How To Write Substack Notes That Bring In Your People

The Substack Notes strategy that brought me 79 subscribers in one week. These 6 'People Like Us' note types attract the right readers and repel the wrong ones — no viral moments required

I added 79 new Substack subscribers just this week. 🤯

Pretty sure it’s because of Notes.

And none of them came from “viral” moments or collaborations.

They came from Notes that made me laugh while I was writing them, or ones that felt like inside jokes with people I haven’t met yet. Some that would make certain people scroll past — but make MY people stop and think, “Wait, who IS this?”

“People like us do things like this.”

Seth Godin said that. It’s become my entire Notes strategy. I don’t write for everyone. I write for people like me — people who are tired of the same recycled advice, allergic to guru tactics, and done performing for algorithms. And when you write for people like YOU, they find you. They always do.

I also promote my Substack on other platforms (not constantly, but enough to drive traffic). But what keeps people subscribing?

I’m going to try and break that down here… so keep reading!

Here’s the pattern I keep seeing in my own Notes—and the ones from other writers who consistently attract the right people.

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The “People Like Us” Substack Notes Framework

These aren’t random shower thoughts. They’re positioning statements disguised as observations. Each one draws a line in the sand: here’s what I believe, here’s what I reject, here’s what people like us do differently.

(Not sure what I mean by “positioning statements”? Read this post…

Stop Writing Notes. Start Writing Positioning Statements.

The right readers see themselves in it. The wrong ones scroll past. That’s the point.

Here are the 6 types of “People Like Us” Notes that work:

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1. People like us hate the same things

The formula: Call out what you (and your people) are tired of seeing, doing, or tolerating.

AI slop that sounds like everyone else. Guru tactics that feel manipulative. Performing for algorithms instead of connecting with humans. Social media that makes you feel like you’re shouting into a void.

I’m not trying to appeal to everyone. I’m trying to REPEL the wrong people and magnetize the right ones.

This one took off because it named what people like us were already feeling — but hadn’t said out loud yet. When you articulate shared frustration, you create instant resonance.

Why it works: You’re not complaining for the sake of it. You’re validating an instinct your readers already have. You’re giving them permission to reject the thing they’ve been quietly uncomfortable with.

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2. People like us laugh at the same things

The formula: Find the absurdity in what everyone else takes seriously or what is considered normal.

Could be ridiculous advice like “just post consistently!” Growth hacks that promise the moon. The bizarre performance culture of LinkedIn motivational posts. Inside jokes about how broken your industry is.

When I write Notes that make ME laugh, they land. This one came to my mind.

Why it works: Humor is a filter. The people who get the joke are YOUR people. The ones who don’t? They’ll scroll past. And that’s exactly what you want.

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3. People like us value the same things

The formula: Name what matters to you—and what doesn’t.

Authenticity over polish. Results over vanity metrics. Substance over performance. Strategy over tactics.

This is the filter for every Note I write. Does this add substance, or am I just filling space? Does this sound like me, or am I performing for strangers?

When you lead with your values, you attract people who share them. It’s that simple.

Why it works: Values are polarizing in the best way. Some people will nod along. Others will disagree and move on. Both outcomes are good — you want self-selection, not mass appeal.

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4. People like us are tired of the same things

The formula: Name the thing everyone’s sick of but nobody’s saying.

Hustle culture. Cookie-cutter advice. Being told to “niche down” until you’re unrecognizable. Courses that promise results but deliver recycled Canva templates.

I write Notes that call this stuff out because I’m tired of it. And every time I do, my comments fill up with “THANK YOU for saying this.”

You’re not the only one who’s done with this. Your people are too. Say it out loud.

Why it works: Naming collective exhaustion creates instant camaraderie. You’re not just venting—you’re validating what your readers are already feeling.

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5. People like us refuse to do the same things

The formula: Draw a line in the sand about what you WON’T do — and why.

Compromise our voice for reach. Game systems we don’t believe in. Pretend to be someone we’re not. Follow advice that makes us feel gross.

This is where the “infYOUse the YOU” part comes in. Your mannerisms. Your hot takes delivered in YOUR way. The stuff that’s SO you, no one else could write it.

Like when I told people to “hug it out” in a Note. That’s me. That’s my language. Could someone else say it? Sure. But it wouldn’t land the same way because it wouldn’t be THEIRS.

The test: If someone covered your name, would people still know it’s you? If not, add more YOU.

Why it works: When you’re unapologetically yourself: quirks, humor, hot takes and all, you become unmistakable. People don’t subscribe to generic. They subscribe to YOU.

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How to reverse-engineer this to find YOUR people

Here’s the framework I use (with my examples below them):

Step 1: Make a list of what pisses you off about your industry

• AI-generated advice with no soul

• Gurus selling $10K courses about “how to manifest being rich”

• Growth hacks that feel slimy

Step 2: Make a list of what makes you laugh or lights you up

• Absurdist humor about the state of social media

• People who are real about their struggles

• Specificity over generic advice

Step 3: Write Notes that lean into BOTH lists

• Call out what you hate (repels the wrong people)

• Celebrate what you love (magnetizes the right people)

• Use YOUR voice, not the voice you think you’re supposed to use

Step 4: Test every Note before you post

• Does this feel like ME or like I’m performing?

• Would I engage with this if someone else wrote it?

• Does this make me laugh/feel something, or am I just checking a box?

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The pattern I’ve noticed

My anti-AI posts hit because I hate AI slop. My anti-guru posts hit because I’m allergic to manipulation. My “social media is exhausting” posts hit because I’M exhausted.

I’m not guessing what will resonate. I’m writing what already resonates with me, and people like me keep finding it.

That’s how you attract more subscribers and followers in a week without worrying about gaming an algorithm. You write stuff that feels like you, and people like you keep showing up.

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People like us do things like this

Your Substack Notes strategy doesn’t have to be about trying to going viral. And it’s way more fun just to be unapologetically you that the right people can’t help but subscribe.

So write Notes that:

• Make YOU laugh

• Call out what YOU hate

• Question what YOU question

• Sound like YOU talking

People like us? We find each other. We always do.

Want to dig in more on Substack growth by doing the most important activities that don’t have anything to do with writing? Substack is an engagement and making friends space. If you want some great tips on that, click here to get my free Substack Connection Playbook!

Photo by Hassan Pasha on Unsplash