Substack Course: The Ultimate Guide to Creating, Operating, and Monetizing a Substack Newsletter

Substack Course

Substack makes it simple for a writer to start an email newsletter that makes money from subscriptions.

The publishing platform has gained much of its media attention from high earning, "celebrity" writers.

However, there is a growing "Substack middle class" that is emerging as part of the broader rise of the passion economy. And you don't need to be a celebrity to make money writing a Substack newsletter.

Substack offers writers, podcasters, and other creatives a chance to monetize their "true fans" by providing web and newsletter publishing tools that are purpose-built for paid subscriptions.

While newsletters have been around for years, there is a huge difference between running an email marketing campaign and operating a paid subscription newsletter.

I've personally learned this (through trial and error) by starting my own Substack newsletter over 18 months ago. And along the way, I've shared my findings across numerous platforms. I've also answered countless questions from writers.

I created this Substack Course as a way of answering many more of these questions.

While I cannot guarantee that your newsletter will become 7-figure success like the top earning Substack writers, there are a number of foundational topics, tips, and strategies that can greatly accelerate your growth as a successful Substack newsletter creator.

Course Outline (238 Page eBook / Guide)

1. Introduction

• Substack Overview
• Substack Business Model
• Earning Potential
• Substack's Advantages Over Other Digital Publishing Platforms
  

2. Substack Terminology

• An Overview of Essential Substack Terminology

3. Starting Your Substack Newsletter (Research and Newsletter Creation)

• How to Pick a Niche for Your Newsletter
• How to Name Your Newsletter
• Personalizing and Branding Your Newsletter
  
• Formatting Your Newsletter's Essential Pages and Settings

4. Operating a Substack Newsletter

• Differences Between Substack and Email Marketing
• Adding Emails to Your Newsletter
• Substack Sections
• Crafting The Perfect Substack Newsletter Email Subject Line
• Best Time of Day/Day of Week to Send Your Substack Newsletter
• The Different Substack Post Types
• Popular Substack Newsletter Post Layouts

5. Monetizing your Newsletter

• How to Enable Monetization
• When to Enable Substack Newsletter Monetization
• How to Monetize your Newsletter (Besides using the standard model of paid subscriptions)

6. Marketing Your Substack Newsletter

• How to Find Your Newsletter's Target Audience
• How to Promote Your Subscription Newsletter
• How to Convert Free Signups to Paid Subscribers
• Newsletter SEO

7. Data Analytics & Subscriber Management

• Understanding Substack Metrics
• Substack Subscriber Dashboard

8. Substack Newsletter Podcast

• How to Publish Podcasts on Substack
• Tips for Marketing Your Podcast

9. Conclusion & Top Substack Tips

• Conclusion
• Contact Information for Additional Questions
• Substack Top Tips
  

BONUS TOOLS

• Checklist of Places to Promote Your Substack Post After Publication
• Substack Featured Image Templates (99 Canva Templates)
  
• Substack Publication Logo Templates (99 Canva Templates)
• Substack Email Header Banner Templates (99 Canva Templates)

Why Do I Need This Course?

While Substack makes publishing your newsletter very simple, making money from Substack can be quite challenging, simply because many writers do not understand how the platform works or they struggle driving traffic/subscribers. Many writers quit or lose interest in Substack, not because they are bad writers or because they have nothing to say, but because they don't understand how to fully utilize Substack as a platform.

Common Sources of Frustration for new Substack Writers:

⚠️ Struggling to build an engaged following if you are not already an established author or social media influencer.

⚠️ Figuring out how (and when) to convert free sign ups into paid subscribers.

⚠️ Properly optimizing your newsletter so that you are taking advantage of every feature/setting.

This Course Will Help Writers:

✔️ Create their first Substack newsletter.

✔️ Understand platform specific jargon and terminology.

✔️ Build a following of actively engaged readers.

✔️ Learn new strategies to market and monetize their newsletter.

Why Should I Purchase This Course?

While there are some existing newsletter courses available online, none are focused on Substack specifically, and almost none are focused on the operation of a subscription newsletter (they are focused on email marketing, which is very different).

This course is affordably priced and all future updates to course content are included for free!

✔️  I operate multiple Substack newsletters, including Blogging Guide, which received the Substack Independent Writer Grant.

✔️  I have co-hosted Substack's office hours, to offer advice and answer writer questions.

✔️  I run the largest Substack-related Facebook Group, and I have my finger on the pulse when it comes to obstacles that new writers face operating their first subscription newsletter.

✔️ I built my own Substack newsletter to $10K+ in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) and have reached over 250 paid subscribers, in a little over a year.

✔️ I am obsessed with digital publishing platforms! That is the topic of my Substack newsletter Blogging Guide (helping writers navigate the digital publishing landscape) and the focus of my main website, BloggingGuide.com.

*Disclaimer: While I am a huge Substack fan, I am not en employee of Substack. This course is created by me (Casey Botticello), and is not endorsed by or affiliated with Substack. All thoughts shared in this course are my own opinions and do not reflect the opinion's of Substack.