From Followers to Subscribers: Better CTAs, Better Conversations, Better Growth
Most creators are trying to move followers from Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, or YouTube into their email list or Substack. But here’s the hard truth: most followers are casual. Subscribers are committed.
In this Creative on Purpose conversation, Scott Perry is joined by Seth Werkheiser from Social Media Escape Club to discuss how creative people, writers, coaches, and solopreneurs can grow their Substack or email lists without chasing algorithms, grinding out social media content, or relying on manipulative funnel tactics.
You’ll learn why a smaller email list can be more valuable than a huge social following, how to write better calls to action, why Substack followers are closer to becoming subscribers than followers on other platforms, and how conversations, partnerships, comments, DMs, and live calls can create more trust than growth hacks ever will.
If you’re a purpose-driven solopreneur who wants to grow an audience without betraying your values, this conversation will help you rethink what audience growth is actually for.
Subscribe to the Creative on Purpose Substack for more principle-based guidance for solopreneurs building a business that fits their life:
→ https://creativeonpurpose.substack.com
Subscribe to the Creative on Purpose YouTube channel for more conversations, frameworks, and practical guidance for growing a values-aligned solo business.
Chapters:
0:00 Welcome and topic: moving followers to subscribers
0:29 Seth introduces Social Media Escape Club
2:30 Why 1,000 Substack subscribers can beat 100,000 Instagram followers
4:02 How to calculate your follower-to-subscriber rate
7:02 Why social platforms make it hard to leave
9:16 The difference between Substack followers and social media followers
13:35 Tools aren’t evil; use them with intention
18:15 Better CTAs and better invitations
20:45 Why “click here to read” is dead in the water
22:41 Use comments, replies, and testimonials as trust signals
25:19 Tell stories only you can tell
28:02 How to create quotable CTA moments inside your content
32:01 Why sharing other people’s work builds credibility
34:49 Practical ways to grow beyond posting
37:13 Why replies and mentions beat the algorithm
38:47 DMs, emails, and relationship-building without being transactional
41:15 Rethinking awareness through collaborations and guest conversations
45:53 Try the experiment 10 times before judging it
55:31 Sandra’s question: can YouTube bring people to your email list?
58:01 Seth’s suggestion: use spontaneous videos to share the energy
1:00:10 Scott’s YouTube lesson: easy CTAs, but don’t overinvest
1:04:23 Focus on the people already paying attention
1:08:59 Why Substack attracts deeper interest than social platforms
1:10:01 You don’t need 10,000 subscribers to reach your revenue goal
1:11:08 Why doing your best work beats growth hacking
1:13:01 Closing thoughts
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