What makes a Substack Note go viral?
We analyzed 6,743,129 Substack Notes, including viral notes, to surface the patterns behind top-performing content.
6.7M
Notes analyzed
2.0M
Total likes
4,874
Avg likes / note
91,267
Top note
Key findings at a glance
Content and timing patterns from 6,743,129 Substack Notes, including viral notes.
Lead with a hook
68%
of viral notes open with a punchy first line of 8 words or fewer.
Use the right depth
64-256 words
This range works well for a quick point, short story, or useful teardown.
Use weekend attention
26.8 EPN
Saturday and Sunday led the 6.7M-note benchmark on engagement per note.
Post in the peak window
8-11 pm ET
Weekday 3-10 pm ET is the reliable fallback.
Add a number
54%
of highest-liked notes include a concrete number in the first 80 chars.
End with a question
41%
of viral notes close with "?" — inviting replies and restacks.
With image or without?
Does adding media actually move the needle on engagement?
7,281
avg likes
1,500
avg restacks
4,615
avg likes
831
avg restacks
Which posting windows should you test first?
Timing guidance from 6,743,129 Substack Notes.
Weekend evenings
8-11 pm ET
100/100
Highest engagement per note with fewer creators competing for attention.
Weekday evenings
3-10 pm ET
88/100
The safest repeatable window after work, when readers are relaxed and scrolling.
Midnight bonus
12-1 am ET
82/100
Surprisingly strong late-night engagement with minimal posting competition.
Weekend mornings
10 am-2 pm ET
76/100
Works best when readers are in weekend consumption mode.
Crowded mornings
Tue-Thu 8 am-12 pm ET
34/100
High posting volume creates more competition and lower relative engagement.
How long should your note be?
Average likes broken down by note length. Excludes media-only posts.
Image / Media: 39 notes
1–50 chars: 34 notes
51–100 chars: 52 notes
101–200 chars: 276 notes
200+ chars: 0 notes
Are notes getting more or less engagement over time?
Monthly average likes across all notes in the dataset.
Structural patterns of viral notes
What percentage of top-performing text notes use each technique?
Start with a punchy opener
First sentence ≤ 8 words
Contain a number / stat
In the first 80 characters
End with a question
Closes with "?"
Use ALL CAPS for emphasis
At least one capitalised word (3+ letters)
Keep it under 100 characters
Short, scannable text
How shareable are viral notes?
Restacks and replies as a percentage of total likes.
18.4%
Restack rate — of likes also restack
2.5%
Reply rate — of likes also reply
Frequently asked questions
Is the Substack Notes Performance Tracker free?
Yes, completely free with no account required. All charts, benchmarks, and findings are available to everyone.
Where does the data come from?
The benchmark uses 6,743,129 Substack Notes, including viral notes.
How can I use these insights to grow?
Apply the findings to your own notes: use short hooks, publish deeper ideas in the 64-256 words range, test weekend 8-11 pm ET, and use weekday 3-10 pm ET as your consistent fallback.
What metrics are tracked?
Likes, restacks, and replies are broken down by note length and format. Timing recommendations use the separate 6.7M-note study.
Can I benchmark my own notes?
Yes! Use our free Substack Profile Analyzer to score your notes against these viral benchmarks. Just enter your publication URL — no sign-up needed.
Apply these insights
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