How do I grow my Substack?

8 essential tips for web creators

What actually works for web creators right now? Across this season of Ctrl Alt Ask, we spoke with SEO experts, ad strategists, branding pros, creator coaches, and founders navigating real traffic swings. In this episode, we’ve distilled the most important lessons into eight clear, actionable takeaways for independent publishers. You’ll learn how to: * Think about Google without letting it control your strategy * Improve your search performance with small but meaningful site changes * Attract advertisers by strengthening your audience relationship * Build a smarter YouTube strategy across Shorts and long-form * Clarify your brand so it cuts through noise * Promote your work confidently without burning out your audience * Protect your content in the age of AI * Adapt to Google Discover as it reshapes traffic Whether you're focused on SEO, monetization, branding, or just staying sane as a creator, this episode pulls together the most practical advice from across the show into one focused guide.

How do I optimize for Google Discover?

There’s a part of Google quietly driving millions of clicks to websites every day–and a lot of creators don’t even realize they’re publishing for it. In this episode, we ground the conversation in what Google Discover actually is, where it lives, and why it matters right now for creators navigating a shifting search landscape. Guest Tim Konrad of Unofficial Networks shares what it’s been like riding the feature’s highs and lows, and why traffic to his ski and snowboard site can rise and fall faster than the alpine slopes he covers. Tom Critchlow, Raptive’s EVP of Audience Growth, breaks down what’s changed inside Google Discover, which signals still matter, and what creators can do to improve their chances of getting surfaced. 00:00 Introduction to Google Discover 00:44 Meet Tim Konrad and Tom Critchlow 01:12 Get to Know Tom via his Google Discover Feed 02:27 Tim Konrad's Journey with Google Discover 04:46 Understanding Google Discover 07:24 Google Discover's Impact on Traffic 10:10 Challenges and Volatility in Google Discover 14:32 Optimizing Content for Google Discover 27:36 Future of Google Discover 31:23 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Additional resources: https://raptive.com/blog/why-you-should-be-optimizing-for-google-discover/ [https://raptive.com/blog/why-you-should-be-optimizing-for-google-discover/]

The discoverability hack for small entertainment sites

How can smaller news and entertainment creators compete with giant publishers? Should creators chase breaking news, or focus on evergreen content? And what actually wins in today’s SEO and discovery ecosystem? These are the questions facing creators like Jamie Broadnax of Black Girl Nerds and entertainment creators everywhere. With massive publishers dominating the space, how can high-quality independent sites break through?  Raptive’s SEO expert Eddie Mercado joins the pod to help us unpack why search is especially stacked against entertainment creators, and what they can do to win anyway. Eddie breaks down where Google traffic really comes from in 2026, and how to use your niche as a competitive advantage. You’ll learn: * Where creators should focus for traffic: Google Search, Google News or Google Discover? * Should creators push for breaking news vs. evergreen content? * Why niche beats scale, and how to use yours as your superpower 00:00 Introduction: The challenge facing entertainment sites 00:44 Meet the Expert: Eddie Mercado [emercado@raptive.com] 01:26 Icebreaker: Why Eddie’s favorite TV show is a discoverability winner 02:31 Jamie’s question: Help! 07:01 Understanding Google Discover 08:39 Challenges unique to entertainment sites 10:37 Timely vs. evergreen content strategies 13:56 Why knowing your niche matters 15:57 Optimizing content for Google Search, News and Discover

How do I grow my Substack?

Substack is no longer just an email platform, it has grown into a fully fledged social media site. But does that mean you need to start one? Best-selling author, podcaster and Substack aficionado Jo Piazza joins to share how Substack fits into her larger creator and marketing ecosystem.  The question asker this week is Steve Snyder [clubtraderjoes@gmail.com] of Club Trader Joes. He’s started a free Substack and gained some traction, but how can he grow it and build a community? And how can he turn it into a monetized income stream? Additional resources: * Jo Piazza’s Podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/under-the-influence-with-jo-piazza/id1544171101] * Jo Piazza’s Substack  [https://jopiazza.substack.com/]

How do I keep creating when I’m burnt out?

At the end of 2025, so many creators are telling us they’re feeling burnt out. And this phenomenon is more than tiredness or overwhelm: it’s a state of fight or flight, and it could be the thing zapping our creativity. So how do we get out of that state and tap back into our love of making content? This week, our creator guest, food and lifestyle entrepreneur Laura Fuentes poses this question, and she confesses that creating has been feeling the same old, same old.  Josh Zimmerman, The Creator Coach, joins as our burnout expert to help Laura (and all of us) get our spark back. Together, he and Steph discuss why creators are especially susceptible to burnout and offer actionable advice on how to reconnect with our flow state. Creator resources: * Meet Josh Zimmerman, The Creator Coach [https://www.creatorcoach.com/about]