Substack is a popular platform for writers and publishers to create and distribute newsletters. It offers a variety of features to help users customize their newsletters and manage their subscribers. In this article, we will explore the various account settings available on Substack and how they can be used to enhance your experience on the platform.
Creating your Substack account is the first step to getting started on the platform. Once you have created an account, you can manage your profile, subscription settings, security and privacy, notification preferences, and connect your social media accounts. You can also use Substack to write and publish your newsletters, track analytics and audience insights, and access account support and resources.
Overall, Substack offers a user-friendly and customizable experience for writers and publishers. By exploring the various account settings available, you can tailor your experience to your preferences and needs, and make the most out of the platform.
Key Takeaways
- Substack offers a variety of account settings to help users customize their experience on the platform.
- Users can manage their profile, subscription settings, security and privacy, notification preferences, and connect their social media accounts.
- Substack also offers features for writing and publishing newsletters, tracking analytics and audience insights, and accessing account support and resources.
Creating Your Substack Account
To create a Substack account, go to the Substack homepage and click the “Create Your Substack” button. You will be redirected to a form where you can fill in your details. If you already have a Substack account, you can log in and start creating a new publication.
When creating your Substack account, you will need to choose a subdomain that is easy to remember and spell. This subdomain will be part of your publication’s URL. Choose a title that reflects your publication’s content and is catchy enough to attract readers.
Once you have filled in the required information, you will receive a confirmation email. Click the link in the email to confirm your account.
After confirming your account, you can start customizing your publication’s settings. You can choose from a variety of themes and customize the layout to your liking. You can also add a logo and a cover image to make your publication stand out.
In addition, Substack allows you to control your publication’s subscription settings. You can choose to offer your publication for free or enable paid subscriptions. You can also set the price for your paid subscriptions and choose the frequency of your publication’s emails.
Overall, creating a Substack account is a straightforward process that allows you to create a unique publication and connect with your readers.
Managing Your Profile
Substack allows users to customize their profile information to make it easier for readers to identify them. Users can change their name, handle, bio, and profile picture. Here are some steps to manage your profile on Substack.
Editing Profile Information
To edit your profile information on Substack, click on your profile photo in the upper right corner of the website. Select your name to go to your account settings. You can also access your account settings by clicking on the bell icon to the left of your profile photo. From there, you can edit your name, handle, and bio information.
Changing Your Profile Picture
To change your profile picture on Substack, go to your account settings by clicking on your profile photo or the bell icon. Click on the “Edit profile” button and then click on the camera icon next to your current profile picture. You can then upload a new image from your computer or choose one from your existing library.
Setting Up a Bio
Your bio is an important part of your Substack profile as it helps readers get to know you better. To set up your bio on Substack, go to your account settings and click on the “Edit profile” button. From there, you can write a brief description of yourself and your interests. You can also include links to your social media profiles or website.
In conclusion, managing your profile on Substack is easy and straightforward. By following these simple steps, you can customize your profile to make it more appealing to your readers.
Subscription Settings
Substack offers a variety of subscription settings that allow users to manage their email preferences, set up payment information, and subscribe or unsubscribe from publications.
Managing Email Preferences
Users can manage their email preferences by navigating to their Substack account settings page. From there, they can choose which email notifications they want to receive and how often they want to receive them. This feature allows users to stay up-to-date on the latest content from their favorite publications without being overwhelmed with too many emails.
Setting Up Payment Information
To set up payment information, users can click on the “Payments” tab in their account settings. From there, they can connect their Substack account to their Stripe account and choose their preferred payment method. This feature allows users to easily subscribe to paid publications and support their favorite creators.
Subscribing and Unsubscribing
To subscribe or unsubscribe from a publication, users can navigate to their account settings page and click on the “Subscriptions” tab. From there, they can view a list of all the publications they are subscribed to and manage their subscriptions accordingly. Users can also subscribe or unsubscribe from specific sections within a publication to receive notifications about only the content they are interested in.
Overall, Substack’s subscription settings provide users with a convenient and customizable way to manage their subscriptions and stay up-to-date on their favorite publications.
Security and Privacy
Changing Your Password
Substack takes security seriously, and one of the first things users should do when creating an account is to change their password. To do this, simply go to the Account section of the Substack dashboard and click on Change Password. Users should choose a strong password that is unique to Substack and avoid using the same password for multiple accounts.
Two-Factor Authentication
For added security, Substack offers two-factor authentication (2FA) to all users. 2FA adds an extra layer of protection to a user’s account by requiring a code in addition to a password to log in. To set up 2FA, users should go to the Account section of the Substack dashboard and click on Two-Factor Authentication. From there, users can enable 2FA by following the prompts.
Privacy Settings
Substack also offers a variety of privacy settings to help users control who can see their content and how they interact with their account. Users can choose to make their publication public or private, and can approve or decline subscription requests. Additionally, users can manage their email notifications, pause or stop receiving emails from all their subscriptions, and delete their account if desired.
Overall, Substack’s security and privacy features provide users with peace of mind when it comes to protecting their content and personal information. By taking advantage of these features, users can ensure that their Substack account is safe and secure.
Notification Preferences
Substack offers various notification preferences to help users stay updated with their favorite publications and writers. Users can customize their notification settings based on their preferences and needs.
To access notification preferences, users can tap on their profile picture and select “Settings.” From there, they can navigate to the “Notifications” section.
Users can choose to receive notifications for new posts, comments, likes, and more. They can also enable or disable push notifications, email notifications, or both. By default, Substack has all comment notifications turned on for subscribers, but users can easily turn them off by unchecking the box on their Account Settings page.
It’s worth noting that if users opt-out of email notifications, they will still be able to view likes and comments on their Activity feed page.
For those who are concerned about receiving too many notifications, Substack allows users to select which notifications they want to receive. Users can customize their notification categories by tapping on “Notification categories” in the “Push Notifications” settings.
Overall, Substack’s notification preferences offer users the flexibility to stay updated on their favorite publications and writers while also giving them the ability to customize their notification settings based on their preferences.
Connecting Social Media Accounts
Substack allows writers to connect their social media accounts to their publication. This feature enables writers to share their articles with their followers on various social media platforms automatically. To connect social media accounts, follow these steps:
- Log in to your Substack account and navigate to the Settings page.
- Scroll down to the “Social Media” section and click on “Connect Accounts.”
- Select the social media platform you want to connect and enter your account credentials.
- After connecting your social media account, you can choose which platform(s) to post your articles to by checking the corresponding box(es).
It is important to note that connecting social media accounts is not mandatory, but it can be an effective way to promote your publication and increase your readership. By sharing your articles on social media, you can attract new subscribers and engage with your existing audience.
However, it is recommended to be mindful of the frequency and content of your social media posts. Bombarding your followers with too many posts can be overwhelming and may lead to them unfollowing you. On the other hand, not posting enough may result in your followers losing interest in your publication.
In summary, connecting social media accounts to your Substack publication can be a beneficial way to promote your work and engage with your audience. By following the steps above and being mindful of your social media presence, you can effectively utilize this feature to grow your readership.
Writing and Publishing
Drafting Posts
When creating a post on Substack, users can draft their content using the platform’s built-in editor. This editor allows for basic formatting options such as bold, italic, and bullet points. Additionally, users can insert images and videos directly into their posts. Once a post is complete, users can save it as a draft or publish it immediately.
Scheduling Publications
Substack allows users to schedule their publications for a specific date and time. This can be useful for those who want to ensure their content is published at a specific time, such as when their audience is most active. Users can select the date and time they want their publication to go live and Substack will automatically publish it at the designated time.
Content Formatting
When it comes to formatting content on Substack, users have a few options. As mentioned earlier, the built-in editor allows for basic formatting such as bold, italic, and bullet points. Users can also insert images and videos directly into their posts. For more advanced formatting options, users can use HTML and CSS to customize their posts. However, it’s important to note that not all HTML and CSS is supported on Substack, so users should consult the platform’s documentation for more information.
Overall, Substack’s writing and publishing features are designed to be user-friendly and flexible, allowing users to create and publish content on their own terms.
Analytics and Audience Insights
Substack provides its users with powerful analytics and audience insights, which can help creators understand their audience and grow their subscriptions. In the “Analytics” section of the Substack account settings, users can connect their Google Analytics account to track their website traffic, pageviews, and other key metrics.
Moreover, Substack’s built-in analytics provide valuable insights into subscriber retention, paid growth rate, and audience engagement. This information can help users understand how their paid audience is growing, the rate that they’re staying as paid subscribers, and where their Substack is read.
In addition to analytics, Substack also offers “Audience Insights” that provide creators with demographic data about their subscribers. This information can be used to tailor content and marketing efforts to better reach and engage with their audience.
Overall, Substack’s analytics and audience insights are powerful tools that can help creators understand their audience and grow their subscriptions. By using these tools, creators can make data-driven decisions that improve their content and increase their revenue.
Account Support and Resources
Substack offers various support resources to help users manage their account settings. These resources include a detailed FAQ section, writer resources, and a status page to check for service issues.
The FAQ section provides answers to common questions related to managing subscriptions, changing subscription plans, following, unsubscribing, and more. Users can also find information on how to get verified on Substack and how to report comments.
Writer resources offer advice on how to make the most of Substack and provide tips on drafting, editing, and publishing posts. Users can also find information on how to enable payments and Stripe questions.
In case of any service issues, users can check the status page to see if Substack is down or if there are any service issues.
Overall, Substack provides a range of resources to help users manage their account settings and get the most out of the platform.
