How I Gained 350 Paid Subscribers on Substack with TikTok, Instagram, and Relentless Promotion
When I started serializing my book Lonely Girl on Substack, I had zero subscribers. Granted, I had a decent-sized audience on Instagram (35k+) and TikTok (175k+), but converting those audiences into Substack readers still felt like starting from scratch.
For me, I think the real challenge was creating momentum around the book and encouraging people to join me on Substack in order to read it. I chose to publish my memoir on Substack because it felt like the most accessible way to get the story out there and start taking action.
So, if you’re thinking about doing something similar—whether it’s publishing a memoir, fiction, essays, or a newsletter on Substack—let me break down exactly what I did, what worked, and what didn’t.
Hopefully, it’ll save you some time and headaches.
Step 1: Promote Like Crazy Before You Publish
I spent a full month relentlessly promoting my book before I even published the first chapter. I’m talking 30 days of nonstop content creation, sun up to sun down.
Here’s what that looked like:
Long-form writing on TikTok: I created photo posts with original stories related to the themes in my book. I’d write the story, format it in Canva, and upload it as a scrollable post on TikTok with a call to action at the end: “Subscribe on Substack to read more.” These posts performed incredibly well.
Voice-over videos: I shared videos where I narrated excerpts from my writing. This worked especially well on Instagram Reels and gave people a sense of my tone and storytelling style.
Behind-the-scenes on IG Stories: On Instagram Stories, I shared the process of writing, editing, and preparing to publish the book. I think people enjoyed getting a peek into what it actually takes to serialize a book.
Substack Notes: This was a game-changer. I started posting on Notes to share updates, reflections, and little snippets about publishing the book. A couple of those posts really took off and brought in a wave of new subscribers.
The takeaway? That first month of promotion was everything. It’s where I got the majority of my traction for the entire 5-month serialization period. Without that initial push, I know I wouldn’t have seen the same results.
Step 2: Share Original Content Related to the Book
Something I noticed early on: posts that dove into the themes of the book performed way better than pure announcements. For example, instead of saying, “Chapter 3 is out on Monday, make sure to read it,” I’d create content that explored the themes of Chapter 3. I’d share how those themes connected to my own life or why they mattered to people today. It was more work, yes, but it felt authentic and less salesy. People connected with the stories and, as a result, wanted to read more.
Step 3: Consistency Is Key (But Also… It’s Hard!!)
Before serialization, I posted 1-3 times a day across TikTok and Instagram. On TikTok, I leaned heavily into storytelling—photo posts, long-form captions, anything that felt like a glimpse into the book. On Instagram, it was a mix of voice-over reels and personal stories.
After the serialization process had started, my posting cadence went down to ~2x per week because all of my energy and focus went into producing each chapter of the book week by week (it took way more time than I thought it would).
Was it exhausting? Absolutely. But staying consistent kept the momentum going, even during those middle months when things started to plateau.
Step 4: Notes Are Underrated
If you’re on Substack and not using Notes, you’re missing a big opportunity! Most of my free subscribers came from Notes. It’s such an easy way to connect with people who are already on Substack and interested in similar topics. Sharing behind-the-scenes moments, little writing snippets, or even quick reflections can really draw people in.
Step 5: Paid vs. Free Subscribers
Here’s what I noticed:
Most of my paid subscribers came from Instagram and TikTok. That’s where I’d already built trust and relationships with my followers.
Most of my free subscribers came from Notes on Substack. Those posts helped bring in people who were already familiar with the platform but hadn’t found me yet.
Final Thoughts
The process of publishing my book on Substack was life-changing, and I highly recommend it to anyone thinking about serializing a book. It’s a grind, yes, but seeing readers engage with your work in real-time is worth it.
If you’re wondering whether it’s worthwhile… my answer is absolutely yes. Just be ready to put in the work upfront—promotion is everything.
If you’ve got a story to share, don’t hold back. Start creating, posting, and sharing. The audience is out there—you just have to bring them in.
If you’re looking for guidance on how to do this, join my program, Personal Brand Accelerator. It’s free to start! I created it for people like you who want to tell their stories, grow their audiences, and get their content seen. Let’s make it happen together!
As a PBA Community Member, you'll get:
Personalized coaching from myself & the PBA Team
Direct feedback on your stories + content
Accountability to help you stay consistent with your posts
Access to the full Personal Brand Accelerator course (learn how to build your brand and tell your story: includes 12 modules)
Access to live community calls and office hours hosted by myself and the PBA team
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