Data to Drive Your Substack: Understand Your Readers for Greater Engagement

Explore insights from the first-of-its-kind Substack Reader Behavior Survey

Today, I'm excited to share brand new data from the Substack Reader Behavior Survey. This survey was designed with the goal of gathering insightful data from the platform's diverse readership, and it received an impressive 416 responses. It dives deeply into the habits, preferences and behaviors of Substack readers—63% of whom identified as readers—offering a rare glimpse into the minds of those who shape the success of newsletters on the platform.

Alongside this fresh demographic data, I’ve also organized the entire Substack Reader Behavior Survey into a comprehensive and easily navigable index below, exclusively available to my 🌙 paid members. This index is designed to be a powerful resource for newsletter publishers who want to understand their audience on a deeper level and make decisions that truly resonate with their readers.

» Not sure if upgrading is worth it? Click here to see a list of all the questions that 400+ readers answered in the survey. «

How Newsletter Publishers Can Use This Data

Identify Audience Segments: Use the demographic data to identify key segments within your audience. This can help you tailor essays, promotions and engagement strategies to different groups, ensuring that your newsletter speaks directly to the needs and interests of your readers.

Refine Newsletter Strategy: Explore the sections on Substack usage, media consumption and subscription behavior to refine your newsletter strategy. Understanding how your readers interact with Substack and what they value most can guide you in creating a newsletter experience that keeps them engaged and coming back for more.

Optimize Monetization Tactics: The insights on paid subscription preferences can be invaluable for optimizing your pricing and promotional strategies. Use this data to experiment with pricing models, discounts and offerings that align with your readers’ expectations and increase conversions.

Enhance Reader Engagement: Dive into the sections on reader engagement and newsletter preferences to discover what makes your audience feel valued. Use this knowledge to foster stronger connections with your readers, encouraging loyalty and long-term engagement.

By leveraging this index, you can transform your approach to publishing on Substack, making data-driven decisions that enhance your readers' experience and grow your newsletter's impact. If you’re ready to unlock these insights, consider upgrading your subscription to gain full access to the index.

How the Substack Reader Behavior Survey Index Is Organized

1. Demographics and Personal Information

   • Questions: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

   • Focus: Understanding the background of the respondents, including their age, gender, education, income and family status.

2. Substack Usage and Experience

   • Questions: 3, 11, 12, 13, 14

   • Focus: Exploring how respondents engage with Substack, their motivations for using the platform and their content consumption habits.

3. Media Consumption and Social Media Usage

   • Questions: 15, 16, 17

   • Focus: Investigating broader media and social media consumption patterns, preferred news outlets and the role of social media in respondents' lives.

4. Paid Subscription Preferences and Behavior

   • Questions: 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 32

   • Focus: Delving into respondents' attitudes and behaviors related to paid subscriptions on Substack, including their satisfaction with current subscriptions, budget considerations and what drives them to subscribe or unsubscribe. This theme also covers expectations from paid subscriptions and what makes respondents feel valued as paying subscribers.

5. Reader Engagement and Content Preferences

   • Questions: 27, 29, 30, 31

   • Focus: Understanding how respondents engage with content, what they value from creators and their preferred frequency of communication from publications.

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1. Demographics and Personal Information

Question 1: Please select your age group.

Question 2: What’s your relationship status?

Question 4: What is your household income?

Question 5: What country do you live in?

Question 6: Please select your gender.

Question 7: What is your race or ethnicity?

Question 8: What is the highest level of education you have completed?

Question 9: Which of the following categories best describes your employment status?

Question 10: Do you have any children?

2. Substack Usage and Experience

Question 3: How long have you been reading and/or publishing on Substack?

Question 11: What are you primarily on Substack for?

Question 12: When you’re busy in the middle of the day but hop onto Substack anyways, what are you most likely doing?

Read a quick analysis of Question 12 here.

Question 13: Let’s say you’re on Substack to do a little reading. What gets your attention first?

Read a quick analysis of Question 13 here.

Question 14: How do you use Substack compared to other media?

Read a quick analysis of Question 14 here.

3. Media Consumption and Social Media Usage

Question 15: What is the biggest role social media plays in your life?

Read a quick analysis of Question 15 here.

Question 16: What top two social media sites do you check multiple times a day?

Read a quick analysis of Question 16 here.

Question 17: What are your preferred news outlets? (Choose up to 3 you visit every day)

Read a quick analysis of Question 17 here.

4. Paid Subscription Preferences and Behavior

Question 18: The average price of a Substack subscription is $5 - $6 a month. Be honest: how do you feel about your paid subscription situation (to other publications)?

Read a quick analysis of Question 18 here.

Question 19: When you’re signing up for a paid subscription, which matters more: the percentage discount or the total amount you’ll pay in one year?

Question 20: When does a yearly subscription start to feel too pricey?

Read a quick analysis of Question 20 here.

Question 21: Off the top of your head, how many publications on Substack have you seen run a sale in the last few weeks?

Read a quick analysis Question 21 here.

Question 22: When a creator runs a sale for their publication, how does that make you feel?

Read a quick analysis of Question 22 here.

Question 23: What percentage discount makes you feel the best?

Read a quick analysis of Question 23 here.

Question 24: When you subscribe to a newsletter you really love, what is the main reason you don’t upgrade to a paid subscription?

Read a quick analysis of Question 24 here.

Question 25: What is your max budget for Substack subscriptions every month?

Read a quick analysis of Question 25 here.

Question 26: What inspires you to sign up for a paid subscription?

Read a quick analysis of Question 26 here. Read more analysis here.

Question 28: Why do you typically unsubscribe from publications you pay for? (Choose up to 3.)

Read a quick analysis of Question 28 here. Read a full strategic analysis of Question 28 in this post: Why Paid Readers Unsubscribe, Based On Survey Data.

Question 32: When you become a paid reader of someone’s publication, what do you expect to receive?

Read a quick analysis of Question 32 here.

5. Reader Engagement and Content Preferences

Question 27: When you find a newsletter you really love — and can’t afford a subscription — what are your favorite ways to support the creator’s work? (Choose up to 3.)

Question 29: How often do you enjoy hearing from your favorite publications?

Read a quick analysis of Question 29 here.

Question 30: When a creator needs to take a vacation, what do you prefer?

Read a quick analysis of Question 30 here.

Question 31: What makes you feel most valued by a creator on Substack?

Read a quick analysis of Question 31 here.

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