Americans are increasingly getting their news from non-traditional media like social media and other alternative sources. Substack, for one, has seen a huge jump in popularity over the last few years, recently hitting a record 5 million paid subscribers. At the same time, newsrooms are shrinking and the lines between journalist and content creator are becoming more blurred. In today’s fast-evolving media landscape, people are following the voices they trust – no matter the platform.

Public relations professionals and communications leaders need to evolve their approach to meet consumers where they are online. It’s time to consider non-traditional channels as part of your media relations strategy.

3 Reasons to Pitch Non-Traditional Media Outlets

• Despite having a lower reach than more traditional news outlets, podcasts and blog platforms like Substack or Medium tend to see high engagement since they cater to a more niche audience of people who have opted to subscribe to this type of content.

• With the deluge of pitches sent to traditional news outlets these days, it’s tougher than ever to make your pitch stand out. Non-traditional media outlets, however, may get fewer pitches, giving you a better chance of breaking through. Many of these platforms are also hungry for fresh and interesting content that will resonate with their audience.

• While major news outlets are held to strict editorial standards and tight deadlines, non-traditional media often offers a bit more flexibility and creative freedom. Podcasts also allow for more in-depth discussions, which opens up opportunities for more authentic storytelling.

How to Pitch Non-Traditional Media

• Do your research and make sure you understand the creator or platform’s audience, style and content themes. Tailor your pitch accordingly and focus on offering valuable content, not just promoting a product or service.

• Keep your pitches concise and direct, avoiding lengthy press releases or overly detailed proposals. Emphasize why your story would be relevant to their audience and how it would add value to the existing content on their platform.

• Leverage any existing relationships you may have with the creator or platform. Unlike journalists who work for large outlets, bloggers, podcasters and Substack writers often have a closer relationship with their audience. Start by engaging with their content by commenting, sharing or offering your perspective on their recent work to help establish a rapport and show them that you’ve done your homework.

Real Brands, Real Results: Who’s Winning with Non-Traditional PR?

• Mobi (Matter client) is a tech startup based in Somerville, MA that uses artificial intelligence to build solutions for global travel, tourism and logistics companies. To elevate its overall awareness and reinforce itself as a player in the travel tech industry, the team leaned into its subject matter experts as brand ambassadors and thought leaders. The longer format and casual tone of podcasts like Destination On The Left and The Modern Hotelier allowed them to explain the technology in layman’s terms, while delving into the brand narrative and why behind the startup. As a bonus, podcast interviews yielded great content opportunities for sharing or cross-promoting on social media.

• When TalentNeuron (Matter client) acquired HRForecast, the companies’ combined insights brought strategic workforce planning to a new level. Despite the groundbreaking announcement, the clutter of noise in the talent management space forced them to think outside the box and find non-traditional ways to reach their target audience. By identifying and fostering relationships with Substack creators and podcast hosts, the team was able to secure several briefings and podcast opportunities, as well as coverage on Substack platforms such as Recruiting Brainfood and Workforce.AI, which reach a niche target audience of HR technology professionals.

• And Substack isn’t just for journalists. Women’s workwear brand M.M.LaFleur recently launched its own branded newsletter, migrating its long-running editorial platform, The M Dash, from its own website to Substack. As of March 2025, it was reported to have around 90,000 subscribers and is part of a growing trend of using the platform as a direct-to-consumer marketing channel. That said, branded Substacks are less of a business tool and more of a driver for audience engagement and thought leadership content.

Don’t Obsess Over Reach – Focus on Relevance

The challenge with many podcasts and blogs like Substack is that the audience numbers are very difficult to gauge. Even if you could measure their reach, the numbers would probably be relatively low, but you can be sure you’re reaching a highly interested and highly engaged audience.