How to Write the Perfect Substack Short Description
Three simple steps and eight examples to get inspiration from.
👋 Hey, I’m Casandra. I share research-backed business ideas to help you start and grow a business, including on Substack. This is a 🔒 Premium Edition 🔒 of Really Good Business Ideas.
Become a Premium subscriber to access the full Substack archive and Premium Perks like my direct support.
Almost all of your Substack subscribers will choose whether to subscribe after reading one thing: your publication’s short description.
While it may seem like an afterthought, your short description is crucial to growing your publication and building a strong brand.
For most people, it’s the first thing they’ll read about your publication, and what they read will determine if they decide to subscribe or not.
Your short description is your main sales pitch that will convert most of your subscribers so it’s essential that it adequately conveys your publication’s value.
Where Your Short Description Appears
Your short description will primarily appear in three locations.
Your Author Page
Your Welcome Page
Your Category’s Leaderboard Page
How to Add/Edit Your Short Description
Your short description can be added in your publication’s settings. Navigate to your publication’s “Dashboard” and then to “Settings.”
Then fill in your “Publication short description” in the “Basics” section.
Need feedback on your short description? Premium subscribers can book office hours or get one-on-one support through Substack chats.
3 Steps for Writing a Perfect Short Description
Your short description can only be up to 255 characters long so each word is important.
1. Gather Your Inspiration
The first step to writing a strong short description is to gather all the inputs you’ll need to come up with great ideas!
Describe Your Ideal Reader
Start by describing your ideal reader. Be as specific as possible. Gaining clarity on who you want to read your publication will make it easier to build a strong pitch that resonates with that audience.
Research Similar Publications
Next, research publications similar to yours by scrolling through the leaderboard page for the category that best matches your publication. Save any that stand out to you and note what they do well.
Develop Your Unique Selling Proposition
Finally, write your unique selling proposition. Your unique selling proposition should describe what makes your publication uniquely valuable. It will generally describe some combination of what you’re good at, what readers want, and what competitors lack.
In many cases, you will find that your unique selling proposition makes a solid foundation for your short description, but it’s best to continue with the process so you can be sure it’s as strong as possible.