What Trust Feels Like on Substack (Poll Results)
⿷ Infographic + a look at trust, attention and what summer asks of creators
This month, we explored a Trust-Based Audience™ Framework — not just in theory, but in practice. We looked at what it means to lead with trust in how we publish online, whether here or on Substack.
And to support this work, we invited folks to answer a short survey about audience trust to find out:
How do readers experience trust when they decide to subscribe — and stay subscribed — to a publication on Substack or to a creator specifically?
107 people shared their responses.
And wow — it gave me more than insight.
Your responses gave me language for the work so many of us are quietly doing: building relationships in public, over time, with our words, stories and reflections.
What Respondents Say Trust Feels Like...
“Trust feels like gravity - I'm pulled toward this person / publication.” —
“Like getting into a warm bath. You know what to expect, you know why you're there, and you've temp checked it first to make sure it's for you.” —
“It feels like a kindred spirit — even if we’ve never met.” — anonymous
“The creator is making me welcome. I can practically smell fresh coffee and cookies.” —
These reflections helped me re-evaluate my own approach on Substack. I updated my welcome email to include a set of promises — one of which is:
I promise to lead you to the threshold of your own knowledge.
Reflecting on trust has also pointed out moments when I’ve responded to the pressure to produce and compromised the space that trust takes to build. It prompted me to face where I’ve unintentionally broken trust, too. Sometimes I have:
Published ideas too quickly.
Let good threads drop too soon.
Plopped in a call to action that shifts the voice too suddenly into something transactional.
Even that feedback was echoed by respondents in the survey:
“I don’t want to be sold anything … not even a personal opinion ...” —
“I unsubscribe fast if someone pivots without bringing me along for the journey.” — anonymous
“I can tell when someone is just writing for engagement — not because they have something to say.” — anonymous
These weren’t just reader preferences. They felt like directives for more principled publishing.
A Few Survey Highlights (See Infographic Below):
→ 62% of respondents said they trust publications that offer depth — something to sit with and think about for days.
→ Authenticity, transparency and a distinct human voice ranked consistently high as trust signals.
→ Fast pivots, “marketing speak” and bait-and-switch tactics were repeatedly cited as trust-breakers.
Do any of these survey highlights above (or below in the infographic) stand out to you?
As we move into summer, I’m thinking more about rhythm and resonance.
What does trust ask of us — when our audience’s time, energy and focus are shifting with the season?
If your subscribers are parents: what are they navigating? If your audience is easing into slower days: how can your words feel like an invitation, not an interruption?
Because trust is the food of online creativity. It’s what makes people stay. It’s the feeling that keeps our words from getting lost in the noise.
What’s one way you build (or rebuild) trust with your audience?
I’d love to hear examples in the comments.
Really food for thought, Amanda. The responses are very informative. I think a lot of it we intrinsically already know, but good for a brush-up, to sharpen our 'pencils.'
HI Amanda. I agree with your perspective. I see clearly that many creator's are pushing hard to just get paid. It has changed my approach to my posts. I want to help people without always asking them to pay me for the information. If this pattern doesn't change, it's going to feel like a flea market rather than a community. Thank you for this article. David