Reginaldo Osnildo
Learn how to invite feedback and build interactivity into your Substack. Engagement boosts trust, community, and subscriber retention.
Build Loyalty With Reader Feedback and Two-Way Conversations
Hey, it’s Reginaldo Osnildo here again!If you’ve been following this blog series, you already know how to publish, promote, and even monetize your local Substack.
But here’s something equally important—maybe even more powerful:
Creating real dialogue with your audience.
It’s not just about writing to people. It’s about building spaces where they can write back.
In this post, I’ll show you how to transform your Substack from a one-way broadcast into an interactive experience your readers will love—and keep coming back to.
1. Why Feedback and Interaction Matter
Let’s face it—people don’t just want to read the news.They want to:
- Share their opinions
- Ask questions
- Feel heard
- Connect with others in their community
When you give them that chance, something amazing happens:They become loyal, invested, and more likely to support your work.
It’s no longer “your newsletter.” It’s “our community.”
2. Start With Comment Sections (and Actually Use Them)
Substack has a built-in comment feature for every post—so use it!
- Ask a specific question at the end of each post
- Pin thoughtful or high-quality comments
- Jump into the conversation yourself
- Say thank you when someone shares insight
Pro Tip: The more comments you respond to, the more comments you’ll get. It’s a loop.
3. Use Reader Polls to Spark Fast Engagement
Polls are perfect for quick feedback—and they’re super easy to add in Substack.
Here are a few ways to use them:
- “What local issue matters most to you right now?”
- “Should we host a live Q&A next month?”
- “What topic do you want me to cover next week?”
Bonus: Share the results in a follow-up post and thank everyone who participated. It builds transparency and trust.
4. Create “Reply to This Email” Moments
You can literally invite your audience to hit reply—and many will!
Examples:
- “Did I miss something? Hit reply and let me know.”
- “Ever experienced something like this? I’d love to hear your story.”
- “What’s your take on this issue? I might feature your reply next time!”
This turns your inbox into a feedback channel—and helps you understand what your readers actually care about.
5. Host Monthly Q&As or Open Threads
Schedule regular interactive posts, like:
- “Ask Me Anything”
- “What Should We Cover Next?”
- “Community Shoutouts”
- “Reader Reactions”
(on journalism, your beat, or community issues)
open thread
– invite people to promote local events or wins
– gather thoughts on a recent issue or event
These formats make your readers feel like they’re part of the process, not just spectators.
6. Feature Reader Feedback in Your Posts
Shine a light on your community by highlighting reader voices.
Try a section in your newsletter like:
- “What You’re Saying”
- “Voices from the Inbox”
- “Comment of the Week”
- “Community Reactions”
You can include quotes, paraphrase emails, or even invite full guest replies.Recognition builds relationship.
7. Create a Safe, Welcoming Environment
Engagement doesn’t just happen—it has to feel safe and worthwhile.
Set the tone by:
- Being respectful and empathetic in your own responses
- Removing or addressing harmful comments when necessary
- Making sure everyone knows their opinion is valued, even if it’s different
Your readers are more likely to open up when they know you’ll listen and protect the space.
8. Use Feedback to Shape Your Editorial Calendar
When readers tell you what they want, listen.
Keep a simple spreadsheet or Notion board to track:
- Suggested topics
- Recurring questions
- Reader reactions to past stories
- Poll results
Then, build content around it. When you cover what your audience actually asks for, they’ll know:“This newsletter is for me.”
9. Offer Feedback Channels Outside of Substack
Not everyone wants to comment publicly. Give them other ways to connect:
- Contact page with your email
- Google Forms
- WhatsApp or Telegram channels
- Private Discord or Slack spaces
for anonymous story tips or surveys
for quick feedback
for subscribers
The more flexible your channels, the more engagement you’ll get.
10. Let Feedback Lead to Collaboration
Sometimes a reader starts as just a commenter… but ends up a contributor.
Use engagement to:
- Spot smart voices in the community
- Invite guest posts from thoughtful commenters
- Source local stories from people with lived experience
- Build a contributor network, starting with your most engaged fans
It’s crowdsourced journalism done right—and it all starts with listening.
Want the Full Engagement Toolkit?
If you’re ready to build a two-way newsletter that actually connects with people (and keeps them subscribing), my full e-book is packed with real strategies like this:
👉 Local Journalism on Substack: How to Create a Low-Cost, Monetizable News Site and Newsletter Network
Inside, you’ll get:
- Reader engagement templates
- Comment & poll prompts
- Best practices for interactive threads
- Tools to turn feedback into content
- A 30-day plan to create a thriving, loyal reader community
You don’t just want readers—you want relationships.And those start with one question: “What do you think?”
Let’s build that bridge—one reply at a time.