How to Find Substack Influencers

Introduction

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The newsletter renaissance has made Substack a powerhouse platform for thought leaders, industry experts, and niche content creators. Unlike traditional social media influencers, Substack writers build deeply engaged communities around high-quality, long-form content. Finding the right Substack influencers for your brand, research, or networking goals requires a strategic approach.

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Understanding Substack's Unique Ecosystem

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Substack operates differently from other platforms. Writers publish newsletters directly to subscribers' inboxes, creating intimate relationships with their audiences. These creators often have smaller but more engaged followings compared to Instagram or TikTok influencers, making them valuable for targeted marketing and authentic partnerships.

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The platform attracts professionals, academics, journalists, and industry experts who share deep insights rather than quick entertainment. This creates opportunities for meaningful collaborations and thought leadership partnerships.

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Top Substack Influencers Across Key Categories

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Ben Thompson (Stratechery) - Former Microsoft analyst who provides deep technology and business strategy insights, influencing Silicon Valley decision-makers

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‍Lenny Rachitsky (Lenny's Newsletter) - Former Airbnb executive sharing product management and growth strategies, essential reading for product professionals

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Anne Helen Petersen (Culture Study) - Cultural critic and author providing social commentary that reaches millions of engaged readers

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Peter Attia (The Drive) - Physician and longevity expert sharing health optimization insights based on cutting-edge research

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Strategic Methods for Finding Substack Influencers

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1. Use Substack's Discovery Features

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Explore the Leaderboard: Substack maintains rankings of top publications by subscriber count and engagement. Visit substack.com/discover to browse trending newsletters by category.

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Browse by Category: Use Substack's built-in categorization system to find influencers in specific niches like technology, politics, culture, or business.

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Follow Recommended Lists: Many top Substack writers create recommended reading lists featuring other newsletters in their network.

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2. Leverage Social Media Cross-Promotion

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Twitter Integration: Most Substack writers actively promote their newsletters on Twitter. Search for tweets containing "substack.com" or "newsletter" combined with your target keywords.

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LinkedIn Professional Networks: Business-focused Substack writers often share content on LinkedIn. Use LinkedIn's search function to find professionals who mention their newsletters.

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Reddit Communities: Subreddits like r/Substack and niche-specific communities often feature newsletter recommendations and writer introductions.

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3. Utilize Third-Party Discovery Tools

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Substack Discovery Websites: Platforms like SubstackStats.com and DiscoverSubstack.com provide analytics and discovery features for finding newsletters by topic, growth rate, and engagement metrics.

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Newsletter Aggregators: Services like AllTop and Newsletter Crew curate lists of notable newsletters across different categories.

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Industry-Specific Directories: Many industries maintain their own lists of recommended newsletters and thought leaders.

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Use Favikon to Filter for Substack Influencers: Favikon is an influencer marketing platform that includes Substack newsletter creators in its discovery engine. Here’s how you can use it to find Substack influencers:

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1. Go to the Search/Discovery section.

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2. Use the Filters panel:

• Under Industry, select the vertical you’re targeting (e.g., "Business & Startups", "Marketing & Sales", "Food & Nutrition").

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• Under Social Media, choose Substack. This will narrow results to creators who have linked their Substack profile.

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3. Click on "Refresh Search" and check the list of filtered creators.

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4. Network Through Existing Connections

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Guest Appearances: Track podcast appearances, conference speakers, and guest posts to identify writers who might also have Substack publications.

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Cross-References: When you find one relevant Substack writer, check their recommendations, collaborations, and mentions of other creators.

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Industry Events: Virtual and in-person events often feature Substack writers as speakers or panelists.

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Building Relationships with Substack Influencers

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Authentic Engagement Strategies

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Become a Genuine Subscriber: Start by subscribing and regularly engaging with content before reaching out for partnerships.

Provide Value First: Share relevant insights, resources, or introductions that benefit the creator before asking for anything in return.

Respect Their Expertise: Acknowledge their knowledge and position any collaboration as mutually beneficial rather than transactional.

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Professional Outreach Best Practices

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Personalized Communication: Reference specific content or insights that resonated with you from their newsletter.

Clear Value Proposition: Explain exactly how a partnership would benefit their audience, not just your objectives.

Flexible Collaboration Options: Offer various ways to work together, from sponsored content to guest exchanges or joint ventures.

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Measuring Influencer Impact

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Key Performance Indicators

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Track the success of influencer partnerships through:

• Subscriber growth: Monitor increases in your own newsletter or platform following
• Traffic metrics: Analyze website visits and engagement from referral sources
• Conversion rates: Measure how many newsletter readers take desired actions
• Brand awareness: Track mentions and discussions about your brand or content

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Long-term Relationship Building

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Focus on developing ongoing relationships rather than one-time transactions:

• Regular collaboration: Establish recurring partnerships for consistent exposure
• Mutual promotion: Create systems for ongoing cross-promotion and content sharing
• Community building: Work together to build larger communities around shared interests

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Common Pitfalls to Avoid

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Mismatched Audiences: Ensure alignment between your target audience and the influencer's readership. A mismatch can lead to poor engagement and wasted resources.

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Overlooking Niche Experts: Don't focus solely on large newsletters. Smaller, highly specialized publications often have more engaged audiences and lower competition for attention.

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Transactional Approaches: Avoid treating Substack influencers like traditional advertisers. The platform's culture values authentic relationships and meaningful content over promotional messaging.

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Ignoring Content Quality: Prioritize content quality and audience engagement over raw subscriber numbers. A smaller newsletter with highly engaged readers often provides better results than a large but passive audience.

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Conclusion

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Finding the right Substack influencers isn’t about chasing follower counts, it’s about identifying voices that resonate, build trust, and foster authentic relationships with niche communities. As the newsletter economy continues to expand, Substack has become a rich ecosystem of independent thinkers, thought leaders, and highly engaged audiences.

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By leveraging Substack’s native discovery tools, tapping into cross-platform promotion on social media, utilizing platforms like Favikon for precise filtering, and building genuine relationships through personalized outreach, you can unlock high-impact collaborations that go beyond the superficial reach of traditional influencers.

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Whether you're a marketer, brand strategist, or fellow creator, approaching Substack with a mindset of partnership over promotion will open doors to smarter, more sustainable influence.

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The future of influence is personal, thoughtful, and community-driven and Substack is leading the way.

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Also See 👀
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How to Reach Out to Influencers

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