# Substack Formatting Best Practices

## Text Centering

Substack's minimalist editor lacks a standard center-align button for regular body text. To center text: select it, click "Insert Quote", then choose "Pull Quote". This creates a visual break ideal for highlighting key phrases or statistics.

## Content Hierarchy

- Use **Heading 1** through **Heading 3** to create a clear, scannable structure.
- Keep paragraphs short (3–5 sentences max) to maintain readability in both email and web views.
- Use **Bold**, *Italics*, ~~Strikethrough~~, and hyperlinks to guide the reader's eye and improve scannability.
- Use bullet points, numbered lists, and dividers to break up long sections.

## Quotes

- **Block Quote**: For clearly attributing long excerpts from external sources.
- **Pull Quote**: For emphasis on a key phrase or statistic; renders centered and visually distinct.

## Visuals and Media

- Insert images, GIFs, or charts to break up heavy text.
- Image width options: **standard**, **wide**, or **full** — choose based on the visual weight needed.
- Always add a **caption** and **alt text** to every image. Alt text serves accessibility and organic SEO simultaneously.

## Interactive Engagement Tools

- **Native buttons**: "Subscribe", "Share your post", "Leave a comment".
- **Custom buttons**: Insert any URL to drive a specific reader action (e.g., download, survey, external link).
- **Polls**: Exclusive to paying subscribers; functions as a passive engagement and retention mechanism.

## Email Subject Line Rules

- Keep subject lines under 50 characters to prevent truncation on mobile.
- Avoid ALL CAPS, excessive exclamation marks, and spam-trigger phrases like "Buy Now" or "Act Now".
- Test deliverability by checking spam scores before sending to the full list.