Substack is a popular platform for writers, journalists, and content creators to publish newsletters and monetize their content. One of the useful features of Substack is the ability to pause your paid newsletter when needed. Pausing your newsletter can be helpful when you need to take a break, go on vacation, or deal with personal issues. In this article, we will explore how to pause your paid Substack newsletter and manage your subscribers during the pause.
Understanding Substack subscriptions is important before pausing your newsletter. Subscribers pay a monthly or yearly fee to access your content, and pausing your newsletter will freeze their billing cycles. New readers will not be able to purchase a paid subscription plan, and existing paid subscribers won’t be charged. It’s important to note that there is no time limit when you pause your publication, and when you’re ready to start publishing again, you can unpause to resume the billing cycles of your subscribers.
Preparing to pause your newsletter involves logging in to your Substack account and navigating to your publication’s dashboard. From there, click on the “Settings” tab in the left-hand menu, scroll down to the “Publication” section, and click on the “Pause Publication” button. You can enter a reason for pausing your publication, which is optional. Once you’ve paused your newsletter, you can manage your subscribers during the pause by sending them updates and keeping them informed about when you’ll resume publishing.
Key Takeaways
- Subscribers’ billing cycles will be frozen when you pause your paid Substack newsletter.
- Preparing to pause your newsletter involves navigating to your publication’s dashboard and clicking on the “Pause Publication” button.
- Managing your subscribers during the pause involves sending them updates and keeping them informed about when you’ll resume publishing.
Understanding Substack Subscriptions
Overview of Substack’s Paid Newsletter Model
Substack is a platform that allows writers to create and monetize newsletters. The platform offers a free version and a paid version. With the free version, writers can create and send newsletters to their subscribers at no cost. However, with the paid version, writers can charge their subscribers for their content.
Substack’s paid newsletter model is simple. Writers can set a monthly or yearly subscription fee for their newsletter. Subscribers can pay for the subscription using a credit card or PayPal. Substack takes a 10% cut of the subscription fee, and the rest goes to the writer.
Reasons for Pausing a Subscription
There are several reasons why a writer may want to pause their paid subscription on Substack. One reason is if the writer needs to take a break from writing and wants to pause the subscription for a certain period of time. Another reason is if the writer wants to make changes to their newsletter, such as changing the frequency of the newsletter or the content. Pausing the subscription allows the writer to make these changes without losing subscribers.
To pause a paid subscription on Substack, the writer needs to log in to their Substack account and navigate to their publication’s dashboard. From there, they can click on the “Settings” tab in the left-hand menu, scroll down to the “Publication” section, and click on the “Pause Publication” button. When the subscription is paused, the billing cycles for subscribers will be frozen, and new readers will not be able to purchase a paid subscription plan. Existing paid subscribers won’t be charged during the pause period.
Overall, pausing a paid subscription on Substack is a simple process that allows writers to take a break or make changes to their newsletter without losing subscribers.
Preparing to Pause Your Newsletter
Before pausing your paid Substack newsletter, there are a few things to consider. This section will guide you through the necessary steps to prepare for pausing your newsletter.
Communicating with Subscribers
It is important to communicate with your subscribers before pausing your newsletter. Inform them of the pause and give them a clear idea of when the newsletter will resume. This will help to maintain trust and keep your subscribers engaged.
Consider sending a personalized email to your subscribers, explaining the reason for the pause and the expected duration. This will help to maintain a good relationship with your subscribers and retain their trust. You can also use your newsletter to communicate the pause, but make sure to follow up with an email to ensure that all subscribers are aware of the pause.
Scheduling the Pause
Once you have communicated with your subscribers, the next step is to schedule the pause. Substack makes it easy to pause your newsletter. Simply navigate to the “Settings” tab in the left-hand menu, scroll down to the “Publication” section, and click on the “Pause Publication” button.
Enter a reason for pausing your publication (optional) and select a date when you want to resume publication. Click on the “Pause Publication” button to confirm. This will freeze the billing cycles for your subscribers, and new readers will not be able to purchase a paid subscription plan. Existing paid subscribers won’t be charged during the pause.
By following these steps, you can prepare to pause your paid Substack newsletter without losing the trust of your subscribers.
Executing the Pause
Pausing a paid subscription on Substack is a simple process that can be done in just a few steps. This section will guide you through the process of executing a pause on your Substack newsletter.
Accessing Substack Dashboard
To access your Substack dashboard, you need to sign in to your Substack account. Once you are signed in, navigate to the dashboard of your publication.
Adjusting Subscription Settings
In the left-hand menu of your publication dashboard, click on the “Settings” tab. Scroll down to the “Publication” section and click on the “Pause Publication” button. From there, you can choose the length of time you want to pause your publication for.
While your publication is paused, the billing cycles for your subscribers will be frozen. New readers will not be able to purchase a paid subscription plan, and existing paid subscribers won’t be charged.
Once you have selected the appropriate pause duration, click on the “Save Changes” button to execute the pause.
It’s important to note that pausing your publication will not cancel your subscription. If you want to cancel your subscription, you will need to follow a different process.
In conclusion, pausing a paid subscription on Substack is a straightforward process that can be completed in just a few steps. By following the steps outlined in this section, you can successfully execute a pause on your Substack newsletter.
Managing Subscribers During the Pause
Pausing paid subscriptions on Substack is a simple process that can be done in just a few clicks. However, managing subscribers during the pause is an equally important aspect that newsletter creators should keep in mind. In this section, we’ll discuss how to handle subscriber inquiries and provide content alternatives during the pause.
Handling Subscriber Inquiries
When a newsletter is paused, subscribers may have questions about the status of their subscription. It’s important to be transparent and communicative with subscribers during this time. Creators can use the following strategies to handle subscriber inquiries:
- Send a personalized email to each subscriber explaining the reason for the pause and when they can expect the newsletter to resume.
- Use the newsletter’s social media accounts to provide updates and answer questions from subscribers.
- Create a frequently asked questions (FAQ) section on the newsletter’s website or Substack page to address common inquiries.
By being responsive and transparent, creators can maintain a good relationship with their subscribers during the pause.
Providing Content Alternatives
While a newsletter is paused, subscribers may be disappointed to miss out on their regular content. Creators can offer content alternatives to keep subscribers engaged during the pause. Here are some ideas:
- Create a free mini-course or e-book related to the newsletter’s topic.
- Host a live Q&A session or webinar for subscribers.
- Share curated content from other sources that subscribers may find interesting.
By providing content alternatives, creators can keep subscribers engaged and demonstrate their commitment to providing value even during a pause.
Resuming Your Newsletter
Once you’re ready to start publishing your newsletter again, you can easily unpause it on Substack. Here are some steps to follow:
Planning Your Comeback Content
Before resuming your newsletter, it’s a good idea to plan out your content strategy. Consider what topics you want to cover, how often you want to publish, and what kind of content your subscribers would be interested in. You may also want to think about any changes you want to make to your newsletter based on feedback from your subscribers.
Notifying Subscribers of Resumption
Once you’ve planned out your content, it’s time to let your subscribers know that your newsletter is back in action. You can do this by sending an email to your subscribers or by posting an update on your publication’s homepage. Be sure to let your subscribers know when they can expect to receive your next newsletter and what kind of content they can look forward to. You may also want to thank your subscribers for their patience during the pause and offer them a special promotion or discount as a token of appreciation.
By following these steps, you can easily resume your Substack newsletter and keep your subscribers engaged with your content.