307: Why most Substack writers lose readers before they’ve even hit publish

Season 3, episode 7 is here!

In this solo episode, I talk about one of the biggest mistakes writers make on Substack - losing readers before they’ve even hit publish.

I break down the small, overlooked details that make all the difference when someone lands on your publication for the first time, and how a few simple changes can quietly convert visitors into loyal subscribers.

If you’ve been writing great posts but not seeing much growth, this one’s for you.

What I covered:

Why most readers never discover your archive and where they actually find you instead

How to make your tagline instantly clear, confident, and reader-focused

The simple tweaks that turn your About page into a conversation instead of a résumé

How to organise your homepage so new readers know exactly where to start

Why clarity and connection will always beat cleverness and complexity

The small design and setup decisions that do your audience-building for you every day

How to fix all of this in a single afternoon using the Substack Quickfire Launch Kit

If you’d like more personalised help with Substack, consider upgrading to my VIP membership to book a 1-to-1 call and publication audit. I’d be more than happy to chat through your next steps!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedavidmcilroy.substack.com/subscribe