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How to Use Substack to Reach Your Audience and Cultivate a New Source of Revenue

How to Use Substack to Reach Your Audience and Cultivate a New Source of Revenue
How to Use Substack to Reach Your Audience and Cultivate a New Source of Revenue

In a digital world crowded with ads, ever-changing social algorithms, and increasing platform fatigue, businesses are rediscovering the power of direct communication. One tool that’s becoming more popular is Substack.

Substack isn’t just for independent writers or creators—it’s quickly becoming a strategic tool for businesses looking to build stronger relationships with their audience, grow thought leadership, and even develop a new revenue stream.

If you’re a brand trying to deepen engagement, educate your market, or nurture leads in a more authentic way, Substack deserves a spot in your marketing toolkit. In this post, we’ll walk through how to use it effectively—from setup to growth to monetization.

Why Substack Makes Sense for Businesses

Let’s start with the basics: Substack is a platform for publishing newsletters , but unlike traditional email marketing tools, it’s built for engagement and community-building, not just promotion.

Here’s why businesses should take notice:

  • You Own the Audience: Your email list is yours. You can download and take it with you anytime.
  • Minimal Friction: There’s no complicated backend—just a clean, professional interface.
  • It’s Part Email, Part Blog: Every post gets emailed to subscribers and lives on your Substack page, doubling as a searchable content hub.
  • Built-in Monetization: Want to charge for exclusive insights, premium updates, or member-only resources? That’s built-in too.
  • SEO-friendly: Since Substack doubles as a blog, the content on it is indexable by search engines.

Whether you’re a startup, a B2B service provider, or a niche e-commerce brand, Substack offers a low-barrier way to communicate regularly with your audience and get something in return.

Use Cases for Businesses on Substack

So what does a business do with Substack? Here are a few strategic angles:

  • Thought Leadership: Position your founders, executives, or team members as experts with regular commentary on industry trends.
  • Product Education: Use newsletters to explain features, show off case studies, or share success stories.
  • Lead Nurturing: Move prospects further down the funnel with high-value content—no hard sell required.
  • Customer Retention: Keep existing users engaged with updates, tips, and exclusive content.
  • Premium Content Products: Sell paid subscriptions for white papers, templates, research, or members-only access.

In short, it’s not about blasting offers – it’s about providing value on a consistent basis.

Getting Started: Substack Setup for Business

1. Define Your Content Strategy

Before you publish anything, clarify your focus. What topics will you cover? Who is your target audience? What kind of voice fits your brand?

You don’t have to be overly formal. In fact, Substack works best when the tone feels approachable and human – even if you’re talking B2B.

Some formats to consider:

  • Weekly insights from leadership
  • Monthly product deep-dives
  • Subscriber-only strategy memos or reports
  • Behind-the-scenes updates or culture content

2. Set Up Your Publication

Sign up at Substack.com and walk through the quick setup. Choose a name, add a description, upload your branding, and configure your settings.

Pro tip: Turn off the default “by [name]” setting if you’re publishing as a company, and use a brand voice rather than an individual one (unless you’re blending the two on purpose).

3. Publish a Few Anchor Posts

Before inviting people to subscribe, have a few strong posts live on your Substack. These “anchor” pieces show your tone, your value, and what readers can expect.

Think of these as evergreen content – posts that introduce your mission, share a key insight, or tackle a common industry challenge.

How to Grow a Business Audience on Substack

1. Promote It Through Your Existing Channels

Share your newsletter via social media, LinkedIn, customer emails, your website, and even sales conversations. Create a simple call-to-action like:
 “Want our latest industry insights in your inbox every week? Subscribe here.”

2. Add It to Your Content Funnel

Think of Substack as a middle-of-funnel asset. Visitors might find you via SEO or ads, and then subscribe to your Substack as a way to stay engaged. Over time, you nurture those leads with valuable content.

You can also integrate Substack with your CRM by exporting your list or using tools like Zapier.

3. Offer Subscriber-Only Perks

Want to incentivize signups? Offer something exclusive for subscribers, such as access to early product launches, behind-the-scenes looks, or VIP webinars.

4. Cross-Promote With Strategic Partners

Reach out to non-competing businesses in your industry and arrange cross-promotions. Substack even has a “Recommendations” feature to make this easy.

How to Monetize Substack as a Business

Substack isn’t just about marketing – it can become a revenue-generating product in its own right.

1. Paid Subscriptions

If you’re a consulting firm, SaaS company, or professional service provider, consider offering premium subscriptions. This might include:

  • Monthly market intelligence reports
  • Member-only strategy content
  • Early access to templates or digital products

You set the price, and Substack handles the billing via Stripe.

2. Premium Communities

Offer subscribers access to a private Slack channel, Discord server, or members-only forum as part of a paid tier.

3. Sponsor Your Own Content

Treat your newsletter as an owned media channel. Promote your services, link to lead magnets, or include soft CTAs. Unlike traditional email blasts, readers actually want this content, which means better engagement.

Best Practices for Businesses on Substack

  • Be Consistent: Whether you send content weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, stick to a schedule.
  • Focus on Value, not Volume: Don’t over-send. Quality always wins.
  • Encourage Dialogue: Ask for feedback and respond to comments. Make it a conversation.
  • Track What Works: Monitor open rates, conversion to paid, and subscriber growth.

Final Thoughts

Substack is more than a newsletter tool – it’s a potentially revolutionary way for businesses to build long-term trust, deliver high-quality content, and even generate recurring revenue.

Authenticity matters more than ever for businesses, and this platform offers a rare opportunity: to speak directly to your audience, without filters, noise, or distractions.

Whether you’re aiming to nurture leads, launch a new product, or offer premium content, Substack can help you get there with less friction and more impact.

Deliver Value-Driven Content to Your Audience with the Help of the Experts at Pink Dog Digital

At Pink Dog Digital, we’re all about crafting digital marketing strategies that get results. Whether you’re looking to explore the potential of Substack – or simply need to figure out how and where to reach your audience online – our team of marketing experts can help.

We offer a comprehensive array of digital marketing services, including:

  • Ongoing Search Engine Optimization
  • Social Media Management
  • Content Creation
  • Web Design
  • Paid Digital Advertising

Ready to get started? Reach out today to set up a consultation.