As for subscriber/follower trends, I have experienced similar dynamics, and I believe this happens because of recommendations. Last time I checked, upon subscribing to someone with lots of recommendations you were offered 3 publications to subscribe to, and up to 50 (sic!) people to follow. So recommendations yield much more followers than subscribers, and many of those might even not be using Notes at all.
YES. The engagement with my last post 'Hello?' proved that some folks saw it, but only a fraction of my purported audience. My observation about subs is that 1) I never received a congratulations from Substack when I surpassed 200 subs (after getting one when I surpassed 100), and 2) subs have not been able to break 220 for over a year, after climbing relentlessly beforehand and receiving significantly more engagement than posts published beforehand. Hunh.
As for subscriber/follower trends, I have experienced similar dynamics, and I believe this happens because of recommendations. Last time I checked, upon subscribing to someone with lots of recommendations you were offered 3 publications to subscribe to, and up to 50 (sic!) people to follow. So recommendations yield much more followers than subscribers, and many of those might even not be using Notes at all.
YES. The engagement with my last post 'Hello?' proved that some folks saw it, but only a fraction of my purported audience. My observation about subs is that 1) I never received a congratulations from Substack when I surpassed 200 subs (after getting one when I surpassed 100), and 2) subs have not been able to break 220 for over a year, after climbing relentlessly beforehand and receiving significantly more engagement than posts published beforehand. Hunh.
TYVM for reading, Rat. Have a Skeptical weekend!
The entire substack universe could be replaced by A/i. The owners could sell subscriptions for a buck a month and make millions.
Thanks for the mention Doc! It ain't easy starting over but it sure is fun! Keep up the fight my fren! Git 'er done!