Substack Stats for Newsletter Creators

As a newsletter creator, you're likely curious about the stats that can help you grow your audience and increase engagement. Substack's analytics can give you a wealth of information, but where do you even start?

Substack has reported that over 1 million writers have joined their platform, and the number is growing rapidly. This is a testament to the power of email newsletters in reaching and engaging with audiences.

The average Substack newsletter has around 1,000 subscribers, but this number can vary widely depending on the niche and the quality of content. To give you a better idea, some popular newsletters on Substack have upwards of 100,000 subscribers.

Substack's analytics can help you track your newsletter's performance, including metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and revenue earned. This data can be invaluable in helping you refine your content and marketing strategy.

Discover more: Substack Email Newsletter

You can earn a decent income from Substack even with a relatively small number of paying subscribers. For example, Founder Stock Investing, a newsletter covering stock investments, reported earning a net of $3800 per month after fees from just 81 paying subscribers.

A fresh viewpoint: Substack Prune Inactive Subscribers

The number of paying subscribers doesn't have to be a significant percentage of your emailing list. In fact, Founder Stock Investing's paying subscribers were less than 10% of their emailing list.

The rate you charge determines how much your newsletter can make. This is evident in the case of Blogging Guide's newsletter, which reached $10,000 in ARR in May 2021.

It's also worth noting that some Substack newsletters can earn a significant income from a relatively small number of subscribers. For example, Historic.ly, a newsletter covering a multitude of knowledge that should have been taught in school, reported earning $1,000 per month after fees from nearly 200 paying subscribers.

Here are some key takeaways from these examples:

Substack's revenue model is a key factor in its success. Substack takes a 10% commission on paid subscriptions, plus an additional 2.9% + $0.30 per payment for payment processing.

The top earners on Substack generate a substantial amount of revenue, with the top 27 newsletters estimated to bring in $22 million in subscription revenue. This demonstrates the immense potential for writers who can cultivate a loyal readership.

Substack's payment model allows writers to keep the majority of their earnings, with the company taking a relatively small fee. The net earnings for some Substack newsletters are impressive, with one case study reporting $3,800 per month after fees from just 81 paying subscribers.

You don't need to have a massive following to make money on Substack. A small but dedicated audience can still generate significant revenue, as seen in the example of Blogging Guide's newsletter, which reached $10,000 in ARR in May 2021.

The rate you charge determines how much your newsletter can make. Writers can charge anywhere from $5 to $50 per month for their paid newsletters, with some top earners making up to $30,000 per month.

Substack's exponential growth rate indicates that writers and content creators are increasingly flocking to the platform. The company's revenue is growing, with over half a million subscriptions incurred every month.

The Writer and Community section of Substack is thriving, with over 17,000 writers earning income through the platform.

This diverse community spans various niches, offering readers a wealth of specialized knowledge and insights.

The writer community on Substack is thriving, with over 17,000 writers earning income through the platform.

This diverse community spans various niches, offering readers a wealth of specialized knowledge and insights.

It's a great place for writers to connect with like-minded individuals and share their expertise.

The platform has become a haven for content creators, providing a space for writers to showcase their work and build a following.

With a passion for writing and a willingness to put in the work, amateur writers can also make money publishing on Substack.

Substack top earners make anywhere from $5k to $30k per month, a testament to the platform's potential for financial success.

You might enjoy: How Do Substack Subscriptions Work

The Discussion tab is where the magic happens, folks! It's where you can see how people are engaging with your post on Substack.

People are engaging with your post through comments, which is a great way to start a conversation and build a community around your writing.

Comments are just the beginning, as people can also re-share your post, known as restacks, to spread the word and reach a wider audience.

Restacks are a powerful way to amplify your message and get more eyes on your work, so be sure to check them out.

You can also see how people are interacting with your post on Notes, where they can quote and discuss your work in a more in-depth way.

Quotes on Notes provide valuable insights into what resonates with your audience and what they're taking away from your post.

Linking to your post from other places, such as other articles or social media, is another way people are engaging with your work on the Discussion tab.

Substack has secured a total of $90.2 million across 5 rounds of funding, with notable investors including Y Combinator and Andreessen Horowitz.

This impressive funding is a clear indicator of the growing importance of direct-to-consumer content platforms in the digital marketing landscape.

Substack has raised $82.4 million over four rounds of funding, with its last funding round securing just over 75% of its total funding.

Here's a breakdown of Substack's funding rounds:

Substack's last raise values the company at roughly $650 million, a significant valuation that indicates investors' confidence in the platform's future potential.

Substack's user base is a vibrant ecosystem of engaged readers, with over 20 million monthly active subscribers. This substantial user base offers immense potential for content creators to find their niche and grow their audience.

The demographics of Substack users are diverse, with writers and subscribers using the platform for different purposes. We distinguish between writers and subscribers, but it's worth noting that some users can be both.

Substack's success is built on fostering connections between writers and readers. By focusing on quality, building a community, and embracing niche topics, content creators can apply these insights to their strategy.

You can only access the Notes Analytics from the Substack App, at least for now. Unfortunately, it's not available on the website version yet.

Currently, to view Notes Analytics, you need to navigate to the Activity tab in the Substack App and find your Notes. From there, simply tap on it to show the Notes Page.

Intriguing read: Substack App for Android

Substack's analytics offer a wealth of information to help you understand your audience and optimize your content strategy. By leveraging these insights, you can make data-driven decisions to improve engagement and revenue growth.

The success of Substack's paid newsletters underscores the importance of delivering high-value, specialized insights. This means focusing on quality content that resonates with your audience.

Substack's community-building approach is built on fostering connections between writers and readers. Prioritize engagement and community-building in your content strategy to build a loyal following.

The diversity of successful newsletters on Substack demonstrates the power of catering to specific interests and audiences. This means embracing niche topics and creating content that speaks to a particular audience.

Substack's paid models suggest that audiences are willing to pay for exclusive, high-quality content. Consider offering paid options to your loyal readers.

To track your performance, use Substack's Impressions metric, which counts the number of times your Note was displayed on screen for any user. This helps you understand how your content is being consumed.

Substack's Average Impressions metric provides a benchmark for comparing your performance to your overall average. This shows how well your content is performing compared to your other notes.

Here are the key metrics to track on Substack:

Substack has created a vibrant ecosystem of engaged readers with over 20 million monthly active subscribers. This substantial user base offers immense potential for content creators to find their niche and grow their audience.

The platform boasts more than 2 million paid subscriptions, a number that doubled from 1 million in just over two years. This rapid growth underscores the willingness of readers to pay for quality content.

Substack users are differentiated by how they use the platform, with writers and subscribers being two distinct groups. However, writers can be subscribers and vice versa.

There are three categories of users who have seen your note: Unconnected, Followers, and Subscribers. This helps content creators understand their audience and tailor their content accordingly.

Substack's success offers valuable lessons for content creators and marketers alike. Here are some key takeaways:

Some of the top-ranked paid newsletters on Substack include Letters from an American by Heather Cox Richardson, The Pomp Letter by Anthony Pompliano, and Lenny's Newsletter by Lenny Rachitsky. These newsletters have thousands to tens of thousands of subscribers and charge subscription rates between $5 per month to $50 per month.

Substack's search popularity has seen a significant surge over the last 4 years, with virtually no searches for the term "Substack" in 2017 when the company was founded.

The search volume has grown exponentially, especially towards the second half of 2020, indicating a huge increase in interest for the platform.

This growth is a testament to Substack's increasing brand awareness and its ability to attract more users over time.

In 2017, the search volume for "Substack" was non-existent, but by the second half of 2020, the interest in the platform had reached a new high.

This rapid growth in search popularity is a clear indicator of Substack's success as a platform and a brand.

For another approach, see: Semrush Organic Growth Stats