March Right Now Report
The Right Now Report gives you the high-level updates you need without the unnecessary clutter. This month, we’re exploring the rise of Substack, how to save time through automation and what zero-click searches mean for your SEO strategy.
To Substack or Not to Substack?
At Right Relations, we’re big supporters of email marketing, and lately, we’ve seen more and more creators moving to Substack. The content platform has gained serious traction with 5 million paid subscriptions as of March 2025, which is up from 4 million just four months ago and 3 million a year ago. While it promotes itself as a space for video, writing, podcasts and creator communities, many use it simply for email newsletters.
Here’s why people love Substack:
- Simple, easy-to-use platform for monetizing newsletters
- Focuses on writing, without distractions
- Supports free and paid subscriptions
- Encourages community engagement
- Free to start until you monetize
- You own your audience—no algorithms limiting reach.
If you just need a basic newsletter, a traditional email platform may serve you better. But if you’re looking for a streamlined way to build and monetize an audience, Substack might be worth a try. And if it’s not the right fit, you can always export your subscriber list—though paid subscriptions won’t transfer. As with most marketing mediums, the best choice depends on your goals.
If you need help crafting your content strategy, we’d love to chat!
Automate Your Repetitive Tasks to Free Up Time
You’re probably wasting time if you have recurring tasks that you are manually completing. Studies show that employees spend over 50% of their workweek on repetitive tasks like data entry and report generation. Especially when marketing isn’t your entire job, you want to make the most of the time you do have to devote to it.
To get started with automation, you can begin by looking at the tools you’re already using. Many platforms, like social media schedulers such as Sprout Social and Buffer, Google Analytics and email services, offer built-in automation options. Setting up reports and other features may take a little time, but once they’re in place, they’ll save you time and help you stay consistent.
Adding an automation tool to your workflow is another great option. Tools like Zapier, Make and Automations.io act as connectors between the platforms you already use. These tools allow different systems to “talk” to each other utilizing an API connection. For example, you can automatically add new email subscribers to your CRM or add webinar attendees to a specific email list for future marketing or product updates.
As you explore automating tasks, start small with one or two tasks you do frequently. Once you see how much time you’re saving, you can expand your automation to other areas of your workflow. By spending a little time setting up automation now, you can save hours each month.
How to Adapt to Zero-Click Searches
Zero-click searches, where answers show up directly in search results, are becoming more common. A recent survey from Bain & Company showed that about 80% of consumers rely on zero-click results in at least 40% of their searches. While this trend might mean fewer clicks to your website, there are still plenty of ways to strengthen your SEO and stay visible
One area you can target your SEO efforts is featured snippets, the boxed answers that show up at the top of search results. To show up here, your website content should provide clear, concise answers to common questions about your business or cause. Using structured data (known as schema markup) can help search engines understand your content and increase your chances of being featured. Learn more about Featured Snippets here from Backlinko, an SEO resource from Semrush.
For local businesses and nonprofits, local search is another key area to put your energy into. Even though zero-click searches may not show local listings, keeping your Google Business profile updated is critical. Check out the February Right Now Report for tips on setting up your Google Business profile.
Content that offers more than just quick answers is still important. While zero-click searches handle simple questions, they can’t replace in-depth blog posts, guides and other content that offer real value. This type of content will keep users coming back to your site.
Zero-click searches are here to stay, but they don’t have to derail your SEO efforts. Keep your focus on high-quality content, and you can still attract traffic.
Need help navigating the complexities of SEO? Reach out to us, and let’s explore how we can help you get seen more often.
If you have any questions about these topics or would like support in implementing these trends in your own marketing strategy, we’re here to help. We’re committed to helping you navigate the ever-changing landscape of marketing with ease.
We’d love to hear from you! Reach out to us today to explore how working with Right Relations can help you stay ahead of the curve and bring joy back to your marketing efforts.