TikTok, podcasts, Substack: How Harris, Trump and CEOs adapt to new media
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Newsrooms are shrinking and audiences are becoming more dispersed as independent journalists successfully launch Substacks, content creators pivot into podcasting and TikTokers report on the news.
Why it matters: This is changing how brands, executives and politicians are engaging with the media.
Driving the news: Kamala Harris appeared on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast on Sunday with the goal of sharing her story with young female voters.
- Meanwhile, Donald Trump has appeared on podcasts like "All In" and "This Past Weekend with Theo Von," and Tim Walz has engaged with TikTok series like "Subway Takes."
The big picture: As Axios founders Mike Allen and Jim VandeHei continually point out, audiences have splintered into different news bubbles based on the information they want, voices they trust and activities they are interested in.
- By engaging more with nontraditional media, companies, brands or politicians can connect with the audiences they need most in a way that feels authentic.
Between the lines: It's a "hunt where the ducks are" strategy, or as Rostra founder Lulu Cheng Meservey thinks about it, P=F/A or "pressure equals force over surface area."
- "We all have insane information overload, so if you try to spread yourself too thin and you're saying 10 different things to appeal to everyone, people are just going to forget about it," Meservey previously said at Axios Communicators Live.
- Instead, the goal should be to deliver a precise message that will reach a hyper-engaged audience and call them to action.
- These newer, niche platforms and communities make that possible.
State of play: Tech leaders and CEOs are regularly sitting down for long-form podcast interviews or engaging with influential newsletter writers to reach fellow founders, venture capitalists, employees or potential talent.
- This week, Oliver Darcy's Status newsletter featured an interview with Axios CEO Jim VandeHei, while Emily Sundberg's Feed Me newsletter was sponsored by Hinge (the fourth big brand to advertise on her Substack).
- And while legacy media outlets have a strong hold on big tent pole business events, it's only a matter of time before podcasters and content creators take on Davos. They already did so this summer at political events like the DNC and RNC or global stages like the Olympics.
What they're saying: "Our marketing and communications approach centers around thoughtfully engaging our target audiences... so we're always experimenting with new channels and unique voices to reach them," says Tamika Young, vice president of global communications at Hinge.
- "As more people tap into Substack for meaningful and informative content from perspectives they love following, we are continuing to explore potential long-term opportunities on the platform."
Zoom in: The best approach is to first think about the audience the company or brand needs to penetrate to achieve its goals, says Josh Rosenberg, CEO and co-founder of Day One Agency.
- "A lot of what we think about is, who is the client trying to reach? What is the conversation our brands want to be a part of, and then who are the influential voices that are driving that conversation?" he added.
Plus, these targeted strategies can also be a means for more traditional coverage.
- "More often than not, the hyper niche audiences are where the conversations start, and then you might see something appear in the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal after it's already been covered on Substack or within other online communities," says Rosenberg.
The intrigue: The rules for engagement with nontraditional outlets or independent creators can vary.
- "It is still super relationship-driven," says Rosenberg. "But research is always part of what we do at the beginning, and really understanding the outlet and the reporter, or creator, and understanding what they cover to make sure that the story is right for them."
Because most of these creators, editorial influencers and writers — sometimes called "editfluencers" — don't sit in traditional newsrooms, more vetting is needed.
- It can also require more money, as some writers, influencers and creators work off affiliate links, sponsored content or partnerships.
- This can quickly eat into a comms team's budget and further blur the lines with marketing.
Yes, but: Legacy media has embraced pay-to-play practices too, specifically in the events space.
- And that doesn't change the fact that executives still want to see themselves on the cover of a glossy or their company written about in a major business publication.
- In response, communication teams are having to educate the C-suite on the evolving media landscape, says Tina McCorkindale, president of the Institute for Public Relations.
Reality check: While the role of traditional media shouldn't be ignored, communication teams must be cognizant of what Rosenberg refers to as "data dissonance" or the idea that volume doesn't always equal depth.
- "When everything has a billion views or a billion impressions, who's actually, listening? How is that actually moving the needle?" he said.
What to watch: As AI continues to disrupt the media landscape, trusted individuals with a unique voice or domain expertise have the potential to be more influential than ever.
More on Axios: Shards of glass: Inside media's 12 splintering realities
