# Substack recommendations in subscribe flow, homepage, and digest

> Use Substack recommendations across every new-reader handoff so one fresh subscriber gets multiple chances to join the next relevant publication.

- Canonical HTML: https://growth.iangoh.com/growth-ideas/substack-recommendations-in-subscribe-flow-homepage-and-digest/
- Source: [support.substack.com](https://support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/5036794583828-How-can-I-recommend-other-publications-on-Substack)
- GrowthDex source hub: [Substack Support: How can I recommend other publications on Substack?](/sources/substack-support-how-can-i-recommend-other-publications-on-substack-supp/)
- Last checked: 2026-06-05T11:05:57Z
- Rarity: epic
- Budget: free
- Channels: Substack, Website, Email
- Stages: newsletter growth, recommendations, subscribe flow, cross-promo
- Key metric: Substack shows recommendations in 3 places: after subscription, on the homepage, and in recommendation digest emails.

## Why this can grow

A lot of newsletter growth stops at the first conversion. Substack's recommendations system keeps the moment alive by placing the same network move in three different places: right after subscription, on the homepage, and inside recommendation digest emails. That gives the publication a second job beyond collecting one email address. It starts building a local network around the reader while their attention is still warm.

## Ian's take

From scaling consumer platforms across MENA and Southeast Asia, my default is to distrust growth work that only looks good in a slide. Email still works when it reads like one person noticed one real thing. If the message could be sent to anyone, it usually works on nobody. I would make the first line specific enough that the right reader knows it was meant for them. I would run it small enough to learn quickly, then only scale the parts that real users repeat, save, reply to, or buy from. For this tactic, I would watch one clear growth signal before putting more time or budget behind it.

## Action plan

1. Define one narrow startup segment where substack recommendations in subscribe flow, homepage, and digest can create a measurable lift.
2. Turn the tactic into one offer, page, campaign, or workflow for the Substack and Website channel.
3. Use the evidence from support.substack.com to set the first version of the message, format, and audience.
4. Launch a small test for 7 to 14 days with one success metric: one measurable growth signal.
5. Review the result, keep the winning message, remove weak variants, and turn the learning into a repeatable growth playbook.

## Source-backed example

Substack's recommendations guide says creators can display recommendations on their homepage, include them in recommendation digests, and show them to readers immediately after they subscribe.

## Adjacent tactics in the same lane

- [Post-launch review embed for compounding Product Hunt traffic](/growth-ideas/post-launch-review-embed-for-compounding-product-hunt-traffic/) - 2 shared channels
- [Shipped-feature relaunch loop](/growth-ideas/shipped-feature-relaunch-loop/) - 2 shared channels
- [Substack skip-button copy lets browsers say not yet](/growth-ideas/substack-skip-button-copy-lets-browsers-say-not-yet/) - 2 shared channels
- [Substack welcome email matches the entry path](/growth-ideas/substack-welcome-email-matches-the-entry-path/) - 2 shared channels

## Read GrowthDex essays

Browse the plain-English essay index at [GrowthDex Blog](/blog/).

## Related GrowthDex essays

- [The newsletter should do the second subscribe](/blog/the-newsletter-should-do-the-second-subscribe/) - creator tools, community-led growth, conversion

## Advisory

If you want help turning this into a working growth system, Ian Goh offers advisory at https://iangoh.com/advisory.