The Notes Strategy That Made Me a Substack Bestseller

How I gained 5,600+ subscribers in 90 days (and how you can too).

I’m just going to say it: I still can’t believe I became a Substack bestseller in my first year.

When I hit publish on my first post, I had no audience. No email list. No grand plan. Just a vague idea that I wanted to create a space for women who were ready to romanticize their everyday lives and step into their main character energy.

Then something happened that felt like luck — a writer with a much larger following started recommending me. Subscribers poured in. I thought, wow, this is easier than I expected.

And then it slowed down.

Cue the “oh shit” moment.

The recommendation well was running dry, and I was staring at my flatlined growth curve wondering what the hell I was supposed to do next. I had two options: panic, or pivot.

So I pivoted, hard… into Notes.

The Numbers (Because I Know You Want Them)

In the last 90 days, Notes have been my number one source of subscribers.

• 5,676 new subscribers from Notes alone

• One single note brought in 2,300 subscribers

Let that sink in. One note. 2,300 people who decided to subscribe to my newsletter because of a few sentences I typed into that little box.

I recently hosted a live coaching hour where I got flooded with questions about Notes: how to use them, what to post, why some take off and others flop. So I decided to break down my entire strategy here.

Usually, posts like this are reserved for paid subscribers (shameless plug: if you want more tactical deep dives like this, become a paid subscriber 💕). But so many of you asked for this that I’m making it free.

Consider it my gift. Now let’s get into it.

Me, during the multiple phases of Substack note creation.

Step 1: Get Crystal Clear on Your Content Pillars

Before you post a single note, you need to define your content pillars. These will guide your Notes, yes, but also your long-form posts. They're the 3-4 themes that everything you create ladders up to. They give you focus. They help you say no to the random tangents. And they make your audience know exactly what they're signing up for.

For Petal + Hearth, my pillars are:

1. Life as an American in France: The behind-the-scenes of building a life abroad — the beautiful, the frustrating, the “I can’t believe this is my life” moments.

2. Creative Business Ownership: What it actually looks like to freelance, grow on Substack, and build a business around your life instead of the other way around.

3. Main Character Energy: The big one. Romanticizing your everyday life. Finding the courage to make the scary decisions. Living aligned instead of on autopilot.

Your pillars will be different. But here's the key: every note you post should tie back to one of them. It may sound counterintuitive, but boundaries create freedom. You'll never stare at a blank screen wondering what to say.

Your homework: Write down your 3-4 content pillars, and be specific. Examples:

If you’re a therapist, your pillars might be: navigating anxiety in your 30s, setting boundaries without guilt, and relationship patterns that keep showing up.

If you’re a writing coach, your pillars might be: finding your voice, building a consistent writing practice, and getting over the fear of publishing.

If you’re a fitness creator, your pillars might be: strength training for beginners, eating well without obsessing, and the mental side of showing up for yourself.

Step 2: Test Relentlessly (And Don’t You Dare Give Up)

Here’s the part nobody tells you: when you first start leaning into Notes, nothing will likely happen. Heartbreaking, I know… but it won’t last forever!

For four to five months, my notes felt like they were disappearing into the void. Crickets. Tumbleweeds. The occasional pity like from my mom (hi, mom).

I almost gave up, multiple times.

But I kept posting and I kept testing. I kept paying attention to what got even the smallest bit of traction.

And then one note went viral. From there, everything shifted. Notes that used to get 3 likes started getting 30. Then 200. Then 1,000.

Your path might look different. Maybe you won’t have one breakout moment — maybe you’ll just notice the traction building slowly, steadily, until one day you look up and realize it’s working. Either way, the formula is the same: keep showing up.

The good news? Notes are short. They’re quippy. They don’t need to be precious. Just set aside an hour once a week to batch your ideas.

You can’t schedule Notes yet (Substack, please get on this), so you’ll post in real time. But having a bank ready makes it infinitely easier to stay consistent — even on the days you’re not feeling it.

For the cost of a monthly chai latte, you can unlock the full Petal + Hearth experience — weekly downloads, private essays, and access to the growing Member Vault of resources designed to help you romanticize your everyday life.

Step 3: Build Your Weekly Framework

Once you’ve tested enough to know what resonates with your audience, build a weekly framework around it. Map out which formats you’ll post on which days (I recommend two notes per day). Having a structure means you’re never starting from zero, you’re just filling in the blanks.

(And remember, every single note needs to tie back to a content pillar!)

Here are the formats that consistently perform well for me:

Tangible How-Tos: Quick, actionable content related to your niche.

• “How to romanticize your morning commute”

• “5 ways to find new freelance clients before Friday”

• “Your 3-step evening routine for better sleep”

Tips That Feel Like Secrets: Share something you've learned from your own experience and position it like insider knowledge.

• “The one thing I do every morning that changed my work days”

• “What I wish someone told me about freelancing sooner”

Transformational Stories: Share a before-and-after moment from your life. What shifted? What did you learn? People connect with the messy middle and the breakthrough.

• “A year ago I was [x]. Now I’m [y]. Here’s what changed.”

Behind-the-Scenes Moments: Photos perform incredibly well. Let people into your life.

• The book you’re currently reading (with a one-line review)

• A corner of your home that makes you happy

• A glimpse of your current project in progress

Reintroductions: The vast majority of people who see your notes aren’t subscribers yet — they’re discovering you for the first time. Introduce yourself like you’re meeting someone new, because you are.

• “Hi, I’m [name]. Here’s what I write about and why.”

• Share your origin story in a few grafs

Quotes That Hit: Not generic inspiration — they need to feel specific to your people. Pair them with a one-line thought of your own. Make them feel seen.

"In Case You Missed It" Roundups: Link to your recent posts. For your existing subscribers, it's a helpful reminder. For everyone else — the 95% scrolling through Notes who haven't subscribed yet — it's a preview of what they're missing.

Restacks of Your Own Content: I restack old notes 2-3 times per week. If it worked once, it can work again — especially for new followers who never saw it.

A few of my top performing notes look like:

Step 4: Analyze Like Your Growth Depends on It (Because It Does)

Here’s where most people drop the ball. They post, they hope, they move on.

Do this instead:

Once a week, go to your Substack dashboard → Growth tab. Look at which notes brought in the most new subscribers and the most revenue.

Then do something that feels like cheating but is actually just smart: copy your top-performing notes and paste them into Claude or ChatGPT with this prompt:

“These are my top-performing Substack Notes from the past month. Analyze what they have in common: topics, tone, format, length, hooks. Then give me 10 ideas for future notes based on these patterns.”

You’re essentially reverse-engineering your own success. The AI will spot patterns you might miss because you’re too close to it.

The Mindset Piece (Because Strategy Only Gets You So Far)

Everyone’s timeline looks different.

Your notes might take off immediately. They might take six months. They might take a year. I don’t know your path, and neither do you.

What I do know is this: if you show up consistently and pay attention to what works, the results will come. They have to. You’re putting yourself in front of new people every single day. Some of those people will become your readers. Some of those readers will become your biggest fans.

Substack built something special with Notes. It’s built-in discovery on a platform that actually wants you to succeed. Most social platforms are designed to keep you scrolling, not to help you grow. Notes is different, and if you’re not using it, you’re leaving growth on the table.

So here’s my challenge to you: commit to posting one note a day for the next 30 days. Test different formats. Pay attention. Adjust.

Then come back and tell me what happened.

Onward, friends.

Love, Olivia 💞

If your product or service supports women creating an intentional and empowered life, I’d love to share it with my community. Petal + Hearth reaches 9k+ thoughtful subscribers who value beauty, depth, and becoming their fullest selves ✨ Learn more about sponsorship here.

About the Author:

Hey there! I’m Olivia, the heart behind Petal + Hearth. Originally from California, I moved to the south of France in 2023 to create a slower, more intentional life, and share the journey along the way. By day, I run the business of my dreams as a freelance copywriter. Here, I pour my love for seasonal rituals, intentional routines, and the magic of shaping a life you can truly fall in love with into every post.

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