Why Substack Should Be Every Copywriter's #1 Social Strategy
The platform grew 9,900% in seven years, and copywriters already have every skill it rewards.
Posted
today
Duration
Format
Talking Head
educational
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Big Idea
The argument in one line.
Copywriters already possess every skill Substack rewards -- hooks, open loops, storytelling, persuasion -- and most of them are spending those skills building someone else's audience instead of their own.
Who This Is For
Read if. Skip if.
READ IF YOU ARE…
You write copy or content for clients and have been wondering whether to build your own platform.
You have considered Substack but assumed you were too late or did not have a big enough existing audience.
You want a platform that rewards writing skill rather than video production, follower counts, or algorithmic gaming.
You are a freelance copywriter looking for a lead-generation asset that compounds over time.
SKIP IF…
You already have an active, growing newsletter and are not questioning whether to be on Substack.
You are looking for a technical walkthrough of Substack's features -- this is a strategic case, not a setup tutorial.
TL;DR
The full version, fast.
Substack's paid subscriber base grew 9,900% over seven years, and the platform is still early relative to YouTube or Instagram. For copywriters specifically, the opportunity is sharper than for most creators: open rates average 44%, which is email-list territory, and the skills required to grow on Substack (hooks, open loops, storytelling, persuasion) are the exact skills copywriters already train for. The fastest monetization path is not paid subscriptions but using Substack as an authority engine to generate premium client leads -- a copywriter with 1,000 subscribers can out-earn a brand with 100,000 Instagram followers.
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Case study open: copywriter with no audience hits $40K year one on Substack. Withholds the unfair advantage to keep watching.
01:08 – 04:22
02 · Is it too late? The data says no
9,900% growth in paid subscribers since 2019, Google Trends chart, $100M investor round, $1B valuation. Comparison to YouTube in 2019 when the host started her channel.
04:22 – 05:43
03 · Sponsor: HubSpot Substack Playbook
Free guide covering niche/positioning, subscriber growth, content planning, and monetization. Presented as context for the rest of the video.
05:43 – 09:12
04 · Reason #1: Substack was made for writers
The platform rewards writing skills: no video required, 44% average open rate vs. minimal social reach, copywriter skill stack maps directly to what grows a Substack.
09:12 – 12:05
05 · Reason #2: Substack is the ultimate portfolio
Traditional portfolio shows client work in the client's voice. Substack shows your own thinking, personality, and POV. The mistake: writing only about copywriting. The fix: write about life.
12:05 – 15:32
06 · Reason #3: Substack can make you money
Three monetization paths: paid subscriptions, premium client services/packages, and courses/templates. For copywriters, client leads are the fastest path.
15:32 – 16:24
07 · Big reveal: Rough Draft launches
Host announces her own Substack 'Rough Draft' -- unfiltered thoughts on entrepreneurship, leadership, and creativity, never written by AI.
Atomic Insights
Lines worth screenshotting.
Substack's paid subscriber base grew 9,900% over seven years -- a 100x increase -- while YouTube's grew 594% over the same period.
A follow on social does not guarantee reach. A Substack subscription averages a 44% open rate, which is closer to an email list than a social feed.
Copywriters already have the exact skills Substack rewards: hooks, open loops, storytelling, persuasive positioning, and irresistible CTAs.
For copywriters, paid subscriptions are the slowest monetization path -- premium client services are faster because the audience is already primed to hire.
A writer with 1,000 Substack subscribers can out-earn a brand with 100,000 Instagram followers because subscriber trust is concentrated.
Most writers make the mistake of writing about copywriting on Substack. Potential clients want to see how you think and what you believe, not demonstrations of your craft.
A traditional portfolio shows client work in the client's voice. Substack shows your voice, your thinking, and your personality -- which is what actually gets you hired.
Writers collectively earned $450 million through Substack in 2025. The number of publications earning money doubled in a single year.
The platform is still young: Substack had 50,000 paid subscribers in 2019 and has 5,000,000 today -- the same trajectory YouTube showed before most creators joined it.
Do not monetize until you hit 500 subscribers with a 35% open rate. Build audience and trust first, then flip the monetization switch.
Attention without trust is just noise. Every audience-building strategy eventually hits this wall; Substack is built for the trust-building side.
Having a point of view and something to say is the one thing people spend hundreds of dollars a month on AI subscriptions trying to manufacture.
Takeaway
Substack rewards the skills writers already have.
WHAT TO LEARN
The platform that looks like just another newsletter tool is structurally designed for the exact skills copywriters spend years developing.
Substack's average open rate of 44% means subscribers are far more likely to see your content than followers on any social platform -- a smaller list here is worth more than a large following elsewhere.
Copywriting skills -- hooks, open loops, storytelling, persuasive positioning -- map directly to what makes a Substack grow, giving writers a compounding advantage that non-writers have to spend years building.
The instinct to write a newsletter about copywriting is usually the wrong move. Clients hire based on how you think and who you are, not on demonstrations of craft -- writing about your life, observations, and beliefs tends to be more compelling.
A traditional portfolio shows client work in the client's voice. A Substack shows your own voice, making it a more powerful trust signal than a PDF of past projects.
For service providers, the fastest path to Substack income is not paid subscriptions but client leads -- even a single book-a-call link on the profile can generate premium business once an audience trusts your thinking.
Audience size alone does not predict income. A focused Substack audience of people who trust your perspective can generate more revenue than a much larger social following that has no reason to buy.
Glossary
Terms worth knowing.
Open rate
The percentage of subscribers who open a given newsletter issue. Substack newsletters average around 44%, far above typical social media reach for accounts with equivalent follower counts.
Authority engine
Using a publishing platform not primarily to earn subscription revenue but to build credibility and trust that generates inbound leads for higher-ticket services or products.
Paid tier
A Substack subscription level that charges readers for access to premium content, distinct from a free tier available to anyone. Many publications run both simultaneously.
Resources
Things they pointed at.
04:22toolHubSpot 2026 Substack for Business Playbook
Five words, standalone, quotable without any context from the video.→ TikTok hook↗ Tweet quote
08:29
“You already have the one thing that so many people are wasting literally hundreds of dollars every single month in useless AI subscriptions looking for -- a point of view and something to say.”
Contrarian, emotionally resonant, calls out AI spending as futile for what really matters.→ IG reel cold open↗ Tweet quote
14:04
“Right now, there are copywriters with, like, a thousand Substack subscribers who are out earning companies with 100,000 Instagram followers.”
Specific number contrast, counterintuitive, no setup needed.→ TikTok hook↗ Tweet quote
07:44
“Substack has the metrics of email marketing with the discoverability of social media.”
See every word as it's spoken — crank it to 2× and still catch all of it. The same dual-channel trick behind Amazon's Kindle + Audible.
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metaphoranalogystory
00:00A few years ago, this woman named Janine Ouellette launched her Substack with no following, no online audience, and no big brand behind her. In her very first year, she hit 700 paid subscribers and $40,000 in annual revenue.
00:18How did she do it? Well, of course, not everyone who starts a substack hits these numbers in their first year, but she had one massively unfair advantage that most do not. And in just a minute, you'll find out exactly what this advantage is and why you have it too.
00:35So if you've been thinking about starting a substack, stop what you're doing and watch this video before you do anything else, because I'm about to show you exactly why substack is the biggest opportunity writers are sleeping on right now, and why I wish I had jumped on this sooner. That's right.
00:54I am starting a Substack, finally. So make sure you stick around to the end of this video for the big reveal and to get your hands on the number one tool that I've used to help me plan out my entire Substack strategy courtesy of my friends over at HubSpot who are the sponsors of today's video.
01:12I will show you what's inside in just a minute. But first, when it comes to Substack, you might be thinking, well, that is great for Janine, but she started early.
01:22And, Alex, you already have a big audience. I am starting from scratch, zilch, nada, and I have missed the window of opportunity. Listen.
01:31If that's you, let me stop you right there and answer the question that it seems like everyone is asking right now. Is it too late to start a Substack?
01:41Absolutely not. Here is what the numbers are actually saying.
01:46You guys, Substack now has roughly 50,000,000 active subscriptions and over 5,000,000 paid subscriptions at the time of recording this video.
01:55That number of paid subscriptions has more than doubled from 2,000,000 since 2024.
02:01Now this tells me three things. One, the platform in terms of user base is growing fast. I mean, look at the growth for the search term Substack over the last seven years.
02:12Two, people are absolutely willing to pay for premium newsletters, especially right now when everyone is desperate for real human insights and perspectives. And three, Substack is still very, very young compared to other platforms like Instagram, YouTube, or even TikTok.
02:30And ironically, when I started my YouTube channel seven years ago, people told me the same thing. They said, you're too late.
02:36The platform is too saturated. Well, I started anyway, and look how that turned out. Now listen.
02:41To really drive this point home, your girl did a bit of digging, and I actually did some math. Yeah. So for comparison's sake, look at this.
02:50When I started my YouTube channel in 2019, there were 2,000,000,000 monthly active users.
02:56Today, YouTube has 2,580,000,000 monthly active users. That's a 29% growth.
03:02In 2019, YouTube had 18,000,000 premium or paid subscribers.
03:07Those are people who actually pay for premium content or YouTube premium. Today, YouTube premium has 125,000,000 subscribers.
03:19Now while I wasn't able to find the number of free users that Substack had in 2019, I know they had about 50,000 paid subscribers, and today they have 5,000,000.
03:29That means that looking at premium subscribers alone, Substack has experienced a staggering 9900% growth over the same seven year period.
03:45No wonder investors just poured another $100,000,000 into Substack, pushing the company's valuation to over $1,000,000,000.
03:55So you guys, stop asking, is Substack still worth it? Am I too late? And start asking, how do I get started today?
04:02And then lean a little closer, pay attention, because I've got exactly what you need to do just that. So if you have been thinking about starting a Substack, or maybe you're just like a little bit curious to learn if this platform is right for you, then I'm telling you there is one tool you need to get your hands on right now, and that is HubSpot's free, yes free, 2026 Substack for Business Playbook.
04:27This free guide will walk you through the six steps of launching, growing, and monetizing your Substack from day one. And trust me, you guys, this bad boy goes way beyond just, like, setting up your account. It walks you step by step through things like how to choose your sub stack niche and positioning.
04:46This is so important to do before you get started, so you're not spinning your wheels and wasting time writing newsletters that go nowhere. You'll learn how to grow your subscriber base starting from scratch, even if you have zero existing audience to promote to.
05:00You'll learn how to plan your content so it feels easy and breezy, and not like the stressful thing that you need to do and add to your already full plate. And, of course, it answers everyone's biggest question when it comes to Substack. How do I actually make some money with this thing?
05:16You will learn effective monetization strategies that will help you turn your creative writing skills into a major business asset and a lead generator in your business that I'm telling you, you'll wish you had sooner. I have been using this guide to map out my own substack strategy, and I know you will absolutely love it too.
05:33So you can grab your free copy in the description box below, and big thanks to HubSpot for sponsoring this video. Now, oh, me tell you, if you are a writer or a copywriter, pay close attention to this next part because I'm about to make your whole damn day.
05:49Here are three reasons why Substack should be your number one social media strategy starting right now. And the biggest mistake that I see copywriters making when starting on Substack, and spoiler alert, reason number three is the whole reason you are here. Alright.
06:05Reason number one, Substack was made for writers. Right? For years, writers were told, you need to become a creator, post more on Instagram, make videos, reels, TikToks, all the things.
06:18Right? Cue awkward cringe from introvert writers all over the world who don't wanna put their face on video. Well, now we're watching the opposite happen.
06:27Creators are desperately trying to become better copywriters. They're buying hook templates, studying storytelling, learning persuasion, and writing newsletters.
06:38Why? Because eventually, every audience building strategy runs into the same reality.
06:43Attention without trust is just noise. And to build trust, you need to know how to communicate, tell stories, and share your lived human experience.
06:56There is a social platform that is powered by words and stories, and not visuals, and there's no word limit. But it gets better. On most social platforms, you're honestly lucky if a small percentage of your audience or following actually sees what you post.
07:12Because unfortunately, a follow doesn't guarantee reach, thanks to the algorithm. But on Substack, a subscriber is way more likely to see your content.
07:21In fact, many newsletters see open rates between 35 to 55%, with the average somewhere around 44%. Substack has the metrics of email marketing with the discoverability of social media.
07:34Yeah. Do you know what this means? It means as a copywriter, you have an unfair advantage that you can take all the way to the bank, my friends.
07:43Because you already know how to grab attention with a great hook, keep attention with open loops, build trust with storytelling, create desire with persuasive positioning, and inspire action with an irresistible offer.
07:57Listen. These aren't just copywriting skills or communication skills, right, or persuasion skills. These are the skills you need to explode your audience, your authority, and your income on Substack.
08:08Remember the story I told you earlier about Janine who reached 700 paid subscribers and $40,000 in her first year on Substack? Her unfair advantage?
08:21And don't you dare tell me that you're not a writer. If you are here watching this on my channel, then I already know you're a writer at heart. You've had the nudge to start expressing yourself through the written word, to become a copywriter or a content writer, or to learn how to communicate more persuasively and effectively in your messaging.
08:39And that tells me everything I need to know about you. While everyone else is out there outsourcing their voice to AI, imitating others, and desperately trying to sound human, you already have the one thing that so many people are wasting literally hundreds of dollars every single month in useless AI subscriptions looking for, a point of view and something to say.
09:02The problem is though, most writers are using their voice and point of view and creative skills to build someone else's audience. Well, that changes today. Once you get your hands on this free guide, you can find a link in the description box below.
09:16And now for reason number two that Substack is the platform for you as a copywriter. Substack is the ultimate portfolio. So a lot of writers think of Substack as just a newsletter, but it is actually so much more than that.
09:30Think of it as a living portfolio. The ultimate way to showcase not just your writing skills and your persuasion techniques, but also who you are.
09:41Because here's the truth. A traditional portfolio shows what kind of work you've done for other people, your clients in their voice. And, yes, it is really important to showcase your skills in that way, but potential clients don't just wanna know if you can write.
09:56They wanna know how you think, how you communicate, what you believe, what your perspective is, your personality. Yes. Your personality.
10:03Substack is one of the few places where people can experience your voice, not your client's voice, yours. But here's where I think a lot of writers accidentally get stuck and make a really big mistake.
10:16They think, well, I'm a copywriter, or I wanna be a copywriter, and I wanna grow my audience. So I guess I'll start writing a newsletter about copywriting. Boring.
10:26I mean, yes. Okay. That could work for you, but that's not why people will subscribe.
10:30And it is definitely not how you attract your dream clients. Your dream clients don't wanna see you writing about copywriting. Think of your favorite creators.
10:40Right? You follow them because of their perspective, their stories, their opinions, their values, their experiences, and the way they share those things with the world through their lens.
10:50And I think this is where the real opportunity exists. So don't just write about what you do. Don't just write about copywriting, especially, and this is a big one, especially if you are not an expert yet.
11:01Write about life. Write about parenting. Write about entrepreneurship or quitting your job.
11:07Write about your favorite books or creativity or mistakes you've made, weird observations, lessons you've learned, things that frustrate you, things that inspire you, things that make you laugh. Because that's what creates connection.
11:20That's what people subscribe for. That is truly what showcases your skill as a writer. In fact, I once hired a copywriter way back in the day.
11:28This was, like, way before Substack, way before the Copy Posse. I hired her because of her blog. I didn't care at all about her previous experience or her previous clients.
11:38I saw she could craft a mean hook and tell a story with personality, and boom, I hired her on the spot. Your substack can become the ultimate portfolio that showcases both your skills and your humanity.
11:51Don't dilute one trying to play up the other. And now for reason number three why Substack should be part of your social media strategy as a writer, and this a big one. And to be honest, it's probably the reason you're watching this video right now, money.
12:05Yes. Substack can make you money. Another question I get a lot is, can I really make money on Substack?
12:13And the answer is, yes, absolutely. And there are three ways to do it. But first, here's something that's really cool to know.
12:20Nearly 100,000 publications now earn money on Substack, which is up from roughly 50,000 just one year ago.
12:29This means that the number of publications earning money doubled in just one year, and writers collectively earned 450,000,000 big ones through Substack last year in 2025. Now, of course, it will take some time to get there.
12:43You will not be making money straight out the gate right away. In fact, HubSpot's guide suggests that you don't monetize your Substack until you have at least 500 subscribers and a 35% open rate, and I think that is really, really good advice, and definitely advice that I will be following if I choose to monetize.
13:02So focus on building your audience and creating content they love to consume first. Then once attention and trust exist, monetization honestly becomes so much easier.
13:14But before you even consider your monetization strategy, you have to get really clear on what your purpose is with Substack. Are you using it as platform to grow your audience, to generate leads, and sell your own offers? Then you might wanna keep your Substack free, like, indefinitely so that you can get more people in.
13:32Again, the free HubSpot guide walks you through all of this step by step, so I highly recommend you grab that in the description box below. And when you are ready to monetize, there are three ways to do it. The first is the one we've been talking about paid subscriptions, or in other words, charging your subscribers to consume your premium content.
13:51Now you'll notice that a lot of Substacks have paid levels or tiers where certain content is available for free to everyone, and then premium content is exclusive for the different tiers of subscribers. Now most people think the money is in paid subscriptions, but for copywriters, honestly, I really think that is the slowest path.
14:10Because as I've said before, as a copywriter, you already know the power of attention, and how to convert that attention into revenue through lead generation and crafting irresistible offers. And that leads me to the second and probably the fastest way to monetize your Substack, premium client services and packages.
14:29Or in other words, using Substack as an authority engine to build trust, create interest, and generate client leads. And honestly, this could be as simple as having a static book a call link on your Substack profile, and you can also mention it in every single one of your newsletters. Which brings me to the third way you can monetize your sub stack, selling courses and resources.
14:49So once you start building your audience and authority, of course, there's no limit to what you can offer. You don't have to just offer premium high ticket services and packages. In addition to your services, you could also sell templates and courses and memberships or coaching programs or other digital resources.
15:05And when you do all of these things together strategically, you are truly monetizing your Substack like a boss. And you guys, you don't even need to have a huge audience.
15:16Right now, there are copywriters with, like, a thousand Substack subscribers who are out earning companies with 100,000 Instagram followers. You can do this.
15:26But before you get there, you have to start. So what do you say? Will you join me in launching your Substack?
15:32Make sure to get started on the foot and get HubSpot's free Substack for Business Playbook. I think you will find this so so helpful as you map out your Substack strategy. I know I sure did.
15:43I will link to that in the description box below. And that brings me to my big reveal. My new substack is called rough draft.
15:52So where my YouTube channel right here is where I share practical and strategic marketing advice. This newsletter is where I get things off my chest, spill my unfiltered tea, and the messiest moments of entrepreneurship, leadership, creativity, and honestly, everything I am not saying anywhere else.
16:09And as always, it is never ever written by AI. I'll drop a link for you to check it out below, and I will see you next week with a brand new video. Until then, I'm Alex.
16:19Ciao for now. Before you go, if you like that video, make sure to check out this one next. Let me ask you something.
16:25When was the last time you slowed down and stopped and took a good hard look at your business, like, from the outside? No.
16:34Not your to do list, not your content calendar, not even your open rates or how
The Hook
The bait, then the rug-pull.
Janine Ouellette had no following, no audience, no brand -- and still hit 700 paid subscribers and $40,000 in her first year on Substack. The answer to how she did it turns out to be the same reason you might be sitting on a bigger advantage than you realize.
Frameworks
Named ideas worth stealing.
05:43list
Three Reasons Substack Beats Other Platforms for Writers
Substack was made for writers (words over visuals, 44% open rates)
Substack is the ultimate portfolio (your voice, not a client's)
Substack can make you money (three monetization paths)
The organizing frame for the second half of the video. Each reason is developed with data, an anecdote, or a specific mechanism.
Steal forany case-for-a-platform video or 'why you should start X' argument structure
13:40list
Three Monetization Paths on Substack
Paid subscriptions (slowest for copywriters)
Premium client services and packages (fastest -- authority engine)
Selling courses, templates, memberships, and digital resources
Counter-intuitive ordering: the most obvious path is called out as the slowest for this audience specifically, with the reasoning explained.
Steal forany monetization breakdown where the expected answer is wrong for your specific audience
CTA Breakdown
How they asked for the click.
VERBAL ASK
15:32newsletter
“My new Substack is called Rough Draft.”
Announced as a personal reveal after the three reasons, positioned as a different voice than the YouTube channel -- messier, more personal, never written by AI. Lands as earned payoff after 15 minutes of building the case.
A 16-minute honest breakdown of the paid subscription model — the fee math, the follower trap, and why the tier that makes you less than 10% of revenue might be your most important business asset.
A 37-minute tutorial showing non-developers how to replace one-off prompts with a persistent, file-based AI co-writing system built inside Claude Code.
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