If Substack has felt confusing, overwhelming, or like yet another thing you’re supposed to master, you’re not doing anything wrong.
Most people were never shown how Substack actually works-they were just told to “start a newsletter” and figure it out from there.
This week inside the Monetize Your Mission Mastermind, we walked through Substack from the ground up:
what matters
what doesn’t
and what quietly gets in the way of visibility and growth
Here’s the simple truth:
Substack isn’t just a newsletter.
It’s a network, a content hub, and a long-term asset when you use it intentionally.
What We Covered (and What Most People Miss)
Your profile matters more than your posts
Your handle, bio, links, and cover image are often the first thing someone sees. If it’s unclear who you help or why they should follow you, they won’t go any further.
Following vs subscribing are not the same
Following keeps you visible in the app.
Subscribing builds your list and sends content to inboxes.
You need both—but for different reasons.
Tags are not hashtags
Tags tell Substack (and Google) what your content is about.
They create tag pages, help with discovery, and reinforce your topic authority over time.
Used well, tags make your work easier to find without you posting everywhere.
“Coming soon” posts quietly hurt momentum
If it’s sitting on your homepage, delete it. You don’t need permission to begin.
Don’t paywall connection too early
Paywalling comments while sending full posts turns people off fast. Early on, accessibility builds trust—and trust leads to paid subscriptions later.
One recording can do a lot of work
A single Zoom recording can become:
a podcast episode
a Substack post
an email
a YouTube video
searchable content on Google
You don’t need more content. You need better use of the content you already have.
The Bigger Picture
Substack works best when you stop treating it like a social platform and start treating it like a home base.
It rewards:
clarity over volume
consistency over hacks
connection over performance
And when you pair it with community (instead of relying on algorithms), it becomes a steady, sustainable visibility system.
Come Join Us on Skool …
We are a community dedicated to helping each other get visible on Substack, build authority with Podcasts & community on Skool. You can also find access to the Substack Alchemy Intensive
Or Subscribe Here
If Skool is just one thing too many for you - you can access the Substack Alchemy Intensive here too. It’s available to our paid subscribers (you will also be added as a premium member to our Skool community should you ever wish to join us there.
I believe in you,
Timestamps we talked about in the Substack Mastermind for YouTube:
00:00 Welcome + what we’re covering (Substack basics, tags, mistakes)
00:47 Start at Substack.com + create your profile
01:50 Profile setup: handle, bio, cover image, accent color, links
03:02 Add books + website link (drive people to your community hub)
03:37 Notes/Home feed: follow vs subscribe (notifications vs email)
05:10 Create your Substack: Dashboard + setup flow
06:00 Logo sizing + publication description + categories
06:33 Stripe + plans + “benefits” (free + paid + founding)
07:22 Match tiers across Substack + your community
08:55 Big mistake: “Match Profile” vs Custom Theme (fix your homepage)
10:13 Pages + menu + why pages don’t show on mobile app
10:35 Tags explained: why they matter + tag pages
12:05 Welcome page + image size
12:55 Email header/footer + why welcome emails matter most
13:42 Welcome email order + what to say to free vs paid vs founding
14:49 Podcast + sections overview (multiple sections + multiple podcasts)
16:11 Common mistake: “Coming Soon” post (delete it + pin/hide posts)
17:11 Creating a post: section, title/subtitle, tagging people
18:21 Comments settings: don’t paywall comments early
20:10 Tags again: align tags with section + use Explore categories as tags
22:15 Q&A begins
22:27 Tag confusion clarified: tags signal topic to Substack + discovery
24:04 Music on Substack: make it a section or a podcast
26:19 Tag cleanup problem: why old tags keep showing + how to fix
29:14 “Do I need Skool?” — you can do Substack only
29:34 Podcast distribution: RSS to Apple/Spotify + YouTube connection
31:11 Pro tip: set YouTube upload to private first, then optimize
36:00 Algorithms: Substack as a network + Google indexing + tag pages
36:46 Genius backlink move: YouTube timestamps → paste into Substack
37:48 Repurpose past podcast interviews + YouTube collab links
39:00 YouTube safety tip: separate Gmail account
40:12 Simplest workflow: Zoom record → download audio/video → upload
41:33 “Coming Soon” post walkthrough again
43:06 SEO keywords: titles + tags + H2/H3 headers + skimmable structure
46:03 Formatting for skimmers: short paragraphs, clean breaks
47:43 Transcript visibility: website vs app differences
49:01 Phone vs laptop behavior depends on audience age
50:27 Growth strategy: comment in adjacent interests, not just your niche
54:14 Reality check: Substack paid conversion rates + why community helps
55:36 Next week tease: how to navigate Skool without overwhelm
56:54 Skool features: calendar, live, Zooms, community vibe
01:03:22 Why Substack + community together is a safety net
See how they are hyperlinked?
