Substack is a popular platform that enables writers to publish newsletters and build a community around their work. One of the features that Substack provides is the ability to see stars next to subscribers’ emails on the dashboard. These stars indicate how actively the subscriber has used the newsletter in the last month, including email opens and web views.
It is important to note that these stars are not given by the publication’s author, and they are not subscriber ratings that the author can give to the readers. Instead, they are automatic ratings that Substack generates based on the subscriber’s activity. The stars are meant to help the author understand how engaged their subscribers are with their content, and this information can be used to improve the newsletter’s content and engagement.
Overall, understanding the meaning of the stars next to Substack subscribers is crucial for authors who want to build a loyal and engaged community around their work. By analyzing the stars and using them to improve their content, authors can increase their subscribers’ engagement and ultimately grow their audience.
Understanding Substack
Substack is a platform that allows writers and creators to build and monetize their own subscription-based newsletters. It provides a simple and user-friendly interface that makes it easy for writers to focus on their content and audience.
When a reader subscribes to a publication on Substack, the writer can see their subscriber information on their dashboard. This includes the number of subscribers, their email addresses, and their star status.
The stars next to a subscriber’s name on the dashboard indicate how engaged they are with the publication. A subscriber with zero stars means they haven’t opened any of the publication’s email newsletters. On the other hand, a subscriber with five stars means they have opened every email newsletter and are highly engaged with the content.
Substack also provides metrics to help writers track the performance of their publication. These metrics include the number of views on each post, the number of free and paid subscriptions, and the number of unique recipients who received an email or Substack app notification.
Overall, Substack provides writers with a powerful platform to build and monetize their audience. By understanding the star rating system and tracking their metrics, writers can better engage with their audience and grow their publication.
The Role of Stars in Substack
Stars play an important role in Substack’s subscriber dashboard. The stars next to a subscriber’s email indicate how actively the subscriber has used the newsletter in the last month. This includes email opens and web views. The more stars a subscriber has, the more engaged they are with the newsletter.
Substack uses stars to help publishers identify their most active subscribers. Publishers can use this information to tailor their content and engage with their subscribers more effectively. The stars can also help publishers identify subscribers who may be at risk of unsubscribing, so they can take steps to keep them engaged.
In addition to stars, Substack also provides a range of other metrics that publishers can use to track the performance of their newsletter. These metrics include total views, free subscription, paid subscription, and recipients. Publishers can use these metrics to gain insights into the performance of their newsletter and make data-driven decisions about how to improve it.
Overall, stars are a useful tool for publishers to track subscriber engagement and tailor their content to their audience. By paying attention to stars and other metrics, publishers can build a loyal and engaged subscriber base, which can help them grow their newsletter over time.
How Stars are Given to Subscribers
When it comes to Substack, stars next to a subscriber’s email on the Subscribers dashboard represent the subscriber’s activity level in the last month. This includes email opens and web views. However, it is important to note that these stars are not given by the publication’s author, and they are not subscriber ratings.
Substack uses an algorithm to determine the activity level of each subscriber. The algorithm takes into account the number of times a subscriber has opened an email, clicked on a link, and viewed content on the web. The more active a subscriber is, the more stars they will receive.
It is important to remember that stars are not an indication of a subscriber’s loyalty to a publication. A subscriber may be highly active one month and less active the next. Therefore, it is important to focus on building a loyal subscriber base rather than solely relying on stars as a measure of success.
Overall, stars are a helpful tool to gauge subscriber engagement, but they should not be the only metric used to measure success on Substack. By focusing on creating high-quality content and building a loyal subscriber base, authors can grow their publication and increase engagement over time.
Interpreting Star Ratings
When looking at the star ratings next to subscribers on Substack, it’s important to understand what they mean. The stars indicate the level of engagement a subscriber has with your newsletter. A subscriber can have between zero and five stars, with five stars being the highest level of engagement.
A subscriber with zero stars means they have not opened any of your email newsletters. This could be because they are a new subscriber and have not received a newsletter yet, or they may have lost interest in your content. It’s important to try and re-engage these subscribers by sending them targeted content or offering exclusive deals.
One star indicates that a subscriber has opened at least one of your newsletters, but may not be fully engaged with your content yet. Two stars means that a subscriber has been consistently opening your newsletters, but may not be interacting with your content beyond that.
Three stars indicates that a subscriber has been opening your newsletters and may have clicked on a link or two, but may not be fully committed to your content. Four stars means that a subscriber is highly engaged with your content and has been opening your newsletters, clicking on links, and possibly even sharing your content with others.
Finally, five stars indicates that a subscriber is a super fan and is highly engaged with your content. They have been opening your newsletters, clicking on links, and possibly even purchasing a paid subscription or merchandise. These subscribers are extremely valuable and should be nurtured to maintain their loyalty.
Overall, understanding the star ratings on Substack can help you gauge the level of engagement your subscribers have with your content. This can help you tailor your content to better meet their needs and keep them engaged over time.
Impact of Stars on Subscription
The stars next to Substack subscribers indicate their level of engagement with the publication. A subscriber with zero stars means they have not opened any of the email newsletters. This could be because they are a new sign-up since the most recent post, or they have not received a newsletter post since subscribing to the publication. Another reason for zero stars could be that the subscriber’s mail client marked the newsletter as spam.
On the other hand, a subscriber with five stars means they have opened every newsletter sent to them. They are highly engaged and likely to be interested in upgrading to a paid subscription or sharing the content with others. Substack publishers can use the star rating system to tailor their content and marketing efforts to different segments of their audience.
However, it is important to note that the stars alone do not determine the value of a subscriber. A subscriber with zero stars could still be a valuable member of the audience who reads every newsletter but does not engage with the email client’s tracking system. Similarly, a subscriber with five stars could be a casual reader who does not convert to a paid subscription or share the content with others.
Overall, the star rating system provides a useful tool for Substack publishers to understand their audience’s engagement levels and tailor their content and marketing efforts accordingly. However, it should not be the sole basis for determining the value of a subscriber.
Managing Star Ratings
Managing star ratings on Substack is an essential aspect of understanding your subscribers’ engagement with your publication. The stars represent how frequently a subscriber opens your newsletter. A subscriber with zero stars means they haven’t opened any of your email newsletters. On the other hand, a subscriber with five stars means they open almost all of your newsletters.
It is essential to manage star ratings to identify subscribers who are not engaging with your content. You can use this information to tailor your content to increase engagement and retention. One way to manage star ratings is by sending targeted emails to subscribers with low star ratings. These emails can contain exclusive content or incentives to encourage them to engage with your newsletter.
Another way to manage star ratings is by analyzing your subscriber’s behavior and preferences. You can use metrics such as total views, free subscription, paid subscription, and recipients to understand how your subscribers are engaging with your content. By analyzing these metrics, you can identify areas where you need to improve your content or communication strategy.
Overall, managing star ratings is crucial to the success of your Substack publication. By understanding your subscribers’ engagement levels, you can create targeted content and communication strategies that increase engagement and retention.