I almost put my top performing Substack post behind a paywall...

I'm SO glad I didn't.

I originally mentioned my Pinterest strategy in a note about making my first $1K on the platform, and the comments blew up. Nearly 100 people wanted the full breakdown.

So I wrote it.

Typically, I'd make a post like this locked since in-depth tutorials are part of what my subscribers pay for. But the demand felt different this time, so I published it for everyone.

The result: 162 new subscribers and an estimated $459 in revenue from people who converted after reading it. That's more than most of my paywalled tutorials bring in directly.

I think there's something to be said about giving away your best work strategically. Not all of it, not constantly, but occasionally putting your most useful stuff in front of the widest audience and trusting that the right people will want more.

I'm going to try this once a month in 2026. One post I'd normally paywall, made free. I want to see how it affects growth versus revenue over the year.

If you're running a paid Substack, it might be worth experimenting with the same thing.