Opening hook: why should the reader care? 2-3 sentences}

---

## {Section 1}
{Content with insights, examples, data}

## {Section 2}
{Content with practical advice}

## Key Takeaways
- Takeaway 1
- Takeaway 2
- Takeaway 3

---

*Subscribe for weekly updates on {topic}.*

Post Types

Newsletter (Primary)

• Sent to all email subscribers
• Shows up on your Substack page as a post
• Great for recurring content (weekly insights, roundups)

Thread (Short-form)

• Quick updates, thoughts, discussions
• Similar to social media posts
• Navigate to:

  https://substack.com/publish/thread

Content Strategy

• Consistency: Pick a schedule (weekly, bi-weekly) and stick to it
• Niche down: Focus on one topic area (AI tools, web dev, startup building)
• Show expertise: Share insights you can't find elsewhere
• Build in public: Regular progress updates on your projects work well
• Curate: Roundups of tools, articles, or resources are popular
• Subject line is king: This IS your open rate

SEO Optimization

• Title: Include target keywords (it becomes the page title)
• Subtitle: Use as meta description (shows in Google results)
• First paragraph: Include primary keyword naturally
• Headings: Use H2/H3 with keyword variations
• Substack has high domain authority — articles can rank on page 1

Growth Tips

• Cross-post to X, LinkedIn, Reddit with link to full article
• Offer a free tier with occasional paid-only deep dives
• Use "Recommendations" feature to cross-promote with other Substack writers
• Consistent publishing schedule matters more than frequency
• Write compelling subject lines (60% of readers decide based on subject alone)
• Guest posts on established Substacks for audience cross-pollination

Algorithm / Discovery Tips

• Substack's "Discover" page recommends newsletters to new readers
• The "Notes" feature (like Twitter) helps with discoverability
• Recommendations from other Substack writers drive new subscribers
• SEO drives long-tail organic growth through Google
• Social sharing drives spikes of new subscribers

Best Practices

• Publish on a consistent schedule
• Include a CTA in every post (subscribe, share, reply)
• Reply to subscriber replies (builds community)
• Use the preview function to check formatting before publishing
• Keep subject lines under 60 characters for mobile

What to Avoid

• Irregular publishing (kills subscriber expectations)
• Clickbait subject lines that don't deliver
• Only promoting content without engaging
• Making every post a pitch for paid tier
• Ignoring subscriber replies

Known Pitfalls

• Substack's editor may handle formatting differently than expected
• Email deliverability depends on subscriber email providers
• Free/paid content gates require careful planning
• Playwright may have difficulty with the rich text toolbar

Related Skills

• content-writing

  — Newsletter templates and hook formulas

• image-generation

  — Substack header image specs (1100x220)