First of all, huge congratulations on reaching this milestone. It is so important to celebrate our wins, yet just like you, I struggle with doubts as to what people will say. When I crossed 500 subscribers here on Substack, my mother said that I should write about it without fearing what others have to say because reaching here took nearly 2 years of consistently showing up every week. (And moms' are always right, right?😌) And I received so much love for celebrating this small win as well!
We see you, and we love your work so keep going!♥️
And regarding the open rate- it does fall as the subscribers grow because the denominator increases (in your case it has been rapid), so I would say that it's totally normal!
I am sure the number of unique opens you get are much more than before so that's an achievement in itself!
I’m so glad you listened to your mum and pushed through your doubts. Your hard word on Substack (while you’ve been juggling so many other things) should be celebrated!!
So funny how easily I can advocate for someone else. 😆
Thanks for giving me some perspective on the open rate. Makes total sense.
Here’s to many more fun interactions on Notes and our newsletters! 💕
Hi Mika - this is important to you and you should definitely celebrate. I remember writing posts when I hit big milestones on my views. I have a view counter on my blog and I was blown away as it jumped higher and higher. It reminds us that others are on the same journey and we have something relevant to share..... celebrating that can never be a bad thing :) x
There's a lot to potentially overthink here on Substack, and I have found your thoughts really refreshing when I have seen you posting on Notes, so I am now a subscriber. Looking forward to following more of your work.
It’s been an eye opening journey. So easy to celebrate when you have small wins, but how will it make other’s feel when you have big wins? What if you’re a trigger for people?
I remember when my husband got his dream car, that was on vision boards etc. I would feel uncomfortable being so open about getting a new car, but I saw that his happiness was contagious, people were happy with him.
I’m still on my journey, for sure, but I’m getting there. And experiencing the positivity first hand was a wonderful first step of stepping unapologetically into the light.
Thank you for this post, Mika, and for your words of encouragement!
I struggle a lot with celebrating success and relate to your reasons a lot. But you give the most compelling argument - if no one celebrated and shared no achievements, it would all seem more impossible for the rest of us too!
Thank you for all your examples of showing us what's possible 😊
Congratulations Mika! Your openness and authenticity have been a guiding light since I returned to writing on Substack. Your letters inspire me and I can't wait to see what you achieve next.
Hahaha, I feel like there’s going to be more and more changes. Some of us thrive on change, others find it intrusive, especially when we feel we just got a hang of everything. 😆
I'm probably an inconsistent email opener. Sometimes I get overwhelmed with my inbox and batch delete for a bit, but I still open up Substack and read through the people I usually read.
I’ve been batch deleting too. I would love to read all the newsletters and more, but boy does the time add up! That’s why I so so appreciate when people do read, and even more so when they take the time out to leave me a comment. Thanks so much Sara!
I love that you shared your milestone !! I celebrate with anyone who does because while everyone's growth story is different I understand what it takes to achieve it... It also is a source of motivation for me because I like celebrating my wins as well... You're doing great and love hearing about your story !!
I think we are similar and that we want to give the raw behind the scenes reality in case it is helps others (and it’s pretty cathartic to make sense of what’s going on in our head too! 😄)
Thanks for your support Stephanie and welcome back! 💕
I love witnessing your journey Mika, and celebrate with you! 🥂 I celebrated when I got to 500 with a note and felt so icky but I got lots of engagement and subscribers from it so I’m glad I did.
I also had a drop in open rate with new subscribers, I don’t know what to say but it does seem to level out again over time as people come back and read a week or more later.
It’s good to know what trends you’ve seen. I’m glad that we don’t seem to be at the mercy of the algorithm like YouTube or Instagram - perhaps just busy inboxes. 😄
Hi Mika! Yes, I've noticed that my open rate has gone down a bit as my subscriber numbers have gone up. I'm curious if anyone has insight into why this happens.
I'm also curious about what happened with your Substack in December 2023 when it looks like the number of your subscribers went up exponentially! Congratulations by the way! That's amazing🤩✨🌟💖🙏🕊️
p.s. I LOVE your practice to notice and celebrate the good! We need more of this in our world!
In December, I started posting regularly, experimenting etc. I also got the Substack App around that time. I was able to find people easier and was commenting. I also got a bit of momentum when I posted a comment in Sarah Fay’s Substack publication one time. I got active in Notes in Jan I think. I’m just continually writing and enjoying it here. Interacting with lots of people as I have time.
I'm having so much fun finding Substacks created by writers who are interested in the same things that I like to write about. It's an incredible space for a writer to connect with other like-minded writers and readers! Although I do notice when my ego gets involved, I wish the numbers of my subscribers would grow exponentially. But then I remind myself to stay detached from outcomes, and just do it for the enjoyment factor✨🧚♀️🤸♀️🌼🌷🌈🌺🪷💕☀️😎💃🕺☯️🥰✨🌟💖🙏🕊️
If you continue to have fun, only good things will follow.
I was on 7 subscribers for 8 months, and when I got 20 new subscribers, I wanted to have the kind of overnight growth that I saw others get. It was my ego. I recently struggled with seeing people getting paid subscribers. I wanted that too, but for the wrong reasons. Ego.
When we focus on our connections we’re making and the joy in expressing ourselves, we will be open to opportunities and ideas to expand what we have, for the right reasons.
I have been enjoying interacting with you a little, Mika. I appreciate your perspectives and your generous sharing about the process.
I've only been on Substack for 3 mos. and it instantly felt like a delicious refresh and right for me- after slave-ing over at IG and FB with so little for so long. When I did that...I felt utterly liberated to be released from THEIR template, formula and algorithms for success...but I now see all this on Substack, too.
I think it's normal; it's a for-profit world. But it's also a sort of Catnip I have to continually be aware of not jumping up and sniffing around too long, lol. For instance, the whole idea of changing the title to increase open rates...Initially, I was like: maybe I SHOULD do THAT! Then, I stepped back into my own energy.
Here's an alternate perspective on this, from experience: My recent post has my lowest open rates yet. However, it is highly targeted. Not everyone will know what my title means- but those who know will really know (fyi- I used the word embodiment in the title and post; and I also use made up words!)
Point is, high open rates that are perhaps more generally recognizable/catchy to the masses may indeed get more people to read ...BUT also maybe they are not worth as much as those few who "get" you, and stick around.
At a certain point, all the tries, clarifying and perfecting of message can be released...It really does come down to your inner alignment with your Self.
...Even here on Subtack! Thanks for listening, and allowing me to share. :)
I love your perspective on this Jessica, thanks so much for sharing.
I love that you have found a place that feels in alignment with you, but at the same time you are aware of the pitfalls that comes with any platform that is pushing growth and profitability.
Hey Mika!!
First of all, huge congratulations on reaching this milestone. It is so important to celebrate our wins, yet just like you, I struggle with doubts as to what people will say. When I crossed 500 subscribers here on Substack, my mother said that I should write about it without fearing what others have to say because reaching here took nearly 2 years of consistently showing up every week. (And moms' are always right, right?😌) And I received so much love for celebrating this small win as well!
We see you, and we love your work so keep going!♥️
And regarding the open rate- it does fall as the subscribers grow because the denominator increases (in your case it has been rapid), so I would say that it's totally normal!
I am sure the number of unique opens you get are much more than before so that's an achievement in itself!
I’m so glad you listened to your mum and pushed through your doubts. Your hard word on Substack (while you’ve been juggling so many other things) should be celebrated!!
So funny how easily I can advocate for someone else. 😆
Thanks for giving me some perspective on the open rate. Makes total sense.
Here’s to many more fun interactions on Notes and our newsletters! 💕
That’s true!
It’s so easy to tell someone that they’re doing a good job when you yourself are doing the same. Time to give yourself some credit as well🫂
Here’s to be being our best cheerleaders! 💕
Hi Mika - this is important to you and you should definitely celebrate. I remember writing posts when I hit big milestones on my views. I have a view counter on my blog and I was blown away as it jumped higher and higher. It reminds us that others are on the same journey and we have something relevant to share..... celebrating that can never be a bad thing :) x
“Celebrating that can never be a bad thing” - so important to remember. Loved your thoughts Leanne! (As usual 😄)
Thanks for sharing your insights here, Mika.
There's a lot to potentially overthink here on Substack, and I have found your thoughts really refreshing when I have seen you posting on Notes, so I am now a subscriber. Looking forward to following more of your work.
You’re so welcome and thank you so much for joining our community! 💕
Great to be part of it :)
Love your openness and thoughtful reflections Mika ❤
It’s been an eye opening journey. So easy to celebrate when you have small wins, but how will it make other’s feel when you have big wins? What if you’re a trigger for people?
I remember when my husband got his dream car, that was on vision boards etc. I would feel uncomfortable being so open about getting a new car, but I saw that his happiness was contagious, people were happy with him.
I’m still on my journey, for sure, but I’m getting there. And experiencing the positivity first hand was a wonderful first step of stepping unapologetically into the light.
Thank you for this post, Mika, and for your words of encouragement!
I struggle a lot with celebrating success and relate to your reasons a lot. But you give the most compelling argument - if no one celebrated and shared no achievements, it would all seem more impossible for the rest of us too!
Thank you for all your examples of showing us what's possible 😊
It’s a wonderful way for us to cheer you on!
Congratulations Mika! Your openness and authenticity have been a guiding light since I returned to writing on Substack. Your letters inspire me and I can't wait to see what you achieve next.
Thank you Eva! Wow, thank you for your kind words. It’s been such a fun ride! Thank you for joining me on my journey! xx
Mika great work! :)
Thank you Thomas. It’s been a really fun journey and I love sharing it as I go along.
Congratulations :) Thanks for reinforcing my decision to ignore the updates, ha!
Hahaha, I feel like there’s going to be more and more changes. Some of us thrive on change, others find it intrusive, especially when we feel we just got a hang of everything. 😆
If I never get the hang of it maybe I'll never have to worry about changes hahaha
I'm a fan of celebrating!
I'm probably an inconsistent email opener. Sometimes I get overwhelmed with my inbox and batch delete for a bit, but I still open up Substack and read through the people I usually read.
I’ve been batch deleting too. I would love to read all the newsletters and more, but boy does the time add up! That’s why I so so appreciate when people do read, and even more so when they take the time out to leave me a comment. Thanks so much Sara!
First of all, congrats!
And then, thank you for pointing out that the world is not going to end if we miss a week. I guess I needed the remainder 😅
I couldn’t believe I didn’t even think about it! It was like a lightbulb went off. 💡 I get to make the rules!
I love that you shared your milestone !! I celebrate with anyone who does because while everyone's growth story is different I understand what it takes to achieve it... It also is a source of motivation for me because I like celebrating my wins as well... You're doing great and love hearing about your story !!
You’re awesome! Love your positivity. Thanks for sharing your point of view and approach. Much appreciated. 💕
Congrats mika! And I love that you shared what you’ve learned, giving value to your readers
I think we are similar and that we want to give the raw behind the scenes reality in case it is helps others (and it’s pretty cathartic to make sense of what’s going on in our head too! 😄)
Thanks for your support Stephanie and welcome back! 💕
I love witnessing your journey Mika, and celebrate with you! 🥂 I celebrated when I got to 500 with a note and felt so icky but I got lots of engagement and subscribers from it so I’m glad I did.
I also had a drop in open rate with new subscribers, I don’t know what to say but it does seem to level out again over time as people come back and read a week or more later.
The feeling is definitely mutual Kate. 😊🥂
It’s good to know what trends you’ve seen. I’m glad that we don’t seem to be at the mercy of the algorithm like YouTube or Instagram - perhaps just busy inboxes. 😄
You were my first follower, and I only made one note :). You write more than some people who charge, and your content is fantastic!
Thank you so much Andrew. You’re kind message meant a lot!
Hi Mika! Yes, I've noticed that my open rate has gone down a bit as my subscriber numbers have gone up. I'm curious if anyone has insight into why this happens.
I'm also curious about what happened with your Substack in December 2023 when it looks like the number of your subscribers went up exponentially! Congratulations by the way! That's amazing🤩✨🌟💖🙏🕊️
p.s. I LOVE your practice to notice and celebrate the good! We need more of this in our world!
In December, I started posting regularly, experimenting etc. I also got the Substack App around that time. I was able to find people easier and was commenting. I also got a bit of momentum when I posted a comment in Sarah Fay’s Substack publication one time. I got active in Notes in Jan I think. I’m just continually writing and enjoying it here. Interacting with lots of people as I have time.
How are you finding it?
I'm having so much fun finding Substacks created by writers who are interested in the same things that I like to write about. It's an incredible space for a writer to connect with other like-minded writers and readers! Although I do notice when my ego gets involved, I wish the numbers of my subscribers would grow exponentially. But then I remind myself to stay detached from outcomes, and just do it for the enjoyment factor✨🧚♀️🤸♀️🌼🌷🌈🌺🪷💕☀️😎💃🕺☯️🥰✨🌟💖🙏🕊️
If you continue to have fun, only good things will follow.
I was on 7 subscribers for 8 months, and when I got 20 new subscribers, I wanted to have the kind of overnight growth that I saw others get. It was my ego. I recently struggled with seeing people getting paid subscribers. I wanted that too, but for the wrong reasons. Ego.
When we focus on our connections we’re making and the joy in expressing ourselves, we will be open to opportunities and ideas to expand what we have, for the right reasons.
Thank you for commenting Camilla. It means a lot!
I have been enjoying interacting with you a little, Mika. I appreciate your perspectives and your generous sharing about the process.
I've only been on Substack for 3 mos. and it instantly felt like a delicious refresh and right for me- after slave-ing over at IG and FB with so little for so long. When I did that...I felt utterly liberated to be released from THEIR template, formula and algorithms for success...but I now see all this on Substack, too.
I think it's normal; it's a for-profit world. But it's also a sort of Catnip I have to continually be aware of not jumping up and sniffing around too long, lol. For instance, the whole idea of changing the title to increase open rates...Initially, I was like: maybe I SHOULD do THAT! Then, I stepped back into my own energy.
Here's an alternate perspective on this, from experience: My recent post has my lowest open rates yet. However, it is highly targeted. Not everyone will know what my title means- but those who know will really know (fyi- I used the word embodiment in the title and post; and I also use made up words!)
Point is, high open rates that are perhaps more generally recognizable/catchy to the masses may indeed get more people to read ...BUT also maybe they are not worth as much as those few who "get" you, and stick around.
At a certain point, all the tries, clarifying and perfecting of message can be released...It really does come down to your inner alignment with your Self.
...Even here on Subtack! Thanks for listening, and allowing me to share. :)
I love your perspective on this Jessica, thanks so much for sharing.
I love that you have found a place that feels in alignment with you, but at the same time you are aware of the pitfalls that comes with any platform that is pushing growth and profitability.
Thanks…I’ve found a place of Awareness, but it’s also a balance requiring ongoing recalibration :-) It’s not a constant! thanks again for all you do.